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.
Re-roof insulation requirements in Chicago, how many existing layers Express reroofing allows, when drawings are needed, and what to ask your roofer.
Read →Roofing · Code explainerWhen a Chicago roofing permit is required, what Express reroofing covers, who may pull it, and why a flat roof is treated differently than a pitched one.
Read →Roofing · ChecklistA fall and spring flat roof maintenance checklist for Chicago two-flats: drains, ponding, seams, flashing, parapets. Know when to call a pro.
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 →Concrete and Sidewalks · Quick answerA concrete sidewalk against your house should shed water away from the wall. How to spot a slab pitching toward the foundation and what actually fixes it.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · Quick answerWe could not verify a City minimum for garage slab thickness. What drives the number, what NRMCA does specify, and what to ask before anyone pours.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · Quick answerConcrete sidewalk grinding can shave a raised edge, but it does not fix why the slab moved. When grinding fits, when to replace, and who to call.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · Quick answerResurfacing works on flaking concrete steps with a sound base. It fails over sinking or structurally cracked steps. How to tell which you have.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · Quick answerHairline driveway cracks are usually cosmetic and fine to seal yourself. Which cracks are DIY-safe, which mean a bigger problem, and when to call a pro.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · Quick answerConcrete steps that sit on loose fill sink and pull away from the house. What a footing does, the one City figure on file, and who to check with first.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · Quick answerConcrete sidewalk expansion joint spacing, explained: why the lines are cut, how far apart they go, and what a slab with no joints usually does.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · Quick answerConcrete sidewalk drying time is the wrong question: concrete cures, it doesn't just dry. What curing means and how to get walk and drive times in writing.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · Quick answerWhat temp to pour concrete in winter: fresh concrete freezes near 25 F, cold-weather rules start near 40 F, and air temperature alone is not the answer.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · Quick answerHow thick should a concrete sidewalk be in Chicago? Why we won't quote one number, what decides it, and what to get in writing before a pour.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · ArticleConcrete sidewalk lifting in Chicago versus replacement: what to ask, what can't be promised, and why a real assessment comes before any price or method.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · ArticleYes, concrete can be poured in a Chicago winter if it is protected. How blankets, heated enclosures and accelerators work, and what to ask your crew.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · ArticleConcrete sidewalk heaving in Chicago: what lifted slabs look like, the usual suspects (roots, frost, water), and what to check before you call anyone.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · ArticleWhen a cracked or sunken garage floor can be repaired and when the slab has to come out in Chicago. What drives the decision, the permit question and cost.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · ArticleMost concrete cracks are normal shrinkage and harmless. Here is how to tell those from the ones that mean settling, freeze damage or a failing slab.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · ArticleWhy two Chicago concrete driveway quotes can differ: size, base work, mix, apron, permits and access. What to ask before you compare. Free estimates.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · ArticleConcrete stairs repair in Chicago: which cracks and crumbling can be repaired, when steps have to be replaced, and what the permit rules say.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · ArticleA Chicago sidewalk violation notice has a date on it. How to read it, who issued it, how to fix the sidewalk, and what to bring to the hearing.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · ArticleWho pays when a Chicago sidewalk breaks? What we can confirm about the Shared Cost Sidewalk Program, what we cannot, and who to call at 311 before you pay.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · ArticleCracked, sunken or flaking concrete? How to tell which Chicago sidewalk damage can be repaired, which needs replacing, and what is safe to watch for now.
Read →Call or send the form. Bilingual team, free estimates subject to scope, and we respond within one business day.
Tell us about the property. No obligation.