Chicago, IL
KITCHEN REMODEL ESTIMATING.

## Kitchen Remodel Estimating in Chicago Chicago kitchen remodels move fast and price high. A gut rehab in Lincoln Park hits different numbers than a cosmetic refresh in Bridgeport. Your estimate needs to reflect that — not some national average that undersells your labor costs or leaves money on the table. Estimate.Pro is built for how you actually work: walk the job, capture measurements, generate a line-item scope, and send a professional bid the same day. --- ### What Makes Chicago Kitchen Estimating Different **Permit requirements add real cost and time.** Chicago requires a building permit for kitchen remodels that involve structural changes, electrical work, or plumbing relocations. The Chicago Department of Buildings processes these through its permit portal, and fees are calculated based on construction valuation — typically 0.3% to 1% of the total project value for residential work. A $60,000 kitchen remodel can carry $600–$900 in permit fees before you start. That line item belongs in your estimate, not your margin. **Electrical work follows Chicago amendments.** Chicago enforces its own amendments to the National Electrical Code. The city's local ordinance requires licensed City of Chicago electricians for permitted electrical work, and conduit is required in most residential applications — a cost that cities running standard NEC installs don't face. Rough-in labor for a kitchen electrical panel relocation or island circuit runs meaningfully higher here than in suburban Cook County jobs. **Chicago labor rates are among the highest in the Midwest.** Unionized finish carpenters and tile setters dominate large commercial-adjacent residential projects. Even on smaller remodels, prevailing wage norms push market rates up. Skilled kitchen remodel labor in Chicago typically runs $75–$110/hour depending on trade specialty and whether you're running union or non-union crews. Build those numbers into your workspace from day one. **Condo and high-rise work adds scope.** A substantial share of Chicago kitchens are in multi-unit buildings — River North condos, Lakeview two-flats, South Loop high-rises. That means elevator use fees, freight elevator scheduling, noise ordinance compliance (Chicago prohibits construction noise before 8 AM and after 8 PM in residential zones), and HOA approval timelines. These aren't soft costs — they're billable scope that many estimators miss. --- ### How Estimate.Pro Handles It **AR-assisted measurement on supported devices.** Walk the kitchen with your phone. The app uses ONNX-assisted live AR measurement to capture wall dimensions, window openings, and cabinet runs. On devices without AR support, camera and photo measurements are flagged as estimates so you know exactly what to verify on site. **Scope-of-work generation in minutes.** After the walkthrough, the AI drafts a line-item scope covering demo, rough trades, cabinet installation, countertop fabrication, tile, appliance connections, and finish work. You review and adjust — you don't start from a blank spreadsheet. **Saved material cost workspace.** Your Chicago-specific material prices — local cabinet supplier costs, countertop fab rates from your preferred stone yard, tile pricing from your distributor — live in your workspace. Every new estimate pulls from your actual numbers, not generic defaults. **8-minute median from walkthrough to sendable bid.** That's the target. Most kitchen remodelers using Estimate.Pro hit it on repeat jobs. First-time project types take longer while you build out your workspace. **Stripe Connect invoicing on Pro+ plans.** Elite tier includes Stripe Connect at 0% platform fee, so you can invoice directly from the estimate and collect deposits without a separate tool. --- ### Pricing - **Free forever** — no credit card, no expiration, core estimating tools - **Pro** — $39/seat/month, full workspace and AR measurement - **Elite** — $79/seat/month, Stripe Connect invoicing, advanced exports - **Crew** — $399/month flat for unlimited seats Free tier carries a 3% Stripe Connect fee on payments. Pro and Elite run 0%. --- ### Built for Chicago Kitchen Remodelers You're competing against large design-build firms with in-house estimators and against low-overhead operators who underbid and underdeliver. A sharp, detailed estimate sent within hours of the walkthrough is one of the clearest signals a homeowner gets that you run a professional operation. Estimate.Pro gives you that edge without hiring an estimator or spending an evening in a spreadsheet. Start free, build your workspace with your Chicago rates, and send your first bid today.