Chicago bungalows
Brick, a low roof, a front bay and a full basement. Here is what to know before you renovate one.
The bungalow is one of the most recognizable houses in Chicago. Many owners want more space, a modern kitchen or a finished basement without losing what makes the house a bungalow.
What it is
Chicago bungalows are brick houses built from about 1910 into the mid-1930s: one and a half stories over a full basement, a low-pitched roof (usually hipped) with wide eaves, and a long rectangular footprint that is narrow at the street.
Source: The Chicago Bungalow (Chicago Bungalow Association) (opens in a new tab)More than 80,000 bungalows still stand in Chicago, roughly a third of the city's single-family homes, mostly in an arc four to seven miles from downtown known as the Bungalow Belt.
Source: Chicago Bungalow (Chicago Architecture Center, Buildings of Chicago) (opens in a new tab)Bungalows were marketed with modern plumbing, electricity and central heating. Inside the city most reused the floor plan of earlier one-story workers' houses, while suburban versions were often frame, one and a half stories, with steeper roofs.
Source: Bungalows, by Joseph C. Bigott (Encyclopedia of Chicago, archived copy) (opens in a new tab)
Renovating one today
The Chicago Bungalow Association says historic brick is softer than modern brick, so repointing mortar should also be softer, with more lime; mortar that is too hard can cause salt bloom and spalling. It warns against sandblasting, sealing or painting masonry.
Source: Masonry & Walls (Chicago Bungalow Association) (opens in a new tab)The association argues original wood windows can nearly always be repaired, that a well-kept historic window plus a storm window equals a new window's energy efficiency, and that old-growth sash wood resists rot better than new lumber.
Source: Save Your Windows (Chicago Bungalow Association blog, updated Oct. 8, 2020) (opens in a new tab)Most bungalows were first wired with knob-and-tube circuits meant for little more than lighting, which the association notes can affect insurability. It also urges a radon test before any air sealing or insulating, so gases are not trapped indoors.
Source: Health & Safety (Chicago Bungalow Association) (opens in a new tab)The association calls vintage homes somewhat leaky and puts air sealing before insulation, targeting attic knee walls, recessed lights and gaps where exterior brick meets interior walls. It cautions against insulating both the attic floor joists and the attic ceiling.
Source: Energy Saving Measures (Chicago Bungalow Association) (opens in a new tab)Chicago's bungalow historic districts are National Register districts, not Chicago Landmark districts. The association describes Register listing as honorary, with no special review when permits are pulled, whereas Landmark district work triggers Commission review.
Source: What's the Difference? National Register (Bungalow) Districts vs. Chicago Landmarks (Chicago Bungalow Association, updated Oct. 12, 2022) (opens in a new tab)
Programs and resources
Chicago Bungalow Association (opens in a new tab)
Nonprofit that offers membership, how-to guides, seminars and a trusted-referral directory for owners of bungalows and other vintage Chicago homes.
Income-qualified home energy assessment and weatherization help for single-family homes, two-flats, condos and townhomes in ComEd's service territory.
Illinois Property Tax Assessment Freeze for historic residences (opens in a new tab)
State Historic Preservation Office program that can freeze the assessed value of an owner-occupied historic home, such as a contributing bungalow in a National Register district, after a qualifying rehab that meets federal preservation standards.
Chicago Additional Dwelling Units (ADU) program (opens in a new tab)
City Department of Housing pre-certification process for adding an attic or basement conversion unit or a coach house on an eligible property.
City of Chicago lead service line replacement programs (opens in a new tab)
Department of Water Management programs, including an income-based option and an owner-initiated option, for replacing lead water service lines in Chicago homes.
How we approach it
We start with what is original and worth keeping, then plan the kitchen, bath, basement or attic work around it. Basements get a moisture review before anything is covered.
Each part of the job is priced on its own line, so you can see what it costs to keep original trim or windows compared with replacing them.
Services that fit
Facts on this page were checked on September 30, 2026. Follow the source links for the full details.
Tell Robert about your project.
Call, email or send an estimate request with photos. You deal directly with the person running your job.