FAQ
Remodeling questions, answered.
Quick, honest answers about cost, timelines, permits, condo buildings and how we work. Don’t see yours? Call or send us a message.
Cost
For a full remodel that keeps the existing layout, our 2026 ranges run from about $31,000 for a small kitchen with Essential finishes to $85,000 for a large Signature kitchen. Luxury kitchens start around $52,500 and large ones go above $90,000. A new layout adds about 15%; condos add about 7%.
A full remodel of a 35–60 sq ft bathroom runs about $16,500–$19,500 with Essential finishes and $20,500–$27,500 at Signature. Larger primary bathrooms range up to $43,000 at Signature, and Luxury bathrooms start around $29,500.
Yes. You can get an instant range from our online cost estimator, and the in-home consultation is free. After the consultation you receive a fixed-price proposal.
Building logistics: elevator reservations, limited work hours, common-area protection and coordination with management. In our pricing that adds about 7% for condos and 12% for high-rises.
Moving plumbing, gas or walls (15–30%), the finish level of cabinets and stone, and add-ons such as islands, premium appliance packages and custom showers.
Timeline
A full gut renovation with a new layout takes 4–6 weeks. Permits and material delays can push that further.
Construction usually takes a few weeks, depending on the size of the bathroom, the shower and tile work, and how quickly materials arrive. We give you a schedule with your proposal.
Late changes to selections, backordered materials, hidden conditions behind walls in older homes, and building rules in condos. We order long-lead items early to avoid most of them.
Permits, condos & insurance
If you’re changing plumbing, electrical, or structure, yes. Cosmetic work like paint or swapping fixtures usually doesn’t need one. We pull the permits for you either way.
Yes. We handle the paperwork and scheduling your building requires so you don’t have to deal with it.
Yes. We issue certificates of insurance in the format your property manager requests, naming the association and management company when required.
Yes. We carry $2M per occurrence and $4M general aggregate liability coverage, along with Workers’ Compensation insurance, to protect homeowners against job-site risk.
Yes. Chicago Kitchen Facelifts LLC is a licensed City of Chicago General Contractor (Class D), license #TGC147184.
Design-build process
It means we handle both the design and the construction under one roof. No separate architect, no handoff between companies — one team manages your project from initial layout through completion.
With separate architects and contractors, you’re often the one relaying information between two companies that don’t always agree on scope, budget, or timeline. With design-build, one team owns both, so decisions get made faster, conflicts get resolved internally instead of landing on you, and the person who designed your space is accountable for building it right.
We visit your home, measure, look at the structure and utilities, and talk about how you use the space and your budget. From there we prepare a design and a fixed-price proposal.
Yes. You work directly with your designer on layout, cabinets, counters, tile, fixtures and lighting, and the same team builds it.
Services
Chicago and its neighborhoods — including Lakeview, Lincoln Square, Logan Square, Wicker Park and Bucktown — plus suburbs such as Evanston, Oak Park, Skokie and Naperville. See the full list on our service areas page.
It’s our approach to calm, sensory-friendly bathrooms: adjustable lighting, soft color, comforting textures, quiet ventilation and an uncluttered layout — for anyone who wants a bathroom that feels like a place to unwind.
It shouldn’t, and ours don’t. Grab bars come in designer finishes and can double as towel bars, curbless showers use the same tile and glass as any luxury bath, and the layout simply gives you more room.
If you’re remodeling anyway, it’s the easiest and least expensive time to do it. Blocking in the walls for future grab bars or choosing a curbless shower costs far less now than retrofitting later.
Yes. Kitchens and bathrooms are our focus, and we also do basement conversions and full-home remodels with the same design-build process.
Want more detail? Read our remodeling guides
Start here
Ready to start your project?
Schedule a free consultation and let’s talk through your kitchen or bathroom remodel.