Carpenter pricing in Chicago
What carpenters charge in Chicago (typically $55-$120/hr), the local factors that move the rate, and a sample quote you can use as a starting point.
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Chicago carpenter pricing
What carpenters should charge in Chicago
Chicago carpenters serve lakeshore premium custom kitchens, North Shore suburbs, pre-1940 greystone and brownstone restoration, and union commercial framing. Carpenters Local 80 (UBC) covers most union work. Pre-1940 housing needs specialist period-correct millwork (Craftsman, Prairie School, Greystone-era detail). Custom kitchen lead times 8-14 weeks. Chicago Department of Buildings permits for permitted work.
Hourly rate
$55-$120
per hour, weekday daytime
Call-out fee
$39-$83
within standard radius
After-hours
1.5-2x
evening, weekend, holiday
Job pricing
What to charge for common carpenter jobs in Chicago
Real-world price ranges for the jobs local tradies quote every week. Use the table as a starting point for your own quotes and adjust for parts, access, and your overheads. All figures in USD.
Door rehang or adjustment
What's included
Includes plane, hinge adjustment, latch alignment, and 1-2 hours labour.
Door replacement (hollow core)
What's included
Includes door, frame adjustment, hinges, latch, and 2-3 hours labour. Solid timber doors add cost.
Skirting board install (per linear m)
What's included
Includes timber, mitre cuts, fixing, and prep for paint. Wide profile and hardwood cost more.
Built-in wardrobe (per linear m)
What's included
Includes carcass, shelves, hanging rail, doors, soft-close hardware, and 2-3 days labour.
Decking (per square metre)
What's included
Includes joists, decking boards (pine or hardwood), screws, and labour. Hardwood and balustrade add cost.
Pergola (3x3m)
What's included
Includes posts, beams, rafters, fixings, and 3-5 days labour. Roof coverings priced separately.
Floor sanding and finish (per sqm)
What's included
Includes sand, stain (optional), and 2-3 coats poly. Engineered floors cost more.
Custom kitchen carcass (per linear m)
What's included
Includes melamine or veneer carcass, shelves, hinges, soft-close. Doors and bench-tops priced separately.
Daily labour (qualified carpenter)
What's included
Standard 8-hour day. Apprentice + qualified pair runs higher.
Chicago quote factors
What to factor into your Chicago carpenter quote
Local context that should shape what you quote as a carpenter in Chicago. Humid continental. Cold snowy winters (December-March, polar-vortex events to -20°F+), hot humid summers (July-August often above 90°F), heavy snow (35-45"/year). Lake-effect snow common on lakeshore. Freeze-thaw cycles (60-80/year) drive concrete, masonry, and roofing deterioration. Polar-vortex frozen pipes and ice dams drive winter emergency demand.
Carpenters Local 80 union market
Carpenters Local 80 (UBC) covers most Chicago commercial framing and many union-shop residential projects. Union rate ~$50-$85/hour base + benefits; non-union $40-$75/hour. State union vs non-union shop status on every commercial and large-residential quote. Loop, hospital, government, and multi-family 50+ units typically union framing.
Lakeshore custom kitchen tier
Streeterville, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Old Town, River North, West Loop, North Shore (Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka, Lake Forest) custom kitchens command $1,500-$3,500+ per linear foot with imported European cabinets (Boffi, Bulthaup, Poliform, Snaidero) or top US brands (Henrybuilt, Plain English, Christopher Peacock). Standard Chicago $700-$1,500/LF with semi-custom or IKEA SEKTION with custom doors.
Pre-1940 period-correct millwork
Pre-1940 Chicago greystone, brownstone, two-flat, three-flat, and Craftsman bungalows need specialist period-correct millwork: original Craftsman or Prairie School detail, picture rails, ornate baseboards, panel doors, leaded-glass casings. Quote specialist hourly rate at $85-$200/hour for pre-1940 restoration; clients pay premium for craftsmanship matching original detail. Niche; build portfolio.
Pre-1940 hardwood floor refinishing
Pre-1940 Chicago housing has original oak, maple, and pine hardwood floors. Quote refinishing at $4-$9/sqft (sand-and-refinish) or $10-$22/sqft (lace-in replacement of damaged sections). Heavy traffic and pet damage common in long-term rentals; landlord-portfolio refinishing drives volume.
Imported European cabinet lead times
Boffi, Bulthaup, Poliform, Snaidero premium imported boards ship 12-20 weeks to Chicago. Henrybuilt, Christopher Peacock, Plain English (domestic semi-custom) 8-14 weeks. IKEA SEKTION with custom doors (Reform, Semihandmade) 4-8 weeks. Quote lead time on the contract.
Chicago DOB permits + Cook County
Chicago DOB permits for any permitted carpentry work over $500. Cook County suburbs (Evanston, Skokie, Oak Park) have separate permitting. Quote permit filing ($300-$1,500) and DOB filing ($800-$5,000) as separate lines. Print license number on every quote.
Sample quote
A real Chicago carpenter quote you can copy
Built-in wardrobe, 3.6 linear metres, sliding doors, premium finish. Replace the line items and rates with your own; the structure stays.
Melamine carcass (3.6m, 600mm deep, 2.4m high, edge-banded)
Shelving, hanging rails, drawer runners (Hettich soft-close x4)
Sliding doors (3 panel, mirror + melamine combination, aluminium track)
Site measure, delivery, install (2 days, 2-person team)
Skirting cut-in, scribe to wall, silicon seal
Finish (laminated, ready to use, no paint required)
FAQ
Chicago carpenter pricing questions, answered
Common questions about carpenter pricing in Chicago, with answers framed for tradies pricing their own work.
$55-$110/hour for general carpentry in standard Chicago. $85-$200/hour for lakeshore (Streeterville, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Old Town) and North Shore (Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka, Lake Forest) custom work. Pre-1940 period-correct restoration specialist $125-$280/hour. Union rate ~$50-$85/hour base + benefits. Custom kitchen pricing $700-$3,500+ per linear foot depending on tier.
$1,500-$3,500+ per linear foot for imported European cabinets (Boffi, Bulthaup, Poliform, Snaidero) or top US brands (Henrybuilt, Plain English, Christopher Peacock). Quote separately: design fee ($5,000-$25,000), cabinets, hardware (Blum, Hettich), stone tops, appliances, installation. Lead time 12-20 weeks for imports.
Largely yes for commercial and large-residential work. Carpenters Local 80 (UBC) covers most union work. Union rate ~$50-$85/hour base + benefits; non-union $40-$75/hour. State union vs non-union shop status on every commercial and large-residential quote. Loop, hospital, government, and multi-family 50+ units typically union framing.
Yes, niche premium revenue. Pre-1940 Chicago greystone, brownstone, two-flat, three-flat, and Craftsman bungalows need specialist period-correct millwork: original Craftsman or Prairie School detail, picture rails, ornate baseboards, panel doors, leaded-glass casings. Quote specialist rate at $85-$200/hour. Clients pay premium for craftsmanship matching original.
Yes, recurring volume work. Pre-1940 Chicago housing has original oak, maple, and pine hardwood floors. Quote refinishing at $4-$9/sqft (sand-and-refinish) or $10-$22/sqft (lace-in replacement of damaged sections). Heavy traffic and pet damage common in long-term rentals; landlord-portfolio refinishing drives volume.
Hourly rates are $55 to $100 in the US, £30-75 in the UK, A$65-130 in Australia, R250-650 in South Africa, and C$55-110 in Canada. Most carpenters prefer to quote fixed-price for custom work and reserve hourly for repairs and adjustments.
A general carpenter does framing, decking, and structural work. A finish carpenter does cabinets, built-ins, trim, and stair work where every joint shows. Finish carpenters typically charge 20-40% more because the detail tolerance is millimetres, not centimetres.
For custom work over $2,000, get 2-3 quotes. Compare materials, hardware brand, finish level, and warranty, not just the headline price. The cheapest quote often skips hardware or uses budget materials that fail in 5 years.
30% on signing is standard for custom work over $1,000, with the balance paid on install. The deposit covers materials the carpenter has to order and cannot return.
Usually no. Carpenters buy timber and hardware at trade pricing 15-30% below retail. Bringing your own also voids most workmanship guarantees because the carpenter cannot vouch for the substrate.
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