Is it expensive to renovate in Chicago?

Construction trades in the Chicago area earn $85,000 a year on average — 30% above the U.S. average of $65,360 (BLS, 2025). Because labor is roughly half of most bills, that pushes a typical project about 18% more than the national figure.

Why does Chicago cost more than average?

Materials cost about the same nationwide; the difference is local labor. The Chicago metro ranks 3 of 44 major metros we track for construction-trade wages, which is the main driver of pricing here.

Do these prices cover the whole Chicago area?

Yes — these reflect the Chicago metropolitan area. Exact quotes still vary by neighborhood, contractor, and scope, so always get a few local bids. Use the calculator on any guide for a tailored ballpark.

Metro cost guide · BLS 2025

Home improvement costs in Chicago (2026)

Construction trades in the Chicago area earn $85,000 a year — 30% above the U.S. average. That makes most home projects run about 18% more than the national typical. Here's what 100+ projects cost in Chicago, adjusted for local labor.

Chicago construction labor

$85,000 avg / year

Ranks 3 of 44 major metros · project cost adjustment ×1.18 vs. national

		U.S. typical
How Much Do Gutter Guards Cost?	Roofing	$5–$12/linear ft	$5.90–$14/linear ft
How Much Do Kitchen Countertops Cost?	Remodeling	$50–$200/sq ft	$59–$240/sq ft
How Much Do Solar Panels Cost?	Solar & Energy	$15,000–$35,000	$17,700–$41,300
How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost?	Remodeling	$6,000–$25,000	$7,100–$29,500
How Much Does a Chimney Sweep Cost?	Roofing	$150–$400	$180–$470
How Much Does a Concrete Driveway Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$3,000–$10,000	$3,500–$11,800
How Much Does a Concrete Slab Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$4–$8/sq ft	$4.70–$9.45/sq ft
How Much Does a Fire Pit Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$300–$5,000	$350–$5,900
How Much Does a French Drain Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$1,500–$6,000	$1,800–$7,100
How Much Does a Garage Conversion Cost?	Remodeling	$6,000–$27,000	$7,100–$31,900
How Much Does a Gravel Driveway Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$1,200–$3,500	$1,400–$4,100
How Much Does a Heat Pump Cost to Install?	Heating & Cooling	$6,000–$20,000	$7,100–$23,600
How Much Does a Home Addition Cost?	Remodeling	$22,000–$100,000	$26,000–$118,000
How Much Does a Home Battery Cost?	Solar & Energy	$12,000–$20,000/unit	$14,200–$23,600/unit
How Much Does a Hot Tub Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$5,000–$25,000	$5,900–$29,500
How Much Does a Kitchen Island Cost?	Remodeling	$3,000–$10,000	$3,500–$11,800
How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost?	Remodeling	$15,000–$50,000	$17,700–$59,000
How Much Does a Metal Roof Cost?	Roofing	$15,000–$40,000	$17,700–$47,200
How Much Does a Paver Patio Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$3,000–$16,000	$3,500–$18,900
How Much Does a Pergola Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$2,000–$8,000	$2,400–$9,400
How Much Does a Pole Barn Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$10,000–$40,000	$11,800–$47,200
How Much Does a Retaining Wall Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$3,000–$12,000	$3,500–$14,200
How Much Does a Septic System Cost?	Plumbing	$3,000–$20,000	$3,500–$23,600
How Much Does a Sprinkler System Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$1,600–$5,000	$1,900–$5,900
How Much Does a Storage Shed Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$1,500–$10,000	$1,800–$11,800
How Much Does a Sunroom Addition Cost?	Remodeling	$20,000–$60,000	$23,600–$70,800
How Much Does a Tankless Water Heater Cost?	Heating & Cooling	$1,500–$4,500	$1,800–$5,300
How Much Does a Walk-In Shower Cost?	Remodeling	$4,500–$15,000	$5,300–$17,700
How Much Does a Water Softener Cost?	Plumbing	$800–$3,500	$940–$4,100
How Much Does a Whole House Generator Cost?	Solar & Energy	$7,000–$15,000	$8,300–$17,700
How Much Does Air Conditioner Repair Cost?	Heating & Cooling	$150–$700/unit	$180–$830/unit
How Much Does an Asphalt Driveway Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$3,000–$7,000	$3,500–$8,300
How Much Does an Egress Window Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$2,500–$6,000	$3,000–$7,100
How Much Does an Inground Pool Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$45,000–$90,000	$53,100–$106,200
How Much Does an Outdoor Kitchen Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$6,000–$35,000	$7,100–$41,300
How Much Does Artificial Turf Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$8–$20/sq ft	$9.45–$24/sq ft
How Much Does Asbestos Removal Cost?	Remodeling	$1,200–$3,200	$1,400–$3,800
How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost?	Insulation	$1–$4/sq ft	$1.20–$4.70/sq ft
How Much Does Basement Waterproofing Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$2,500–$12,000	$3,000–$14,200
How Much Does Bathtub Refinishing Cost?	Remodeling	$300–$650	$350–$770
How Much Does Blown-In Insulation Cost?	Insulation	$0.9–$2.4/sq ft	$1.05–$2.85/sq ft
How Much Does Carpet Installation Cost?	Remodeling	$2–$8/sq ft	$2.35–$9.45/sq ft
How Much Does Chimney Repair Cost?	Roofing	$200–$2,500/unit	$240–$3,000/unit
How Much Does Crawl Space Encapsulation Cost?	Insulation	$3,000–$8,000	$3,500–$9,400
How Much Does Drain Cleaning Cost?	Plumbing	$150–$500/unit	$180–$590/unit
How Much Does Driveway Sealing Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$100–$300	$120–$350
How Much Does Drywall Installation Cost?	Remodeling	$1.5–$3.5/sq ft	$1.75–$4.15/sq ft
How Much Does Flooring Installation Cost?	Remodeling	$3–$25/sq ft	$3.55–$30/sq ft
How Much Does Foundation Repair Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$2,500–$15,000	$3,000–$17,700
How Much Does Garage Door Replacement Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$1,000–$3,500	$1,200–$4,100
How Much Does Gutter Cleaning Cost?	Roofing	$100–$350	$120–$410
How Much Does Gutter Installation Cost?	Roofing	$1,000–$4,500	$1,200–$5,300
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$4,000–$25,000	$4,700–$29,500
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Detached Garage?	Remodeling	$20,000–$50,000	$23,600–$59,000
How Much Does It Cost to Build an ADU?	Remodeling	$80,000–$250,000/sq ft	$94,400–$295,000/sq ft
How Much Does It Cost to Epoxy a Garage Floor?	Remodeling	$1,500–$3,500	$1,800–$4,100
How Much Does It Cost to Finish a Basement?	Remodeling	$15,000–$50,000	$17,700–$59,000
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Ceiling Fan?	Electrical	$150–$600/unit	$180–$710/unit
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Fence?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$2,000–$8,000	$2,400–$9,400
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Fireplace?	Remodeling	$1,000–$10,000	$1,200–$11,800
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Mini Split?	Heating & Cooling	$2,000–$14,500	$2,400–$17,100
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Skylight?	Roofing	$1,200–$4,200/unit	$1,400–$5,000/unit
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Sump Pump?	Plumbing	$650–$2,000	$770–$2,400
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Toilet?	Plumbing	$250–$800	$300–$940
How Much Does It Cost to Install an EV Charger at Home?	Solar & Energy	$1,000–$3,000	$1,200–$3,500
How Much Does It Cost to Install Recessed Lighting?	Electrical	$125–$300/unit	$150–$350/unit
How Much Does It Cost to Install Sod?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$1–$3.5/sq ft	$1.20–$4.15/sq ft
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a House Exterior?	Windows & Exterior	$3,000–$10,000	$3,500–$11,800
How Much Does It Cost to Paint the Interior of a House?	Remodeling	$2,000–$6,000	$2,400–$7,100
How Much Does It Cost to Pump a Septic Tank?	Plumbing	$250–$600	$300–$710
How Much Does It Cost to Reface Kitchen Cabinets?	Remodeling	$4,000–$10,000	$4,700–$11,800
How Much Does It Cost to Repipe a House?	Plumbing	$4,000–$15,000	$4,700–$17,700
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Boiler?	Heating & Cooling	$4,000–$10,000	$4,700–$11,800
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Central AC Unit?	Heating & Cooling	$4,000–$12,000	$4,700–$14,200
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Furnace?	Heating & Cooling	$3,000–$12,000	$3,500–$14,200
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Roof?	Roofing	$7,000–$18,000	$8,300–$21,200
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Water Heater?	Heating & Cooling	$900–$3,500	$1,100–$4,100
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Well Pump?	Plumbing	$1,500–$4,000	$1,800–$4,700
How Much Does It Cost to Replace an HVAC System?	Heating & Cooling	$7,000–$20,000	$8,300–$23,600
How Much Does It Cost to Replace Ductwork?	Heating & Cooling	$1,400–$12,000	$1,700–$14,200
How Much Does It Cost to Rewire a House?	Electrical	$8,000–$30,000	$9,400–$35,400
How Much Does It Cost to Soundproof a Room?	Remodeling	$1,000–$3,000	$1,200–$3,500
How Much Does It Cost to Stucco a House?	Windows & Exterior	$8,000–$30,000	$9,400–$35,400
How Much Does It Cost to Upgrade an Electrical Panel?	Electrical	$1,500–$6,000	$1,800–$7,100
How Much Does Landscaping Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$3,000–$15,000	$3,500–$17,700
How Much Does Mold Remediation Cost?	Remodeling	$1,500–$6,000	$1,800–$7,100
How Much Does Popcorn Ceiling Removal Cost?	Remodeling	$1–$6/sq ft	$1.20–$7.10/sq ft
How Much Does Pressure Washing Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$200–$600	$240–$710
How Much Does Radiant Floor Heating Cost?	Heating & Cooling	$6–$20/sq ft	$7.10–$24/sq ft
How Much Does Radon Mitigation Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$800–$2,500	$940–$3,000
How Much Does Roof Repair Cost?	Roofing	$350–$1,900	$410–$2,200
How Much Does Sewer Line Replacement Cost?	Plumbing	$3,000–$12,000	$3,500–$14,200
How Much Does Siding Replacement Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$7,000–$20,000	$8,300–$23,600
How Much Does Spray Foam Insulation Cost?	Insulation	$1.5–$5/sq ft	$1.75–$5.90/sq ft
How Much Does Stamped Concrete Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$8–$20/sq ft	$9.45–$24/sq ft
How Much Does Tile Installation Cost?	Remodeling	$7–$20/sq ft	$8.25–$24/sq ft
How Much Does Tree Removal Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$400–$1,800/unit	$470–$2,100/unit
How Much Does Tree Trimming Cost?	Outdoor & Landscaping	$250–$1,000	$300–$1,200
How Much Does Vinyl Plank Flooring Cost?	Remodeling	$3–$10/sq ft	$3.55–$12/sq ft
How Much Does Window Replacement Cost?	Windows & Exterior	$5,000–$15,000	$5,900–$17,700

How these are adjusted: we apply the Chicago metro's labor-cost multiplier (×1.18), built from BLS metro wage data, to each project's national range. Materials price close to national, so the difference is mostly labor. These are budgeting estimates, not quotes — neighborhoods and contractors vary. Always get local bids. See all of Illinois's costs too.

What construction trades earn in Chicago

Annual mean wage by trade (2025), and how each compares to the U.S. average — from BLS data.

Trade	Chicago	vs. U.S.
Electricians	$94,450	+32%
Plumbers	$96,430	+34%
HVAC technicians	$79,340	+22%
Carpenters	$83,110	+27%
Roofers	$81,010	+39%
Painters	$70,720	+28%
Construction laborers	$69,180	+33%

What people actually paid in Chicago

Median filed job value from 26,830 residential-scale permits issued in the last 12 months (City of Chicago Building Permits). Filed values are self-reported and often run below the final contract price — treat them as a reality check, not a quote. Full tables: what projects actually cost.

Project	Permits	Median filed	Middle 50%
Electrical panel / service upgrade	2,596	$4,000	$2,500 – $6,500
Solar panel installation	1,752	$19,800	$12,800 – $27,400
Roof replacement	1,021	$21,700	$13,400 – $30,900
Deck	878	$25,000	$15,000 – $41,100
Detached garage	772	$28,500	$22,300 – $34,000
Home addition / ADU	633	$150,000	$100,000 – $260,000
HVAC replacement	603	$12,000	$5,100 – $20,000
Kitchen remodel	548	$25,000	$20,000 – $60,000
Window replacement	346	$10,000	$5,000 – $20,000
Bathroom remodel	301	$22,600	$15,000 – $40,000
Water heater replacement	202	$5,000	$2,500 – $12,000
EV charger installation	153	$3,600	$2,800 – $4,600
Standby generator	67	$11,200	$3,500 – $20,000

Most active contractors (last 12 months)

Contractor	Permits pulled
SUNRUN INSTALLATION SERVICES INC	672
CURRENT COMMUNICATIONS CORP	184
KAPITAL ELECTRIC COMPANY	170
ROBERT LESNICKI	165
MARON ELECTRIC COMPANY	164
GARAGE 2017 LLC DBA DANLEY'S GARAGE WORLD	153
BLUE LINE ELECTRICAL CONTRACTO	149
CHAVEZ ELECTRIC	148

Permit counts are public filings — activity, not an endorsement. Chicago licenses general contractors at the city level. Always verify the license and get three written bids.

Frequently asked questions

Is it expensive to renovate in Chicago?: Construction trades in the Chicago area earn $85,000 a year on average — 30% above the U.S. average of $65,360 (BLS, 2025). Because labor is roughly half of most bills, that pushes a typical project about 18% more than the national figure.
Why does Chicago cost more than average?: Materials cost about the same nationwide; the difference is local labor. The Chicago metro ranks 3 of 44 major metros we track for construction-trade wages, which is the main driver of pricing here.
Do these prices cover the whole Chicago area?: Yes — these reflect the Chicago metropolitan area. Exact quotes still vary by neighborhood, contractor, and scope, so always get a few local bids. Use the calculator on any guide for a tailored ballpark.

Compare other metros on the cost-by-city index, see Illinois costs by state, or the underlying trade wage data.