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.
A printable Chicago landlord exterior maintenance checklist: roof, brick, porches, concrete and drainage, plus what to do with what you find.
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 →Hiring a Contractor · Quick answerA contractor who abandoned the job in Illinois leaves you exposed. Steps to take now, what Illinois law says about suing, and why to talk to an attorney.
Read →Hiring a Contractor · Quick answerThree contractor bids, three different numbers. How to compare contractor bids in Chicago by scope, materials, license and contract, not by bottom line.
Read →Hiring a Contractor · Quick answerA licensed contractor normally pulls a Chicago permit. See what changes if yours asks you to pull it in your name, and when that request is a red flag.
Read →Hiring a Contractor · Quick answerWhat liability insurance a Chicago contractor should carry, the minimums in Illinois law and the City's GC license classes, and how to check a certificate.
Read →Hiring a Contractor · Quick answerIs there a limit on a Chicago contractor deposit? We found no cap or percentage in City or State sources. Instead: a contract and milestone payments.
Read →Hiring a Contractor · ArticleLooking for a Spanish-speaking contractor in Chicago? Speaking Spanish is not a license. What to ask about language, paperwork and permits before you hire.
Read →Hiring a Contractor · ArticleChicago contractor red flags: door-knockers, cash-only deals, no license or contract, and permit dodges. What to check and what the law gives you.
Read →Hiring a Contractor · ArticleWhat an Illinois home repair contract must include under the Home Repair and Remodeling Act: the $1,000 rule, rights pamphlet, insurance, remedies.
Read →Hiring a Contractor · ArticleQuestions to ask a contractor before hiring in Chicago: license, insurance, permit, contract and payment, with what a good answer sounds like.
Read →Hiring a Contractor · ArticleChicago contractor license lookup: which license your job needs, where to check each one, and what to match on the record before you sign.
Read →Hiring a Contractor · ChecklistA printable contractor hiring checklist for Chicago owners: license, insurance, estimate, contract, permit and payment checks to finish before you sign.
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 →Landlords and Buyers · Quick answerBuying a foreclosure with building violations in Chicago? Check City records, the title work and the exterior before you bid, and bring an attorney.
Read →Landlords and Buyers · Quick answerBrick falling, a porch giving way, a roof open? Who a Chicago landlord calls first, and how the emergency permit rule works. Call 312-339-9627.
Read →Landlords and Buyers · Quick answerWill an open building violation block a Chicago mortgage or refinance? What the City's records say, what a lien changes, and what to ask your lender.
Read →Landlords and Buyers · Quick answerCan you sell a house with building violations in Chicago? What to pull first, how liens and defaults complicate a sale, and when to call an attorney.
Read →Landlords and Buyers · Quick answerIs spalling brick covered by insurance? We can't read your policy, but here is what to ask your agent and what to document before any repair in Chicago.
Read →Landlords and Buyers · Quick answerWhat a Chicago home inspection can leave open on a brick two-flat: masonry, lintels, flat roof, porches and violations. Questions to ask before closing.
Read →Landlords and Buyers · Quick answerHow to find who owns a Chicago building: public property records, the Cook County offices to check, City records by address, and when to ask for help.
Read →Landlords and Buyers · ArticleThe Chicago landlord laws that reach the building itself: exterior maintenance, complaints, hearings, permits and licensed contractors. Not tenant law.
Read →Landlords and Buyers · ArticleHow to plan repairs in a tenant occupied building in Chicago: access, dust, porches and exits, scaffolding, emergencies and what to put in the contract.
Read →Landlords and Buyers · ArticleBuilding a Chicago two-flat exterior repair budget: the five big line items, what drives each one, and how to rank repairs so water and safety come first.
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