Bathroom Remodeling in North Center, Chicago

North Center, with Roscoe Village and St. Ben’s inside it, is a neighborhood of two-flats and three-flats. Buildings of two to four units are 42.8% of its housing, and only 27.0% of units are detached houses. Over half of the housing was built before 1940, yet about a third has gone up since 1990. A bathroom project here can mean a century-old stacked plumbing run or a recent condo building, and the questions are different for each. Tell us about your project and we will match you with independent, licensed Chicago remodelers who can give you written quotes to compare.

Updated October 22, 2026. Housing figures are CMAP’s American Community Survey estimates for 2020-2024; sources are linked at the end of this page.

North Center housing at a glance

The five-or-more and 1990-or-later figures are our sums of CMAP’s rows. The ACS is a sample survey, so these are estimates. The community area is bounded roughly by Montrose Avenue, Diversey Parkway, Ravenswood Avenue and the Chicago River, and it covers parts of ZIP codes 60613, 60618 and 60657. ZIP lines do not follow community-area lines, so go by your street address.

Two-flats and three-flats

The Chicago Architecture Center says two- and three-flat buildings make up a quarter of the city’s housing. The National Register’s Chicago courtyard apartment document describes the two-flat as a two-story building, narrow and deep to fit a standard Chicago lot, with one apartment per floor. The earliest known examples date from the 1870s, and a stone-faced two-flat is what people call a greystone. They were meant as wealth-building purchases: an owner could live in one unit and let the rental income help carry the mortgage.

In North Center, 43.1% of households rent, so many owners of these buildings share them with a tenant or a family member. That shapes a bathroom project in four ways.

• Stacked plumbing. Bathrooms often sit above or below the neighbor’s. Moving a drain or supply line can affect the other unit, so ask each remodeler how they would shut off water and protect the floor below.
• Permit area. The City’s Express Permit page limits the area of work to 500 square feet for work that affects common areas or more than one unit, against 2,000 square feet for a single occupant’s space. If your work reaches into another unit, say so up front.
• The other household. Tell whoever lives in the other unit what days water will be off and where workers will park or carry materials. Check your lease or any agreement for notice terms.
• Old and new in one building. A century-old frame may hold a bathroom that was redone decades ago. Ask the remodeler to look at what is in the walls before pricing.

For older-home specifics, see bathrooms in Chicago bungalows, greystones and two-flats.

Old frame, newer buildings

CMAP counts 8,369 of North Center’s units as built before 1940, 1,722 from 1940 to 1969, and 852 from 1970 to 1989. Then comes a wave: 3,542 units from 1990 to 2009 and 1,800 since 2010. That is far more recent building than the city overall. The ACS does not separate condos from rentals, but if you own a condo, you need the association’s signed approval letter for the City permit, plus compliance with the building’s rules on hours, elevators and insurance. Read remodeling a condo bathroom in Chicago.

Your home’s age is the question to answer first. If it is older, ask about plumbing condition. If it is newer, ask about association rules and warranty terms.

Lead-safe work

By our sum of CMAP’s rows, 62.0% of the units were built before 1970. In general, the EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting rule requires a certified firm for paid work that disturbs paint in homes built before 1978, including plumbing and remodeling. Ask every remodeler about certification. See lead-safe remodeling in pre-1978 Chicago homes.

Who lives here, and why it matters for a bathroom

• Young families. Children under 5 are 9.1% of the population, against 5.3% citywide, and households with four or more people rose from 17.3% in 2010-2014 to 23.3% in 2020-2024. A shared family bathroom may need to work for a toddler and a teenager. Think through tub, storage and ventilation with the remodeler before you pick tile.
• Working from home. CMAP reports 38.3% of workers here work at home, against 21.0% citywide. If you have only one bathroom, ask each remodeler how many days it will be out of service and what the plan is. See how long a bathroom remodel takes in Chicago.
• Growth in ownership. Owner-occupied households rose from 41.2% in 2000 to 56.9% in 2020-2024, and the population grew 13.0% between 2010 and 2024.
• High household incomes. The median is $145,659, against $77,902 for the city, and 48.4% of households earn $150,000 or more. Income does not set a project’s price. Ask for an itemized written scope and price, so you can compare like with like.

Permits and licenses

A bathroom remodel that changes plumbing or wiring usually needs a City of Chicago permit. One bathroom in one dwelling unit may qualify for the Express Permit Program, which covers up to 5 water supply fixture units of added plumbing and does not cover moving walls or doors without architect or engineer drawings. Chicago requires a licensed general contractor for most remodeling and a licensed plumber for most plumbing, and the remodelers we match you with are independent companies, so check any license before you hire. See the permit guide and how to verify a Chicago contractor license. For a larger project, read about full bathroom remodeling.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of homes are in North Center?

CMAP's ACS 2020-2024 estimates put two- to four-unit buildings at 42.8% of units, detached houses at 27.0% and buildings with five or more units at about 26.9%. 51.4% of units were built before 1940, and 32.9% since 1990.

I own a two-flat. What should I tell a remodeler?

Say whether the bathroom sits above or below the other unit's, whether the work reaches into it, and whether someone lives there. Ask how water will be shut off and the floor below protected. The City's Express Permit page limits area of work to 500 square feet when it affects more than one unit.

Do I need to tell a tenant or the other household?

Yes, as a courtesy and likely as a practical need, because water will be off and workers will come and go. Check your lease or any written agreement for notice terms before you set dates.

What if my building is a newer condo?

The ACS does not separate condos from rentals, but if you own one you need the association's signed approval letter for a City permit, and most buildings set rules on work hours, elevators and insurance. Start with the association, then with remodelers.

How do I plan if I work from home?

CMAP reports 38.3% of North Center workers work at home. If the bathroom you are remodeling is your only one, ask each remodeler how many days it will be out of service and what the plan is, and put the answer in the written scope.

Is lead paint a concern in older North Center buildings?

By our sum of CMAP's rows, 62.0% of units were built before 1970, so many predate 1978. The EPA rule generally requires a certified firm for paid work that disturbs paint in those homes. Ask each remodeler about certification.

Does a high neighborhood income mean higher bathroom prices?

Not by itself. The median household income here is $145,659 against $77,902 citywide, but your price depends on scope and materials. Ask each remodeler for an itemized written scope and price for the same work.

Is this service a contractor in North Center?

No. We are a free referral service for Chicago homeowners, not a remodeler, and we have no office or projects in the neighborhood. We connect you with up to three independent, licensed remodelers, who are responsible for their own licenses, permits, insurance and contracts.

Sources

• CMAP, Community Data Snapshot, North Center (June 2026 release, ACS 2020-2024): cmap.illinois.gov. Housing type, age, tenure, income, age, household size, commute and over-time tables. Accessed October 22, 2026.
• North Center ZIP codes and boundaries: Wikipedia, “North Center, Chicago” (citing U.S. Census and Record Information Services): wikipedia.org; Chicago Communities Research Guide, City Colleges of Chicago: researchguides.ccc.edu. Accessed October 22, 2026. The City’s archived Chicago Recovery Plan page lists a wider set of nearby ZIP codes: chirecoveryplan.com.
• Chicago Architecture Center, “Two- and Three-flats”: architecture.org. Accessed October 22, 2026.
• National Park Service / Illinois State Historic Preservation Office, Chicago Courtyard Apartment Buildings Multiple Property Documentation Form (two-flat and greystone descriptions): dnrhistoric.illinois.gov. Accessed October 22, 2026.
• City of Chicago, Express Permit Program, interior alteration (nonstructural interior work): chicago.gov. Accessed October 22, 2026.
• U.S. EPA, Renovation, Repair and Painting Program for contractors: epa.gov. Accessed October 22, 2026.
• City of Chicago, general contractor license FAQ: chicago.gov; plumbing license FAQ: chicago.gov. As cited in our permit guide; not re-read for this page.

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