Front door cost in Chicago, IL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 door)
- $610 – $2,800
- Per door
- $606 – $2,797
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +13%
- US $1,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #5
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a new front door in the Chicago area: $610 to $2,800 for 1 door. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 13% higher than the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $38.68 an hour in the Chicago area, 33% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 1 door in Chicago, IL, standard level
$1,250 to $2,150
About $1,263 to $2,140 per door before permits. Labor is about 31% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $790 | $1,550 |
| Labor | $470 | $570 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,250 | $2,150 |
Cost breakdown for 1 door in Chicago, IL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $210 | $1,200 | $2,150 | 69% |
| Labor | $390 | $520 | $650 | 31% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $610 | $1,700 | $2,800 | 100% |
What is behind the Chicago number
Labor is 31% of the midpoint bill here, against 27% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is carpenters (85%), general maintenance and repair workers (15%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Chicago the blended ratio comes out at 1.30.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Chicago is at 107.3 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,100 nationally becomes $1,200 here (midpoint, 1 door). Permits follow the all-items index of 103.6: $0 to $0.
Specs and site conditions that change a Chicago bid
Frame
Frame repair adds $75-$200+; rebuilding the opening for a new size costs $7-$20 per linear foot for framing.
Paint
Painting an unfinished door adds $125-$225; door and trim together are $150-$400.
Door material
Basic steel doors run about $200-$600 for the door; fiberglass and wood go to $2,000 (HomeGuide).
Who does the work: Chicago trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Chicago the blend is 1.30.
Carpenters (47-2031), 85% of the weighting: a median of $38.68 an hour, 33% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $28.26 and $54.79 an hour. About 14,220 work in the metro. That is 31.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For general maintenance and repair workers (49-9071, weighted 15%) the local median is $27.90 an hour, which is 17% above the national $23.84. The middle half of them earn between $21.67 and $34.66 an hour. BLS counts 45,710 of them working in the area, 101.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 98.4), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $190 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $120. That is a swing of roughly 7.1% to 11.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has 4,513,280 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 3rd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 85% | $28.26 | $38.68 | $54.79 | $29.12 | 1.33 | metro |
| General maintenance and repair workers (49-9071) | 15% | $21.67 | $27.90 | $34.66 | $23.84 | 1.17 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.30 | |||||
The best months for front door in Chicago
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Chicago Midway Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Chicago are March through November: 9 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Chicago gets about 34 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and August (4.1 inches in May). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 1.9 and 2.4 inches. The station averages about 20 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33 | 19 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 37 | 23 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 48 | 32 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Apr | 60 | 41 | 3.6 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 52 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jun | 81 | 62 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 68 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 83 | 66 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 76 | 59 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 47 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 35 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 38 | 25 | 1.8 | Cold |
Cost by quality level and size in Chicago
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Chicago. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from single entry door to front and side doors.
Basic
$610 to $1,500
Basic steel door, same size opening
Standard
$1,250 to $2,150
Fiberglass door with sidelight trim or glass
Premium
$1,900 to $2,800
Wood or custom door, frame work needed
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| single entry door | $610 – $1,500 | $1,250 – $2,150 | $1,900 – $2,800 |
| front and side doors | $1,200 – $2,950 | $2,550 – $4,300 | $3,850 – $5,600 |
How Chicago compares
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Chicago. Niles is the lowest at about $1,400 (midpoint, 1 door), 55 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, ILthis page | $610 – $2,800 | $1,700 | |
| Niles, MI55 miles | $460 – $2,300 | $1,400 | −18% |
| Kenosha, WI55 miles | $520 – $2,650 | $1,600 | −7% |
| Racine, WI70 miles | $490 – $2,400 | $1,450 | −15% |
| Rockford, IL75 miles | $540 – $2,450 | $1,500 | −12% |
| Milwaukee, WI80 miles | $510 – $2,400 | $1,450 | −14% |
| Illinois (statewide) | $590 – $2,700 | $1,650 | −3% |
| United States | $500 – $2,500 | $1,500 | −12% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Chicago ranks #5 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Chicago is 3% above the Illinois figure.
Elsewhere in Illinois
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | 166,020 jobs | $550 – $2,500 | $1,500 | −11% |
| Rockford, IL | 137,650 jobs | $540 – $2,450 | $1,500 | −12% |
| Champaign, IL | 105,500 jobs | $520 – $2,450 | $1,450 | −13% |
| Springfield, IL | 100,810 jobs | $560 – $2,500 | $1,500 | −11% |
| Bloomington, IL | 88,110 jobs | $550 – $2,500 | $1,500 | −11% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Chicago against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $580 – $2,750 | $1,650 | −2% |
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $460 – $2,450 | $1,450 | −14% |
| New York, NY | 9,492,000 jobs | $590 – $2,800 | $1,700 | level |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $450 – $2,450 | $1,450 | −15% |
What nearby projects cost in Chicago
Jobs that often go together with front door are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Chicago wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, storm door comes out highest (+16%) and window replacement lowest (+10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storm door | 1 door | $410 – $1,100 | +16% |
| Patio door | 1 door | $680 – $6,950 | +15% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $5,000 – $16,500 | +10% |
| Garage door | 1 door | $840 – $4,250 | +15% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed front door report for Chicago, IL, $9
The report lays out the front door numbers for Chicago, IL line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Front door in Chicago: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a front door in Chicago?
For 1 door, expect $610 to $2,800 in the Chicago area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,250 to $2,150. Small jobs usually cost more per door and large ones less.
+What is the price per door for front door in Chicago?
About $606 to $2,797 per door for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $500 to $2,500.
+Is front door cheaper in Chicago or Niles?
Niles is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 1 door there is $1,400, which is 18% less than Chicago ($1,700). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Chicago?
About 31% at the midpoint, or $520 out of $1,700. Materials are 69% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 27%.
+What would front and side doors cost in Chicago?
$1,200 to $5,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does front door need a permit in Chicago?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Chicago area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Chicago expensive for front door compared with the rest of Illinois?
Chicago is 3% above the Illinois statewide estimate ($1,650 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Illinois; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Chicago?
The BLS median is $38.68 an hour in the Chicago area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.26 to $54.79.
+What do basic and premium front door work cost in Chicago?
For 1 door, basic work runs $610 to $1,500 and premium work $1,900 to $2,800. Basic means: basic steel door, same size opening. Premium means: wood or custom door, frame work needed.
+When is the best time to replace a front door in Chicago?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. March and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Front door near Chicago
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Front Door Replacement Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = HomeGuide's door prices, from about $200 for a basic steel door to $2,000 for higher-end fiberglass or wood.