What the City of Kankakee says about permits
The City of Kankakee says permits are good for six months and are based on the cost of materials and labor. It also says owners may do work on their own property with a permit, but for plumbing they must live in the property.
Questions about how any of this applies to your bathroom go to the city's building office. When you collect bids, ask each remodeler whether the permit fee is part of their price or billed to you separately, and who will be the applicant.
Plumbing contractor registration in Illinois
Illinois requires plumbing contractors to register each year with the Illinois Department of Public Health, carrying general liability insurance of at least $100,000 per occurrence and a $20,000 indemnification bond or letter of credit.
Ask each remodeler who will handle the plumbing on your job and whether that work will be done by a registered plumbing contractor. Ask for the name of the plumbing contractor and a copy of the current registration, and keep it with the proposal.
Costs you can see in a showroom
Part of a bathroom's price sits in the things you pick out: tile, a vanity and its top, the faucet and shower trim, the toilet, the mirror, lights, a fan, glass and hardware. Each one comes in a range of grades, and two that look alike on a display can differ in the parts inside, the finish and how long replacement parts stay available. Ask each bidder which grade their number assumes for every item, and what changes if you move up or down.
Costs that hide in walls and floors
Another part of the price depends on what turns up once the old finishes come off: a soft subfloor, an old drain line, a valve that has to be replaced, wiring that needs to be redone. Nobody can see these on a walkthrough. Ask each bidder how they plan to check the room before pricing, how they would handle a surprise, and that any extra work be written and priced before it begins. Keeping a reserve in your own budget, outside the contract, gives you room to say yes to a repair without stalling the job.
Costs that come from the calendar
Labor is counted in time as well as in tasks. A bathroom often sees several trades in turn, and the room may sit idle between them while waterproofing cures or an inspection is scheduled. Ask each bidder how many working days their plan assumes, who keeps the trades in order, and how a delay on their side is handled. Ask whether the price changes if you are slow to choose a finish.
Named products versus placeholders
A bid can name an exact product or set a placeholder amount for something you have not picked yet. Placeholders can make bids hard to compare. Ask that every placeholder say which product or price level it assumes, and what happens if your choice costs more or less. Where you can, choose the main fixtures before you ask for final numbers.
Small changes and large ones
The size of the change you want also shapes the price. Keeping the toilet, sink and shower where they are lets the drains and supply lines stay in place. Moving a fixture across the room can mean new drain routes, new venting and opened floors. Ask each bidder to price your plan as you want it and, as a separate line, a version that keeps the fixtures in place, so you can see what the move adds.
Disposal, protection and cleanup
Tearing out tile, a tub and drywall makes debris that has to leave the house, and the path from the room to the driveway has to be protected along the way. Ask whether hauling and disposal are in the price, where a dumpster or trailer would sit, how floors and stairs will be covered, and what cleanup looks like at the end of each day and at the finish.
One comparison sheet for every bid
Before the bids arrive, make a sheet with a row for each part of the job: demolition, framing repair, plumbing, electrical, fan, waterproofing, tile, vanity and top, fixtures, glass, paint, permits and disposal. As each bid comes in, mark what it includes, what it leaves out and what it lists as a placeholder. Two totals only mean something side by side when the rows match.
Paying as the work is finished
Agree in writing on what each payment covers and what has to be complete before it comes due. Keep the last payment for the end, after a walkthrough and a written list of anything left to finish. Ask what the deposit pays for and whether any of it comes back if the job is called off.
Questions to put in writing
- What state license or registration, if any, covers this work, and what is the number?
- Who will be the plumbing contractor on this job, and can I have a copy of the registration?
- Is the permit fee in your price, and who will apply?
- Can you send proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation?
- What does your warranty cover, for how long, and how do I make a claim?
Keep the contract, change orders, permit papers, product names and photos of the open walls together after the job is done.