What home projects cost in Illinois
Construction workers in Illinois earn $1,748 a week on average, +12.1% against the national $1,559. Because labour is roughly 45% of a residential project and materials cost much the same everywhere, that works out to about +5.4% on the price of a job here.
Biggest difference: ADU, where a typical project runs $9,800 more here than the national figure.
Idaho, lowest Alaska, highest
Illinois pays more than 46 of the 51, and the taller notch marks the national average.
| Project | In Illinois | National |
|---|---|---|
| Home Addition cost in Illinois | $69,200 – $103,800 | $65,600 – $98,400 |
| Bathroom Remodel cost in Illinois | $14,400 – $22,600 | $13,700 – $21,400 |
| Basement Finishing cost in Illinois | $30,400 – $45,600 | $28,800 – $43,200 |
| Interior Painting cost in Illinois | $4,550 – $6,850 | $4,300 – $6,500 |
| Garage Conversion cost in Illinois | $27,300 – $44,500 | $25,800 – $42,200 |
| Shower Remodel cost in Illinois | $5,400 – $8,800 | $5,150 – $8,350 |
| Flooring Installation cost in Illinois | $5,950 – $9,250 | $5,600 – $8,800 |
| ADU cost in Illinois | $140,500 – $239,100 | $133,200 – $226,800 |
| Cabinet Refacing cost in Illinois | $5,550 – $8,650 | $5,250 – $8,250 |
| Kitchen Remodel cost in Illinois | $33,700 – $54,900 | $31,900 – $52,100 |
| Countertop cost in Illinois | $2,950 – $4,650 | $2,800 – $4,400 |
| Project | In Illinois | National |
|---|---|---|
| Tree Removal cost in Illinois | $650 – $1,150 | $650 – $1,050 |
| Window Replacement cost in Illinois | $6,000 – $9,800 | $5,700 – $9,300 |
| Roof Replacement cost in Illinois | $6,700 – $10,900 | $6,350 – $10,400 |
| Concrete Driveway cost in Illinois | $5,300 – $8,600 | $5,000 – $8,200 |
| Retaining Wall cost in Illinois | $4,600 – $7,500 | $4,350 – $7,150 |
| Landscaping cost in Illinois | $4,200 – $7,200 | $4,000 – $6,800 |
| Pool cost in Illinois | $35,200 – $59,900 | $33,400 – $56,800 |
| Exterior Painting cost in Illinois | $4,700 – $7,400 | $4,500 – $7,000 |
| Siding cost in Illinois | $7,700 – $12,000 | $7,300 – $11,400 |
| Asphalt Driveway cost in Illinois | $3,750 – $6,350 | $3,550 – $6,050 |
| Fence Installation cost in Illinois | $2,950 – $4,950 | $2,800 – $4,700 |
| Gutter Installation cost in Illinois | $1,600 – $2,650 | $1,500 – $2,500 |
| Concrete Patio cost in Illinois | $2,100 – $3,600 | $2,000 – $3,400 |
| Project | In Illinois | National |
|---|---|---|
| Mold Remediation cost in Illinois | $2,050 – $3,350 | $1,950 – $3,150 |
| Foundation Repair cost in Illinois | $5,600 – $9,200 | $5,300 – $8,700 |
| HVAC Replacement cost in Illinois | $9,900 – $15,500 | $9,350 – $14,600 |
| Furnace Replacement cost in Illinois | $4,850 – $7,850 | $4,550 – $7,450 |
| Well Drilling cost in Illinois | $5,600 – $10,000 | $5,350 – $9,450 |
| Chimney Repair cost in Illinois | $1,100 – $2,100 | $1,050 – $1,950 |
| Asbestos Removal cost in Illinois | $1,800 – $3,300 | $1,700 – $3,100 |
| Water Heater Replacement cost in Illinois | $1,250 – $2,150 | $1,200 – $2,000 |
| Crawl Space Encapsulation cost in Illinois | $4,200 – $7,400 | $3,950 – $7,050 |
| Electrical Panel Upgrade cost in Illinois | $2,000 – $3,500 | $1,850 – $3,350 |
| Septic System cost in Illinois | $6,000 – $11,100 | $5,650 – $10,500 |
| Basement Waterproofing cost in Illinois | $3,900 – $7,200 | $3,700 – $6,900 |
How the Illinois figures are worked out
Every range on this page is the national estimate with one adjustment: the labour portion is scaled by what construction actually pays in Illinois.
Wages come from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages, NAICS 23 (Construction), private ownership. Illinois averages $1,748 a week against $1,559 nationally, an index of 1.121. Applied to a labour share of 45%, that gives a multiplier of 1.054.
What this cannot tell you. It is a state average, and the gap between a metro and a rural county inside Illinois is often wider than the gap between states. Materials are treated as national, which is close to true for lumber and shingles and less true where freight is long. Permit costs, local code and how busy contractors are that month move real quotes as much as wages do. Treat this as a starting point and get a written quote.
Questions about Illinois costs
- Is home improvement more expensive in Illinois?
- Construction wages in Illinois run +12.1% against the national average of $1,559 a week. Labour is about 45% of a residential project and materials cost much the same everywhere, so that works out to roughly +5.4% on the price of a job. Illinois pays more than 46 of the 51 states and the District of Columbia.
- Does the Illinois adjustment hit some projects harder than others?
- No. It is a wage adjustment, so it moves every project by the same +5.4%, whether that is a tree removal or an addition. What changes is the dollar amount: ADU moves by about $9,800 while tree removal moves by less than $100. If a contractor tells you one trade is unusually expensive in Illinois, that is a local market condition, not something this data can show.
- What is the cheapest home improvement project in Illinois?
- Of the 36 projects priced here, tree removal is the least expensive at $650 to $1,150 for a typical job, and ADU is the most at $140,500 to $239,100. Both assume a mid finish level; every calculator lets you change the scope and the finish.
- Are these figures accurate for my city in Illinois?
- They are state-level figures and should be read that way. The gap between a metro area and a rural county inside one state is often wider than the gap between two states, and the wage data behind this page does not resolve below the state. Use the range as a starting point for what to expect, then get an on-site quote, which is the only firm number.