Areas we serve
Based in Algonquin, working in five towns. Every town sets its own rules for contractors and permits, so we check each one before we take work there.
What the ground is like here
The ground here drains slowly. Much of it is silty soil over dense, clay-rich ground left by the glaciers, and in wet months water can sit 2 to 3½ feet down, close enough to press on a basement wall. That’s why we find where water gets in before we price any fix.
The five towns
Algonquin
Home base. Finishing a basement here? The village’s permit checklist asks for heat in every room you’ll live in, either ducted supply and return air or heat that can hold 68°F, so we plan the heating with the finish. Replacing a furnace or adding central air needs a permit too, and it’s part of the job.
Crystal Lake
Replacing a furnace or an air conditioner needs a city permit, and the permit runs out if the work isn’t finished within six months of being issued. The permit is part of the job.
St. Charles
The city doesn’t register contractors. Whoever pulls the permit files a certificate of insurance with the city first, and the permit is part of the job.
Geneva
Finishing a basement and replacing a furnace or an air conditioner each need their own city permit, with their own application. We handle both. The city doesn’t register contractors.
Vernon Hills
A basement remodel is its own permit type, and furnace or air conditioning work is a simpler permit with no plan check. Any permit with electrical work needs a copy of the electrician’s license, which goes in with the application.
Not on the list?
Ask anyway. If your town is nearby, we’ll check its contractor rules and tell you straight whether we can take the job. Some towns ask a contractor to register or post a bond first, and we’d rather tell you that up front than find out later.
Tell us what’s going on
A few details and a good time to reach you. We’ll come out, look, measure and give you a written estimate before any work starts.
Someone from our team calls or texts to set up a visit.