Walk-In Showers and Bath Remodels in Evanston, IL: Costs (2026)

Walk-in shower cost in Evanston

Evanston's plumbers and tile setters are paid at Chicago-area rates. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro, the median plumber earns $49.70 an hour and the median tile setter $35.90, against national medians of $30.67 and $26.77^[1]. Our Chicago-area estimates adjust national prices for those wages and are the best starting point for Evanston:

Bathroom job	Estimate for 2026	Method and details
Walk-in shower	$5,600 to $18,600	Chicago walk-in shower cost
Full bathroom remodel	$7,400 to $22,300	Chicago bathroom remodel cost
Tub to shower conversion	$2,500 to $14,900	Chicago tub to shower cost
Walk-in tub, installed	$4,100 to $12,200	Chicago walk-in tub cost

We found no published price set only for Evanston. Because so many Evanston homes are old, plan toward the middle or upper part of each range until you have quotes.

Permits in Evanston

Evanston's Building and Development Services takes residential permit applications online through the Citizen Portal; the application process is online only^[2]. Residential means a single-unit home, a two-unit building, a townhome, or an ADU on one of those properties^[2]. Building and zoning staff review each project, and some also get Engineering, Preservation or Fire review^[2].

Before the permit is issued, the city needs^[2]:

• the total estimated construction cost
• the names of every contractor, each registered with the City of Evanston
• city worksheets, signed by the contractors, for any electrical, plumbing or HVAC work

Once everything is in, the city calculates the permit fee and contacts you with the amount^[2]. The full schedule is posted on the city's permit fee page^[4].

Inspections. Call (847) 448-8207, option 5, with the permit number and address^[2]. The registered contractor responsible for the work being inspected must be there. A same-day cancellation, a missed inspection or a failed one costs $70 each time^[2].

Homeowners doing their own work

An owner-occupant of a single-unit home may act as their own general contractor if they live there or intend to^[3]. If you will do the plumbing yourself, you sign a plumbing owner affidavit stating you know the code and will do the installation, and you file a plumbing worksheet^[3]. If you hire a plumber instead, the plumber must show proof of licensure and attend inspections^[3].

Evanston homes and what they mean for the job

Evanston's housing is old. About 40% of homes were built in 1939 or earlier, about 76% before 1980, and the median year built is 1953^[5]. Only about 33% are single-family detached houses, and about 56% of occupied homes are owner-occupied^[5].

What an older Evanston bathroom can add:

• Lead paint. In any home built before 1978, a firm paid to disturb painted surfaces must be EPA lead-safe certified^[6]. Homeowners working on their own homes are generally exempt, but not if they rent out part of the home^[6].
• Plaster and old framing. If your walls are plaster on wood lath or the floor is out of level, ask how the quote handles it. A walk-in shower base needs a flat, solid floor, and leveling takes time.
• Old drains. Many plumbers recommend camera-checking or replacing the original drain and vent pipe below the bathroom while the floor is open.
• Two-flats and condos. A shared building may need association or co-owner approval, and work hours and water shutoffs affect neighbors.

Choosing a company in Evanston

Evanston requires every contractor to register each year and to show general liability insurance of at least $300,000 per occurrence, bodily injury and property damage coverage of $100,000 each, and workers' compensation^[3]. State-licensed trades, such as plumbers, submit a copy of the state license^[3]. Plumbers are licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health, which offers an online license check and requires the license number in every plumbing ad^[7].

Questions to ask:

• Are you registered with the City of Evanston for 2026?
• Will the plumber sign the city's plumbing worksheet and attend inspections?
• What happens to the price if you find bad framing, an out-of-level floor or old drain pipe?
• Is the quote a written contract with the total cost?

That last point is a legal right in Illinois for jobs over $1,000^[8]. If you are 65 or older and a contractor you did not invite signs you up at your home, you can cancel within 15 full business days^[8].

When to call a pro

• Plumbing in a building you do not live in, or in a two-unit building: an Illinois-licensed plumber registered with the city^[3][7].
• Any home built before 1978: a lead-safe certified firm for demolition^[6].
• Sagging or soft floors under the old tub: have the framing checked before you buy a shower base.
• Budgeting: compare at least three written quotes against the ranges above.