Straight Answers for Chicago Property Owners
Building violations, permits, porches, brick, concrete and roofs, explained by a Chicago contractor that fixes them. In English and Spanish.
Building violations, permits, porches, brick, concrete and roofs, explained by a Chicago contractor that fixes them. In English and Spanish.
Got a Chicago building violation? How cases start, where they are heard, what the notice means, and how to get cleared. Bilingual help, free estimates.
Read →Permits and Licensing · GuideChicago building permits explained: which program fits your job, who may file, what needs a licensed contractor, and what happens if you skip it.
Read →Porches · GuidePorch repair in Chicago: warning signs, repair or replace, permits, who can do the work, inspections and violations. A contractor's guide for owners.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · GuideTuckpointing in Chicago explained: signs you need it, the right mortar, permits and licenses, season, cost drivers and mistakes to avoid. Free estimates.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · GuideChicago masonry repair explained: what fails in brick, what each repair involves, permits and licenses, and how to hire a mason. Free estimates, bilingual.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · GuideConcrete repair in Chicago: why slabs crack, flake and sink, what sidewalk, step and driveway jobs need, permits, and hiring. Free estimates, bilingual.
Read →Roofing · GuideFlat roof and shingle roof guide for Chicago owners: how roofs fail, repair or replace, permits, licensing, and hiring a roofer. Free estimates, bilingual.
Read →Demolition · GuideHouse demolition in Chicago takes a wrecking permit, a licensed general contractor and a stack of City approvals first. Here is the order it happens in.
Read →Excavation and Foundations · GuideExcavation in Chicago starts with an 811 call, then a depth check for permits and a licensed contractor. Here is what to know before anyone digs.
Read →Chicago Building Types · GuideTwo-flat, three-flat, greystone, bungalow or storefront? What each Chicago building type is, what the City requires of it, and where owners get surprised.
Read →Landlords and Buyers · GuideChicago building owner responsibilities for the exterior: what the City expects, where brick, porches and roofs fail, and what buyers should check first.
Read →Hiring a Contractor · GuideHow to hire a general contractor in Chicago: check the license, insurance and written contract, know who pulls the permit, and spot red flags early.
Read →Seasonal Maintenance · GuideA season by season Chicago building maintenance calendar for owners: what to inspect, what to repair, and what has to wait for weather. Free estimates.
Read →Design-Build · GuideDesign-build in Chicago explained: when the City requires an architect or engineer, how drawings feed the permit, and how to pick one team for the job.
Read →How Chicago architects charge: percent of construction, hourly, or flat fee. What each model covers, what drives the fee, and what to ask before you sign.
Read →Design-Build · Quick answerHow design-build change orders and allowances work on a Chicago job: what triggers one, what the paperwork should say, and what to refuse.
Read →Design-Build · Quick answerWhen does a Chicago permit ask for a plat of survey? Two cases the City names, what a survey shows, and what to confirm before you order one.
Read →Design-Build · Quick answerAs-built drawings record a Chicago building as it really stands. When a project needs them, who makes them, and what to do if the old plans are missing.
Read →Design-Build · Quick answerStructural porch repair in Chicago needs plans by an Illinois architect or structural engineer. How to choose, and which porch work needs neither.
Read →Design-Build · Quick answerDesign-build puts drawings and construction under one contract. The real pros, the real cons, and when a separate architect and builder fits better.
Read →Design-Build · ArticleChicago building violation that needs drawings? See which repairs require an architect or engineer, and how one team can handle plans, permit and repair.
Read →Design-Build · ArticleAdding a dormer to a Chicago bungalow means cutting the roof. What the plans need, who draws them, and what to confirm with the City before work starts.
Read →Design-Build · ArticleTurning a Chicago two-flat into a single-family home? What the drawings need to show, who prepares them, and which questions to settle with the City first.
Read →Design-Build · ArticlePlanning a Chicago two flat renovation? See who does what: owner, architect, contractor and trades, which jobs need plans, and which permit route fits.
Read →Design-Build · ArticleHow to choose among design build firms in Chicago: the licenses to verify, the questions to ask, and what the contract should spell out before you sign.
Read →Design-Build · ArticleDesign build vs design bid build for a Chicago job: how each works, who is legally responsible for the drawings, and which one fits your project.
Read →Design-Build · Code explainerWhen Chicago requires an architect or structural engineer for a building permit, which repairs skip drawings, and what happens if you file without them.
Read →Design-Build · GuideDesign-build in Chicago explained: when the City requires an architect or engineer, how drawings feed the permit, and how to pick one team for the job.
Read →Seasonal Maintenance · Quick answerWhen to book an exterior contractor in a Chicago spring: start the walk-around and estimates before the thaw, and know the permit steps that come first.
Read →Seasonal Maintenance · Quick answerHow often to inspect a Chicago building exterior: what the City requires of owners, why we suggest two walk-arounds a year, and what to check each time.
Read →Seasonal Maintenance · Quick answerCeiling leak after the thaw in Chicago? Where meltwater gets into a building: roof, parapet, mortar, flashing, chimney and drains, and who to call.
Read →Seasonal Maintenance · Quick answerWhen to roof rake snow in Chicago: why we give no snow depth number, what owners actually see on flat and pitched roofs, and when to call a roofer.
Read →Seasonal Maintenance · Quick answerHow freeze-thaw works in Chicago: water gets into brick, mortar and concrete, freezes, and breaks the surface. What it hits first and what to look for.
Read →Seasonal Maintenance · ArticleRoad salt damage on a Chicago building: what it does to concrete steps, sidewalks and brick, which deicers to avoid, and when to call a pro.
Read →Seasonal Maintenance · ArticleThe best time of year for exterior repairs in Chicago, job by job: masonry, concrete, roofs and porches, with the temperature limits behind each answer.
Read →Seasonal Maintenance · ArticleWhich exterior jobs can go ahead in a Chicago winter, which should wait, and the temperature limits for masonry and concrete. Plan the season with Akats.
Read →Seasonal Maintenance · ArticleFall exterior repairs before winter in Chicago: which jobs to finish before the freeze, which can wait, and what cold does to mortar.
Read →Seasonal Maintenance · ArticleWhat to check on a Chicago building after winter: roofline, brick, mortar, porches, concrete and drainage, and when a spring finding means calling a pro.
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