What's your project?
Whear?
Articles & Advice > All Bathrooms Articles > Chicago Bathroom Remodeling

Chicago Bathroom Remodeling

Bathrooms Bathroom Remodel

Related Content

Find Top-Rated Professionals

From Navy Pier to Naperville, the housing market in Chicago is fierce and competitive. So to keep up with the rising prices and aggressive resale, it's always smart to reinvest in your property whenever you have the chance. And the best way to add value to your asset is a new bathroom remodel. It's one of the most used rooms in the home, and therefore one of the most valued, so whether you live on the Near North Side or Arlington Heights, putting your money towards new bathroom floors and fixtures will help to keep your real estate consistent with the rest of the market.

Price Expectations for Chicago Bathroom Renovations
ServiceMagic spends a lot of time hooking up contractors with homeowners in the Chicagoland area, and after every project we follow up with a survey asking customers about the experience, especially when it comes to costs. Though a $20,000 Chicago bathroom remodel was at the extreme end of things, almost all other projects ran around $7,000. But everything depends on your style, the square footage, and choices in materials. Though there are some things that won't need extravagant budgeting, such as toilets, other items could always use a little panache, such as custom sinks, fixtures, and flooring. But a lot also depends on the area in which you live: if you reside on the Gold Coast, just to keep up with the Jones' it may be a good idea to put a bit extra into the frills. But if you're simply revamping a small half-bath in a four-bath house out in Aurora, then keeping your budget tight may be the smarter move.

Chicago Bathroom Remodel Timetables
When it comes to a bathroom remodel in Chicago, there's no getting around the fact that it'll take some time. But if you can withstand a typical Windy City winter, endurance is probably not a problem. And if you're still a loyal Cubbie fan after all these years, then patience is something you're used to. However, if the project is still in progress by the time the Olympics come to town, it's time for a different contractor. When it comes to numbers though, the average timeline for a Chicago bathroom renovation is about 4-6 weeks, even longer for larger projects. But most of your smaller, standard-size remodels came to a little less than 2 weeks. However, once again, a lot depends on location of the project. If you reside in a brand new high rise down in the Loop, you're probably dealing with a smaller area and therefore less days on the job. For more spacious construction out in Glendale Heights, the project may take longer depending on the overall square footage.

Need a change? Use this link for a complete
Bathroom Remodel

Preparing for a Bathroom Remodel in Chicago
It's always important to plan ahead for any kind of home renovation, especially one that involves such as vital room. The bathroom is an essential area of the home not only because it provides a relaxing getaway after a long day, it also serves the most practical function in the house. Therefore, two things you want to keep in mind before bathroom remodeling in Chicago are 1) alternative areas and 2) pre-purchasing. As one Second City native said, "Make sure you have two bathrooms" so that you have an option while the other is out of commission. Also, if you do have more than one bathroom it's not a bad idea to plan ahead and get both remodeled at the same time to save extra costs (just make sure they get done one at a time, not simultaneously). Also, another way to save on costs is to pre-purchase the necessary supplies beforehand. One customer suggested, "Consider getting the materials first and paying the contractor to install if for you," allowing you complete control over the price and quality of the items.

Working with Chicago Bathroom Remodeling Contractors
Contractors are there to help you out, not make problems worse. So several of our customers recommended hiring someone you're completely comfortable with because when you find the right one "they may be a friend for life." Also, make sure you're very clear about your goals upfront since they can't perform what you don't ask for. And negotiate firmly beforehand, putting everything to the finest detail in the contract to make sure everyone is on the same page. Plus, in the contract, one homeowner said to make sure to "set a limit on how much over allowances the company should go without prior approval." You want to be polite and thoughtful throughout this preliminary process. However, though they are the experts, you're still the boss so make sure to stay in charge every step of the way without ever actually getting in the way.

Bathroom Remodeling Project Guide
If you enjoyed this article, check out our free Bathroom Remodeling Guide, which features expert advice, design & material comparisons, and custom price estimates for your remodeling project.

Marc Dickinson has worked in both the general contracting and landscaping trades and is currently a home improvement freelance writer with over 300 articles published.

Rate This Article

OVERALL RATING Be first to rate this article!

YOUR RATING

Very PoorPoorFairGoodVery Good

Log-in to save your ratings!

Recommend This Article
Digg This Digg
Submit to Reddit Reddit
Bookmark This Del.icio.us
ServiceMagic Articles To-Go

Add to Google

Add to My AOL 0

What's Your Project?

Are You a Quality Pro? Contractors Join Here
By using ServiceMagic you agree to our Terms & Conditions
SUBJECT GUIDES: Plumbers | Electricians | Kitchen Remodeling
FOR HOMEOWNERS: Categories | Projects | Contractor Directory | Community | Tell a Friend | Blog | Refer-A-Pro | Screen-A-Pro | Guarantee | Seal of Approval
FOR CONTRACTORS: Contractor Advertising | Construction Jobs | Contractor Leads / Join Our Network
FOR OTHER NEEDS: Contractors for Your Business | Events | Care
SERVICEMAGIC SITE: Home Improvement | Log In | About Us | Contact | Help | Careers | Site Map | Articles | Galleries | Videos | Project Tools | RSS Feed | Affiliates
LEGAL: Privacy (Updated) | Terms & Conditions
INTERNATIONAL: ServiceMagic UK | Travaux | 123Devis
Follow Us on Twitter Become a Fan of ServiceMagic at Facebook Get the IPhone App for free
© Copyright 1999-2009, ServiceMagic, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Better Homes and Gardens Member of the Better Homes and Gardens Network