Renovation & Remodeling Companies in Illinois

Short answer: Exchange lists 7 renovation and remodeling contractors in Illinois. Illinois has no statewide general contractor license: residential remodelers are regulated mainly by the Home Repair and Remodeling Act (815 ILCS 513), which requires a written contract for jobs over $1,000 and liability insurance, while roofers need an IDFPR licence and plumbers an IDPH licence. Chicago separately licenses general contractors in Classes A to E. The 2024 Illinois Energy Conservation Code, based on the 2024 IECC, took effect statewide on November 30, 2025.

Licensing board

Illinois has no statewide general contractor license; the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) licenses roofing contractors and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) licenses plumbers and registers plumbing contractors.

Consumer statute

The Illinois Home Repair and Remodeling Act (815 ILCS 513) requires a written contract for residential repair or remodeling work over $1,000 and delivery of the 'Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights' pamphlet.

Insurance minimum

Illinois remodelers covered by the Act must carry at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence bodily injury, $50,000 property damage and $10,000 for work not meeting state or local codes.

Chicago licence

The City of Chicago Department of Buildings licenses general contractors in five classes, from Class E (projects up to $500,000) to Class A (unlimited value).

Energy code

The 2024 Illinois Energy Conservation Code (2024 IECC with Illinois amendments) took effect on November 30, 2025, while Chicago applies its own 2022 Chicago Energy Transformation Code.

Lien deadline

Under the Illinois Mechanics Lien Act (770 ILCS 60), a contractor must record a lien claim within 4 months of completion to bind third parties and sue within 2 years.

Who regulates renovation and remodeling contractors in Illinois?

Illinois is one of the states that does not issue a statewide general contractor or home improvement licence. Instead, oversight of renovation and remodeling work is split between a consumer-protection statute, two state agencies that license specific trades, and the municipalities that issue building permits. For an owner comparing remodelers, that means the question is never simply whether a firm is licensed by the state, but which licences, registrations and insurance apply to the particular job and the particular town.

The backbone of residential regulation is the Home Repair and Remodeling Act, codified at 815 ILCS 513. It sets contract, disclosure and insurance rules for anyone who repairs, remodels, alters or improves residential property for a fee, and it is enforced through the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act by the Illinois Attorney General, county State's Attorneys and private plaintiffs. The Act does not create a licensing board, so there is no state register of remodelers to search. A remodeler's compliance shows up in its contract paperwork and its insurance certificates rather than in a licence number.

Two trades are licensed at state level. Roofing contractors must hold a licence from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) under the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act, and plumbers must be licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) under the Illinois Plumbing License Law (225 ILCS 320). Any kitchen, bathroom, basement or whole-house renovation that touches drain, waste and water piping, or replaces a roof, therefore pulls in a state-licensed trade even though the general remodeler itself holds no state licence.

Everything else is local. Illinois cities and villages decide whether to license general contractors, electricians and other trades, and their building departments adopt and enforce building codes and issue permits. The City of Chicago is the most demanding example, with its own five-class general contractor licence, its own construction codes and its own energy code. Many suburban municipalities run contractor registration programmes of their own, so a firm that works legally in one village may still need to register before pulling a permit in the next one.

What does the Illinois Home Repair and Remodeling Act require before work starts?

Section 15 of the Act requires a written contract or work order before a contractor begins any residential repair or remodeling job costing more than $1,000. The document must state the total cost, itemise parts and materials, disclose any charge for an estimate, and give the contractor's business name and address. For contracts over $1,000, the contractor must also hand the consumer the state pamphlet 'Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights' before the contract is signed and obtain a signed and dated acknowledgment. For jobs of $1,000 or less, the pamphlet must still be provided but no written acknowledgment is needed. The pamphlet has to be a separate document in at least 12-point type.

Section 15.1 deals with dispute clauses. If a remodeling contract contains a binding arbitration clause or a jury-trial waiver, the contractor must disclose it before the consumer accepts the contract, and the consumer must be able to accept or reject each clause separately by signing and writing 'accept' or 'reject' in the margin. A clause that was not disclosed and accepted this way is void. Owners reviewing a contract should look for that marginal acceptance rather than assume a standard arbitration paragraph is binding.

Section 25 sets minimum insurance. A contractor covered by the Act must carry liability insurance of at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence for bodily injury, $50,000 per occurrence for property damage, and $10,000 per occurrence for work that does not conform to state, county or municipal codes. A contractor with a net worth of at least $1,000,000, shown by a financial statement prepared within the previous 13 months, is exempt from the insurance requirement. Asking for a current certificate showing these limits is one of the simplest checks an Illinois owner can make.

The Act also contains two cancellation rights that matter in practice. Under Section 22, a homeowner aged 65 or older who buys services from an uninvited solicitor at home may cancel within 15 full business days after signing. Under Section 18, where the job is to be paid from property and casualty insurance proceeds, the consumer may cancel before midnight on the earlier of the fifth business day after the insurer denies coverage in writing or the thirtieth business day after the insurer receives proof of loss, with refunds due within 10 days. Exemptions are narrow: maintenance or repairs under $500, landscaping, carpet work, original construction of new homes and work on buildings with more than six units fall outside the Act.

Which licenses, permits and registrations apply in Illinois?

How do I check a renovation contractor in Illinois before I sign?

7 checks, in order, using the Illinois registers and rules described on this page:

1. Ask for a written, itemised contract for any job over $1,000 and confirm you received the 'Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights' pamphlet with a signed acknowledgment, as 815 ILCS 513 requires.
2. Request a certificate of insurance showing at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence bodily injury, $50,000 property damage and $10,000 code-nonconformance coverage, plus workers' compensation.
3. Look up any roofer on the IDFPR licence lookup, confirm the 104- licence number matches the company on the contract, and check whether it holds a limited or unlimited licence for your building type.
4. Confirm that plumbing will be done by an IDPH-licensed plumber under a registered plumbing contractor, and ask how any lead service line work will meet the full-replacement rule in 415 ILCS 5/17.12.
5. In Chicago, verify the general contractor's licence class with the Department of Buildings covers your project value; elsewhere, ask the local building department whether the contractor and its electricians are registered or licensed there.
6. Check with the building department which permit track and which energy code apply, either the 2024 Illinois Energy Conservation Code, a locally adopted stretch code or the Chicago Energy Transformation Code.
7. Pay only against the contractor's sworn statement under 770 ILCS 60/5 and matching lien waivers from subcontractors and suppliers, and watch for the 60-day subcontractor notices required on owner-occupied homes.

Which state trade licences apply to an Illinois remodel?

Roofing is the trade Illinois homeowners most often meet. Under the Roofing Industry Licensing Act, IDFPR issues two licence types. A limited licence covers residential roofing only, on residential properties of eight units or fewer, while an unlimited licence covers residential, commercial and industrial work. Each licensed business must designate a qualifying party who has passed the state examination, with the technical portion matched to the licence type, and who is actively engaged in the business day to day.

IDFPR rules in 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1460 require a continuous surety bond of at least $10,000 for a limited licence and $25,000 for an unlimited licence, and the bond cannot be cancelled without 60 days' written notice to the Division. IDFPR's consumer brochure explains that licensed roofers' numbers begin with 104-, that the licence number and name must appear on contracts, bids, permit applications, trucks, advertisements and business cards, and that any subcontractor doing the roofing must also be licensed. The brochure also states that roofers cannot advertise or promise to rebate any part of an insurance deductible, a common inducement after hail storms.

Plumbing on an Illinois remodel must be done by IDPH-licensed plumbers or apprentices working under them. A licensed plumber who performs work for another person is treated as a plumbing contractor and must register with IDPH each year, paying an annual fee and maintaining general liability, bodily injury, property damage and workers' compensation insurance along with a surety bond. Plumbing work is governed by the Illinois State Plumbing Code in Title 77 of the Illinois Administrative Code. IDPH also processes reciprocity for City of Chicago plumbing licensees, reflecting the fact that Chicago keeps its own plumbing code.

Electrical work has no statewide licence in Illinois. Electricians and electrical contractors are licensed, where they are licensed at all, by municipalities, and Chicago licenses electrical contractors under its own electrical code. On any renovation that includes new circuits, panel changes or service upgrades, an owner should ask which local electrical licence applies in the municipality where the property sits and confirm that the electrical subcontractor will pull its own permit where the local code requires it.

How does Chicago, Illinois license general contractors and permit renovation work?

The City of Chicago requires a general contractor licence from the Department of Buildings before a business bids on, performs, hires or supervises others for, or controls the means and methods of regulated construction work. Licences are issued to businesses, including sole proprietorships, in five classes tied to the maximum value of a single project. Class E covers projects up to $500,000 and requires $1 million per occurrence of liability insurance. Class D covers up to $2 million and Class C up to $5 million, both with $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. Class B covers up to $10 million with $3 million per occurrence, and Class A is unlimited with $5 million per occurrence.

The licence fees published by the Department of Buildings run from $300 for Class E to $2,000 for Class A, with renewal fees at the same levels. Subcontractors working under a licensed general contractor's supervision, material suppliers, and separately licensed electrical, plumbing, mason, drain layer, elevator and board-up contractors acting within their own licences do not need a general contractor licence. Owners doing work that needs no building permit, and individuals working on their own primary residence under the conditions the City sets, such as three or fewer stories and six or fewer dwelling units for one property per calendar year, are also exempt.

Permits in Chicago run through several tracks. The Express Permit Program is the web platform for most building repair work, some small improvement projects and administrative changes to issued permits. The Standard Plan Review Permit Program is the main route for work that requires architectural plans, and the Self-Certification Permit Program lets an architect of record take responsibility for code compliance on eligible residential and commercial projects. For a gut renovation of a two-flat or a bungalow, the scope of work will usually decide which of these tracks applies, and that choice drives the schedule.

Chicago's building code is part of the 2019 Chicago Construction Codes, which are based on the International Building Code and became mandatory for permit applications started on or after August 1, 2020. The city also maintains its own electrical, plumbing and mechanical codes, a Rehabilitation Code and Minimum Requirements for Existing Buildings that govern much renovation work. A remodeler who works mainly in the suburbs and has never pulled a Chicago permit may underestimate how different these documents are from the codes used elsewhere in Illinois.

Which energy and building codes apply to renovation work in Illinois in 2026?

Illinois sets a statewide minimum energy code through the Capital Development Board. The 2024 Illinois Energy Conservation Code, which is the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code with Illinois amendments, went into effect on November 30, 2025. It replaced the 2021-based edition that had applied from January 1, 2024. Renovation projects that alter the building envelope, replace HVAC equipment or add conditioned space in a basement or attic must meet the provisions of the current code that apply to alterations and additions, so the permit date of the project matters.

Illinois also has a Stretch Energy Code that municipalities may adopt for privately funded residential and commercial buildings. The 2023 Illinois Stretch Energy Code is currently available for local adoption, and a 2026 edition has been drafted and was expected to become available for adoption in mid to late 2026, so check its status with the local building department. Changing soon: Public Act 104-0813, effective January 1, 2027, amends the stretch code provisions of the Energy Efficient Building Act and adds commercial outdoor lighting standards that the Board must set by December 31, 2029. Owners renovating in a community that has adopted the stretch code should ask their remodeler how its higher envelope and equipment requirements affect the scope and the budget, because the base code alone will not be the governing standard there.

Chicago runs its own energy code. The 2022 Chicago Energy Transformation Code, based on the 2021 IECC with Chicago amendments, applies to projects whose first permit application was started on or after November 1, 2022, with additional requirements from January 1, 2023. A renovation inside the city is therefore checked against a different energy document from a similar job in Evanston, Naperville or Springfield, and a contractor's familiarity with the Chicago code is a fair interview question.

Outside Chicago, building codes for private renovation work are adopted locally, and Illinois municipalities differ widely in which edition of the International Residential Code, International Building Code and International Existing Building Code they enforce. Some smaller communities have limited building departments. Before signing, an owner should confirm with the local building department which codes apply, whether a permit is required for the planned scope, and whether the contractor or a licensed design professional will prepare the drawings that the department expects to see.

How do mechanics liens and payment rules work on Illinois remodeling projects?

The Illinois Mechanics Lien Act (770 ILCS 60) gives contractors, subcontractors and suppliers a lien on the improved property, and it contains several deadlines owners should understand. Under Section 7, a contractor must record a verified claim for lien within 4 months after completing the work to enforce the lien against other creditors, mortgage lenders and purchasers. Against the owner, a claim may be filed within 2 years after completion. Under Section 9, a suit to enforce the lien must be filed within 2 years after completion of the contract or of any extra work.

For owner-occupied single-family homes, the Act adds protections. Section 5(b) requires the contractor to give the owner a statutory notice about lien rights, either in the contract or as a separate printed statement in at least 10-point boldface type, before the owner makes the first payment. Section 7(d) requires a contractor that records a lien against an owner-occupied single-family residence to notify the owner in writing within 10 days of recording. Under Section 21(c), each subcontractor furnishing work on an existing owner-occupied single-family residence must notify the occupant within 60 days of first furnishing labour or materials.

Subcontractors on other projects must serve written notice on the owner within 90 days after completing their work under Section 24. Section 5(a) also requires the contractor to give the owner a sworn statement, under oath or verified by affidavit, listing the names and addresses of everyone furnishing labour or materials and the amounts owed, before the owner makes payments. Owners who pay against sworn statements and collect lien waivers from each subcontractor and supplier are protected from paying twice for the same work.

The Illinois Contractor Prompt Payment Act (815 ILCS 603) sets payment timing for private construction, requiring owners to pay approved applications within 15 days and contractors to pay subcontractors within 15 days of receiving payment, with 10% annual interest on late payments. It also limits retainage to 10% until a project is 50% complete and 5% after that. However, the Act excludes contracts for single-family homes and for multi-family buildings with 12 or fewer units, so most home renovations fall outside it and the payment schedule must be negotiated in the contract itself.

What Illinois conditions and hazards shape the scope of a renovation?

Illinois weather drives a large share of remodeling work. Severe thunderstorms and hail across northern and central Illinois regularly produce roof, siding and window claims, and IDFPR warns that storm-damaged areas attract door-to-door, transient and out-of-state roofers who are not licensed in Illinois. Its roofing brochure advises homeowners to confirm that a contract shows a real street address rather than a post office box, to read warranty exclusions such as high-wind or rain-incursion limits, and to remember that a homeowner with a written contract after a catastrophe can cancel within the statutory windows if the insurer denies all or part of the claim.

Lead service lines are a distinctly Illinois issue. The Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act, in Section 17.12 of the Environmental Protection Act (415 ILCS 5/17.12), expressly prohibits partial lead service line replacements, requiring the full line, including the private-side portion and building plumbing up to the first shut-off valve, to be replaced. Building owners must give their water supplier at least 45 days' notice before replacing part of a lead or galvanised line. Special rules for municipalities of more than 1,000,000 inhabitants, which in practice means Chicago, began on January 1, 2023, and water suppliers must file final replacement plans by April 15, 2027.

For a renovation in an older Chicago-area house, that means a kitchen or bathroom remodel that touches the water service, or a basement project that relocates the meter, may need to be coordinated with the utility's replacement programme rather than handled as a simple plumbing change. Owners should ask whether the remodeler and its licensed plumber have worked within the notice and access procedures the statute imposes on water suppliers and building owners.

Much of the housing stock in Chicago and older Illinois towns predates 1978, so lead-based paint, along with asbestos in older flooring, pipe insulation and siding, is a routine consideration on remodels. Contractors disturbing painted surfaces in pre-1978 homes must follow federal lead-safe work practice rules, and asbestos abatement is a separately regulated activity. Basement finishing is also common in the region, and moisture control, sump and backflow provisions and egress windows are frequent points where local inspectors focus.

How should owners vet a renovation contractor in Illinois?

Because there is no state remodeler licence, vetting in Illinois depends on assembling several separate checks. Start with the contract: for any job over $1,000 it should be written, itemised, list the contractor's business name and address, and arrive with the consumer rights pamphlet and acknowledgment form. Ask for a certificate of insurance showing at least the Home Repair and Remodeling Act minimums, and confirm workers' compensation coverage for anyone working on site. If the contract includes arbitration or a jury waiver, check that each clause was offered for separate acceptance.

Next, verify trade licences. Look up any roofer on IDFPR's licence lookup and check that its 104- number matches the company name on the contract. Confirm that plumbing will be done by an IDPH-licensed plumber working for a registered plumbing contractor. In Chicago, confirm that the general contractor's licence class covers the project value, and in suburban municipalities ask the building department whether the contractor is registered there and whether its electricians hold the required local licence.

Illinois criminal law backs these checks. The Home Repair Fraud Act (815 ILCS 515) makes it an offence to misrepresent material facts, use deception to obtain a home repair contract, hide a real name or business address, damage property to create a repair job or pose as a government or utility employee. Many offences are felonies, and an unconscionable contract requiring payment of at least $4,000 at a price far above the work's value is also covered. Aggravated home repair fraud, committed against an elderly person or a person with a disability, carries higher felony classes, and a convicted contractor's local licences and permits may be suspended or revoked.

Finally, structure payments to match Illinois lien law. Pay by cheque or other traceable method made out to the company, never in cash, and never pay in full before the work is complete. Tie each progress payment to a sworn statement and to partial lien waivers from the contractor, subcontractors and major suppliers, and collect final waivers before the last payment. A remodeler that is unfamiliar with sworn statements, refuses to name its subcontractors or asks for a large deposit before ordering materials should prompt further questions.

What has changed recently, or is about to change, for renovation contractors in Illinois?

Last reviewed October 19, 2026 against the primary sources listed below. Dates are effective dates unless marked otherwise.

• April 15, 2027 — Scheduled: Illinois water suppliers must file final lead service line replacement plans under the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act.
• January 1, 2027 — Scheduled: Illinois Public Act 104-0813 takes effect, amending the Energy Efficient Building Act's stretch code provisions and adding commercial outdoor lighting standards.
• November 30, 2025 — In force: The 2024 Illinois Energy Conservation Code, the 2024 IECC with Illinois amendments, took effect statewide outside Chicago.

Where can I verify a license and check the source in Illinois?

Every figure and rule on this page can be checked against the primary source. These are the offices that publish them. Confirm current requirements directly before you rely on any of them:

Illinois General Assembly — Home Repair and Remodeling Act (815 ILCS 513); Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation — Roofing consumer brochure; Illinois Department of Public Health — Plumbing program; City of Chicago Department of Buildings — General Contractor License; Illinois Capital Development Board — Illinois Energy Conservation Code; City of Chicago — Chicago Energy Transformation Code.

Nearby regions and related trades

Renovation & Remodeling contractors in other regions: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Victoria, Virginia, Washington.

Other trades in Illinois: Architect, General Contracting, HVAC, Roofing & Waterproofing.

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