By Ibrahim Bazed, founder and CEO of Eagles Media Enterprises and a marketing strategist with 15+ years advising businesses across home improvement and construction, healthcare and med spas, transportation, e-commerce and professional services nationwide. Updated September 18, 2026.
Quick answer: In Chicago and the suburbs, a powder room typically runs $6,000–$15,000, a standard hall or guest bath $18,000–$35,000, a primary or master bath $40,000–$90,000, and a tub-to-shower conversion $8,000–$20,000. Labor is the largest share of a bathroom budget, not materials, because a small room holds plumbing, waterproofing, tile, electrical and glass. We measure in your home and give you a fixed written price itemized by trade. Call (708) 979-3298 or request a free estimate.
What a Bathroom Remodel Costs in Chicago: Prices by Bathroom Type, a Line-by-Line Budget Breakdown, Tile, Vanity, Fixture and Shower Glass Costs, What Older Homes and Condos Add, and How to Get an Accurate Written Price
Free in-home estimate, anywhere within 30 miles of our Crestwood showroom. We measure, check what’s behind the finishes, and follow up with a fixed written price.
📞 (708) 979-3298 · 💻 Request your free estimate · 📍 4711 W 135th St, Crestwood, IL, Mon–Sat
Bathroom Remodel Costs by Type
| Bathroom | Typical range | What it includes | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powder room / half bath | $6,000–$15,000 | Vanity, toilet, flooring, lighting, paint, mirror | 1–2 weeks |
| Cosmetic refresh, full bath | $8,000–$18,000 | Same layout and plumbing; new vanity, toilet, flooring, fixtures, paint | 1–2 weeks |
| Full bath, gut in the same footprint | $18,000–$35,000 | New tile, waterproofing, tub or shower, vanity, toilet, lighting, ventilation, glass | 3–5 weeks |
| Tub-to-shower conversion | $8,000–$20,000 | Demo, plumbing changes, waterproofing, tile, frameless or semi-frameless glass | 2–4 weeks |
| Primary / master bath | $40,000–$90,000 | Larger footprint, double vanity, separate shower and tub, heated floor, custom glass | 5–8 weeks |
| Luxury or layout change | $90,000+ | Moving walls or fixtures, curbless showers, steam, stone slab walls, custom cabinetry | 8–12 weeks |
Bathrooms surprise people because the price doesn’t scale with square footage. A 5-by-8 hall bath contains the same trades as a room three times its size: demolition, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, tile, ventilation, cabinetry, glass and finish work. That’s why a small bathroom can cost more per square foot than a kitchen.
Where the Money Goes
| Line item | Share of budget | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Labor across all trades | 40–50% | The biggest number in almost every bathroom |
| Tile and installation | 10–15% | Pattern, size and layout drive labor as much as material does |
| Fixtures: tub, toilet, faucets, shower valve | 10–15% | Valve quality matters more than spout style |
| Vanity, cabinetry and countertop | 10–15% | Custom vanities solve odd older-home dimensions |
| Shower glass and mirrors | 5–8% | Frameless costs more than semi-frameless or sliding |
| Electrical, lighting and ventilation | 5–8% | Fan sizing and GFCI protection are code items, not upgrades |
| Waterproofing | 3–5% | Invisible when done right, ruinous when skipped |
| Design, permits and drawings | 3–5% | Required when plumbing moves or walls change |
Common Line-Item Costs
| Item | Typical installed cost |
|---|---|
| Porcelain or ceramic tile | $12–$30 per sq ft |
| Large-format or stone tile | $25–$60 per sq ft |
| Shower waterproofing system | $1,000–$3,000 |
| Stock or semi-custom vanity | $800–$3,000 |
| Custom vanity | $2,500–$8,000 |
| Toilet | $400–$1,200 |
| Freestanding tub | $2,000–$6,000 |
| Shower valve and trim | $600–$2,500 |
| Moving plumbing (sink, toilet or shower) | $1,500–$5,000 |
| Heated floor system | $10–$20 per sq ft |
| Exhaust fan, properly vented | $400–$1,200 |
| Lighting package | $600–$2,500 |
| Custom glass shower enclosure | From $999, most run $1,500–$4,000 |
| Custom vanity mirror | $300–$1,500 |
| Permit drawings and fees | $400–$2,500 depending on the village |
The Shower Glass, and Why It’s Different Here
Most remodelers order shower glass from an outside shop and hope the schedule lines up. We don’t, because glass is the least forgiving material in the room. Tempered glass can’t be cut, drilled or trimmed once it’s made. Every notch and hinge hole is made before tempering, so the panel either matches your opening or it gets refabricated, which means the enclosure has to be templated after the tile is finished, measured against walls as they actually run rather than as they were drawn.
There’s a second decision that happens even earlier. Heavy frameless panels transfer their weight into a small number of hinges, so the hardware has to anchor into studs or solid blocking, not drywall anchors. That blocking goes in at framing, behind the future tile. If the walls are already closed, we work around the structure that’s there, and sometimes that means recommending a different configuration.
| Enclosure | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sliding | Lowest | Small bathrooms and tub alcoves with no swing clearance |
| Semi-frameless | Mid range | Older homes and settled walls; slim framing carries edge load |
| Frameless | Highest | Renovated or larger bathrooms; 3/8″ or 1/2″ tempered glass |
Our glass division, AMG Glass & Shower Doors, is owned and managed by AMG Proline and runs out of the same Crestwood showroom. Our own team measures, fabricates and installs, so your bathroom isn’t waiting on a third-party glass shop and one company is accountable for the finished room.
What Older Chicago Homes and Condos Add
Bathrooms hide more than kitchens do, because everything lives inside a small wet room. In bungalows, two-flats, greystones and older suburban homes we regularly find:
- Rotted subfloor or joists under a tub or toilet from a slow leak nobody saw
- Galvanized supply lines corroded enough to restrict flow
- Cast iron drains that are brittle at the connections
- No vent fan, or one venting into the attic instead of outside
- Ungrounded circuits with no GFCI protection
- Mud-set tile over wire lath, which is slower and messier to remove
- Lead paint in homes built before 1978, and asbestos in some old floor tile and pipe insulation
- Walls out of plumb, which matters enormously once glass is involved
Condos add their own layer: association approval, contractor insurance certificates, elevator reservations, approved work hours, restrictions on moving plumbing, and sometimes required sound-rated flooring assemblies. We handle the paperwork and build the schedule around the building’s rules.
Our policy on surprises: we open exploratory areas early where we can, price known conditions accurately instead of quoting low and revising upward, and where something genuinely can’t be seen until the wall is open, we say so up front with the realistic range if we find it. If it appears, you get it in writing with a price before we proceed.
What’s Included in an AMG Written Price
You get a fixed written price before any work begins, itemized by trade and material: design and layout; permit drawings, filing and fees; demolition and disposal; framing and blocking; licensed plumbing and electrical; ventilation; waterproofing; tile and stone; vanity, cabinetry and countertop; glass enclosure and mirrors; fixture installation; painting; final cleaning; and the punch-list walkthrough.
One crew, one contract, one point of accountability, including the glass.
Why These Are Ranges, and What Changes a Price Mid-Project
Everything above is a rough estimate of what to expect, not a quote. Two things move a real price after the contract is signed, and homeowners should understand both before they start.
1. Changes and additions you request along the way
This is the most common one, and it’s normal. Once the room is open and you can see it taking shape, ideas come. Some additions take a couple of hours. Others are a project inside the project, and they get their own written price added to the base contract.
A real example. A kitchen island is designed without a sink, and halfway through the job the homeowner decides they want a prep sink in it after all. Bathrooms have their own version: moving a toilet or adding a second sink to a vanity after demolition has started. That isn’t a plumbing fitting; it’s new work in several trades. The supply and drain lines have to be run to the island location, often through the floor, with proper venting and the correct pipe sizing. Depending on the construction, the island may have to come out and go back in. The countertop fabricator then has to cut the slab for the sink and finish the opening, which means the top goes back to the shop. That alone commonly adds two to five thousand dollars and several days to the schedule, depending on the size of the island and what’s under the floor.
Other requests that add real time and cost in a bathroom: moving the shower drain, converting to a curbless shower after the floor is framed, adding a steam unit, adding heated floors after the substrate is set, upgrading to a larger frameless enclosure after the walls are closed (which may need blocking that isn’t there), changing tile after layout has started, or adding a second vanity sink.
How we handle it: you get a written price for the addition before we do the work, and it’s added to the base contract as its own line. Nothing is done first and billed later.
2. What we find behind the walls
The second factor isn’t anyone’s decision. Until the drywall comes off, nobody can see what’s there. In older Chicago homes we regularly find mold behind a wall, a slow leak nobody knew about, rotted framing or subfloor, corroded or broken supply lines, brittle cast iron drains, ungrounded wiring, or an electrical service too small, or a subfloor rotted from a slow leak under the tub. Those aren’t upsells. Covering them back up would fail within a few years and cost far more to fix then, so they get repaired properly the first time.
Our approach: we open exploratory areas early wherever we can and price known conditions accurately rather than quoting low and revising upward. Where something genuinely can’t be seen until a wall is open, we tell you up front, with the realistic range if we find it. And if we do find it, you hear it from us, in writing, with a price, before we proceed. Never from the invoice.
When the price holds exactly
If nothing is added mid-project and nothing unexpected appears behind the walls, the fixed written price is the price. That’s the outcome we plan for, and it’s why we measure carefully, check the panel, trace the venting and look at what’s under the floor before we quote anything.
| What moves the price | Typical impact |
|---|---|
| Adding a sink or fixture where none was planned | $2,000–$5,000 and several days |
| Moving plumbing or gas after rough-in | $1,500–$5,000+ |
| Added electrical after drywall | Hours to days, priced per scope |
| Upgrading appliances after cabinets are ordered | Cabinet modification plus lead time |
| Mold, leaks or rotted framing found in demo | Priced in writing before repair |
| Electrical service or panel too small | $2,500–$6,000 |
| Nothing added, nothing hidden | The contract price stands |
Why this matters for you, not just for us: a contractor who hides these conditions is not saving you money, only delaying the bill. We check everything up front, tell you what we find, and fix it properly, because a kitchen or bath built over a leak or a failing pipe becomes a much bigger project two years later.
Where You Can Save, and Where You Shouldn’t
| Worth saving on | Not worth saving on |
|---|---|
| Keeping fixtures in their existing locations | Waterproofing behind the tile |
| Porcelain that looks like stone instead of natural stone | The shower valve and rough plumbing |
| A semi-frameless enclosure instead of frameless | Ventilation sized and vented to the exterior |
| Standard tile sizes and simple patterns | Blocking for grab bars, benches and heavy glass |
| A stock vanity where the dimensions work | Permits, which surface at resale |
| Keeping the existing tub if it’s sound | The cheapest bid with no written scope |
Tub-to-Shower Conversions and Walk-In Showers
This is our most requested bathroom project. Removing a tub and building a walk-in shower typically runs $8,000–$20,000, depending on whether the drain moves, how the waterproofing is built, the tile selection and the glass. Curbless showers cost more because the floor has to be recessed or built up to drain properly, and they’re worth it for aging in place. A word of planning advice: keep at least one bathtub in the house if you can, since buyers with small children look for one. See walk-in shower installation and tub installation.
Timeline and Living Through It
Most homeowners stay in the house. A cosmetic refresh takes one to two weeks, a full gut three to five, and a primary bath five to eight. If it’s your only bathroom, tell us at the estimate and we’ll sequence the work to shorten the days it’s fully out of service. We seal the work area, protect the path from the entry and clean daily. Tile and waterproofing have cure times that can’t be rushed without causing failures later, and we build those into the schedule rather than pretending they don’t exist.
Does a Bathroom Remodel Pay for Itself?
Bathrooms return well at resale, and midrange projects generally return a larger share of their cost than high-end ones. But most of our clients aren’t selling. They’re fixing a room they use twice a day for the next ten years. Keep the finish level in line with your block: a $90,000 primary bath in a neighborhood of $300,000 homes doesn’t come back at sale.
Why Bathroom Quotes Vary So Much
- Waterproofing method, which is invisible in a quote and the most common cause of failure
- Glass included or excluded, often quoted later as an extra
- Tile labor priced for a simple layout when you chose a pattern
- Plumbing assumed to stay put when your design moves it
- Ventilation left out, or vented into the attic
- Allowances instead of selections, so the real number arrives later
- Permits excluded
Compare scopes line by line, not bottom lines. If a bid is far below the others, ask which of those rows it leaves out.
Free Estimates Within 30 Miles of Crestwood
We cover Chicago and every suburb within 30 miles of the showroom: Orland Park, Tinley Park, Oak Lawn, Palos Heights, Palos Park, Oak Forest, Evergreen Park, Alsip, Chicago Ridge, Burbank, Beverly and Mount Greenwood; Homer Glen, Mokena, Frankfort, Lemont, New Lenox, Lockport, Matteson, Flossmoor and Homewood; Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, La Grange, Western Springs, Oak Brook, Downers Grove, Darien, Lisle, Naperville and Bolingbrook; and the city, including the Loop, West Loop, South Loop, Hyde Park, Bridgeport, Lincoln Park, Oak Park, Berwyn and Cicero. See the free estimate page.
Why Homeowners Choose AMG Proline
- The owner runs your project: engineer, licensed general contractor and interior designer in one person, on site through construction
- 2025 Marquis Who’s Who inductee and Millennium Magazine cover feature
- Best of Burbank (2019 and 2020), Business Hall of Fame and a Complaint-Free award
- BBB accredited, Houzz Pro, licensed and bonded in Illinois
- Glass and shower doors in house, through our own division
- Custom vanities and cabinetry built in house
- Crestwood showroom, Monday through Saturday
- Fixed written pricing, itemized by trade, permits in the scope
“I am extremely happy with the work Abdullah and Mo have done for us. First, they helped me remodel my bathroom, fix old moldy walls and install all new plumbing. The bathroom turned out to be very elegant and stylish.”
— Ellianna O., read the review on Google
About the Author
Ibrahim Bazed is the founder and CEO of Eagles Media Enterprises, a digital marketing, web design and SEO agency headquartered in Orland Park, Illinois, serving businesses in all 50 states. Over more than 15 years he has built content and growth strategies across a wide range of industries, including home improvement and construction, healthcare practices and med spas, transportation and logistics, e-commerce and retail, wholesale and distribution, and professional services. He writes buying guides the way he builds campaigns: from a company’s real pricing, process and project data rather than national averages, so homeowners and buyers get numbers they can act on.
Eagles Media Enterprises is a member of the National Limousine Association and the Illinois Limousine & Bus Association, and in 2025 Ibrahim was recognized by the American Arab Chamber of Commerce with an Arab Excellence Award for business growth and marketing. Connect on LinkedIn.
Bathroom Remodel Cost FAQs
Are these prices exact?
No. They’re rough estimates of what to expect in Chicagoland. Your exact price comes from an in-home measurement and a written scope.
What makes a price go up after the project starts?
Two things: additions you request mid-project, and conditions found behind the walls such as mold, leaks, rotted framing or undersized electrical. Both are priced in writing before any work is done.
How much does adding a sink to an island cost mid-project?
Commonly $2,000–$5,000 and several days, because supply and drain lines have to be run and vented, the island may need to come out, and the countertop goes back to the fabricator to be cut.
What happens if you find mold or a leak?
You get it in writing with a price before we proceed. We repair it properly rather than covering it up, because hidden water damage becomes a much larger job later.
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in Chicago?
A powder room typically runs $6,000–$15,000, a full bath gut $18,000–$35,000, and a primary bath $40,000–$90,000.
How much is a small bathroom remodel?
A standard 5-by-8 hall bath usually falls between $18,000 and $35,000 for a full gut, or $8,000–$18,000 for a cosmetic refresh that keeps the plumbing in place.
How much does a tub-to-shower conversion cost?
Usually $8,000–$20,000, depending on whether the drain moves, the waterproofing method, tile and the glass enclosure.
How much does a walk-in shower cost?
Most fall in the same $8,000–$20,000 range; curbless showers cost more because the floor has to be recessed or built up to drain.
How much are frameless shower doors?
Custom enclosures start at $999, with most projects between $1,500 and $4,000 depending on glass thickness, size and hardware.
Why do bathrooms cost so much for such a small room?
Because a small wet room contains every trade: demolition, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, tile, ventilation, cabinetry and glass. Labor is 40–50% of the budget.
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
One to two weeks for a cosmetic refresh, three to five for a full gut, and five to eight for a primary bath.
Do I need a permit to remodel a bathroom?
Usually yes when plumbing or electrical is moved or altered. We handle drawings, filing and inspections.
Should I remove my only bathtub?
If you have another tub in the house, converting is usually fine. If it’s the only one, keep a tub somewhere for resale.
Do you install the shower glass, or does another company?
We do, through our own glass division, which measures after tile and installs with our own team.
Is the price fixed?
Yes. You get a fixed written price before work begins, and anything unexpected behind a wall comes to you in writing with a price before we proceed.
Do you offer free estimates?
Yes, with in-home measurements, anywhere within 30 miles of our Crestwood showroom.
Get Your Bathroom Priced
Request a free in-home estimate · (708) 979-3298 · Showroom: 4711 W 135th St, Crestwood, IL 60418, Mon–Sat
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