July 28, 2022 •Brian Hogan
Your kitchen is the heart — and the busy hub — of your home. It’s where you make meals, catch up with your family, and gather with your friends; in many homes, it’s also the place where homework gets done, work calls are made, and projects are completed. You want a kitchen that works for you and meets your many different needs.
When your kitchen isn’t as functional or inviting as it could be, it can make your daily life a little less productive, efficient, and joyful. Whether your current kitchen has never been your dream space or your family has simply outgrown it, a major kitchen remodel may be on your mind.
And top of mind when you’re dreaming of your renovated kitchen is how much it will cost. Even if you know what you can afford to spend, you may not have a firm grasp on the various factors that go into setting an estimated price range for your project.
It’s one of the questions we get most often here at Hogan Design & Construction: How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Chicago these days? For those wondering about bathroom renovation costs, we offer comprehensive information on this as well.
In this post, I'll offer my take on what a Chicago kitchen remodel costs based on my industry experience. Of course, no two remodels are the same. A luxury kitchen remodel with custom cabinets, commercial-grade appliances, and the finest quartz countertops is going to cost less than a cosmetic remodel without custom features.
That's why I'll explore the elements that go into calculating the cost of a successful kitchen remodel. I'll also try to explain how those elements translate to the average kitchen renovation cost in the far western suburbs and the greater Chicagoland area today.
Calculation Basics: A Kitchen Remodel in Chicago
“How do you calculate kitchen remodeling costs?”
It’s typically one of the first questions that arises during our initial meeting with Chicago homeowners. While the specific answer depends on a variety of factors, key elements of any kitchen renovation cost include project scope and size, level of finish, and needed services.
In a home renovation project, there are several main components that form the basis of the project's final cost. In the average full kitchen remodel, these components include mos,t if not all the following:
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Materials and fixtures
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Labor and installation
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Any needed demolition
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Electrical and plumbing
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Drywall and painting
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Tiling and millwork
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Windows and doors
As you might imagine, the cost of each of these elements can vary significantly based on the scope and finish level of the project itself. Overall scope and finish level of everything from countertops and cabinetry to fixtures and flooring determine whether a project falls into a low-end, moderate, or high-end cost range. Luxury finishes are always going to a more expensive kitchen remodel.
A basic kitchen remodel cost estimate must further factor in any known underlying structural problems that must be addressed during construction. It’s important to recognize that any unknown underlying structural issues can add to the total cost later. Your final renovation cost estimate also includes:
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Design fees
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Sales tax
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Building permits plus plumbing and electrical permit fees
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Any appliances
Design fees are typically 5-10% of construction costs; sales tax and permit costs (and rules) vary by municipality and project considerations. Hiring a Chicago kitchen remodeling contractor who knows the local building codes can reduce surprise costs when ensuring compliance with permit requirements.
What Does the Average Kitchen Remodel Cost?
In the Chicago area, including the northern and western suburbs, the median cost of a full kitchen remodel in a single-family home is about $118,000 if it’s completed by a professional.
The total cost of the average full kitchen renovation in the Chicagoland area can land anywhere between $85,000 and $200,000, depending on its finish level, size, and scope.
According to the recent information from the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), the average kitchen size in the United States is:
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161 square feet in single-story homes
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174 square feet in multi-story homes
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103 square feet in homes that are 1,500 square feet or smaller
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238 square feet in homes that are 4,000 square feet or larger
It’s worth noting, however, that a National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) study finds that the average kitchen size in a newer home that’s around 3,000 square feet (which is about the average size of a new single-family home in the Chicagoland area) is 424 square feet.
As a result, a kitchen remodel in Chicago tends to cost more than what you'll see in most national averages. Local contractors also have to account for the fact that labor in the Chicago area tends to be more expensive, which is another reason why national data often fails to account for what a kitchen remodel costs in Chicago.
Cost Per Square Foot of a Chicago Kitchen Remodel
Why does all this square footage business matter so much? Besides the fact that the square footage of your kitchen plays a major factor in determining the overall cost of its complete renovation, home remodeling expenses are often expressed in the form of cost per square foot.
In the Chicagoland area, most kitchen remodels cost an average of $195 to $580 per square foot, and more for higher-end projects. These figures reflect the less involved minor kitchen remodels ($60,000 to $85,000 total cost) to the complete mid-range renovations ($85,000 to $115,000 total cost).
A complete dream kitchen remodel in the Chicagoland and northern & western suburban areas typically costs $115,000 to $200,000 or more. In a 424-square-foot kitchen, that’s a price point of $271 to $472 per square foot, or more.
Custom Remodeling and the Cost of a Kitchen Remodel
One challenge with looking at this general data about the costs of a kitchen remodel in Chicago is that many homeowners don't want a cookie-cutter remodel. Instead, they want a project that's tailored to their needs and style preferences.
At Hogan Design & Construction, we specialize in custom projects. We're a design-build firm that handles the full scope of the project with our expert design and construction teams. From that experience, I can confidently say that so much of the cost is about what homeowners decide they want in their kitchen remodel.
A minor kitchen remodel can be a cost-effective option, but it's going to be primarily cosmetic. It won't involve structural changes or high-end features. On the other end of the spectrum, luxury remodels frequently include changes to the floor plan as well as wholesale upgrades throughout the kitchen. As you'd expect, a mid-range kitchen remodel tends to fall between these two.
For a luxury project, both the materials and labor costs are higher. Some of the things that are often sought out in luxury custom kitchen remodeling projects that add to the overall cost include:
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Kitchen expansion to install a kitchen island
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Custom cabinetry
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High-end appliances or more appliances (such as a wine fridge built into a paneled wood cabinet)
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Premium finishes and new hardware throughout, including designer faucets and handles
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Natural stone countertops instead of more inexpensive laminate countertops
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Custom lighting fixtures, including new under-cabinet lighting for daily task lighting
Of course, not all of these premium materials and finishes are essential. The benefit of working with a custom remodeler is that you tailor the design to get the best ROI for you and your family's needs.
Get Started with Our Comprehensive Pricing Guides
At HDC, we believe that open communication and accurate, comprehensive information are key to every successful renovation project, no matter how large or small it happens to be. That’s why we’ve developed four comprehensive pricing guides to help you understand what you can expect when you begin conversations surrounding upcoming renovation projects in your Chicago home:
Our guides offer price ranges based on current Chicagoland area building and remodeling cost estimates, as well as our own 20+ years of experience within the industry. We only draw data from well-researched sources and reputable contractors, making them more representative than other kitchen remodeling cost estimates.
Although the figures listed in these resources are only approximate estimates, they can help you gain valuable insight into what you can expect before you even set up your first meeting with our team.
If you’re ready to take the first step toward a new kitchen, give us a call or fill out our easy online contact form today. We’re ready to help you make your dream space a reality.
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