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I used to live in Chicago (Glen Ellyn - DuPage County, next door to the west of C"r"ook county). I can't fault you for wanting to avoid triggering a tax reassessment. Our house had a tax-assessed value of less than $200,000, yet an annual tax bill north of $16,000, for maybe a 1,700 SF house! Insanity at it's finest! We rented, thank goodness, from 2009-2012 before fleeing "Ill&annoyed" for the "swamp", and have been happy ever since.
I can't speak to process here. But will add a few tidbits to keep in mind when doing this.
1) Doesn't matter what kind of seller you find later on. If the house doesn't pass inspection, your buyer's lender is likely to not approve their loan, meaning you don't have a buyer. Home loans come with inspections to verify the lender's collateral is ok.
2) Outlets / electricity - understand placement height in those basements. Understand code requirements, and make sure whomever you get understands this too. There is a waterline requirement that you need to be aware of. Place those outlets too low where you would normally place them, and you're not going to pass an inspection.
3) HVAC - there is a balance you need to keep in mind if you want to keep your system from premature failure. Closing off a section could mean throwing off that air delivery/return balance for your system. Just be mindful of where that vent is located. Might be impactful, might not, but something to be aware of.
4) If you're framing up against your foundation wall, understand code there for putting wood to concrete. There can be mold issues quickly if you don't understand the need to let things breath when you start closing them up. This also speaks to placement of the wood framing to the concrete floor.
5) Insurance - remember, sumps fail. If you're not permitted for this and you have to file a claim because your sump failed while you're taking a break from those horrible winters and warming your buns in Vegas in February, good luck having insurance pay for the repairs. No permit = a possible (likely) easy way out for a claim request.
5a) Anyone gets hurt because of this non-permitted improvement, and you're likely flying solo to pay for it. Insurance will definitely leave you in the dust if it's found that, say, an electrical fire started because of an overloaded circuit in the basement movie room that wasn't given the county inspector's blessing prior to usage.
Just some food for thought here. I feel your pain with the taxes there amigo, I truly do!
Good on you for getting the h*ll out! Smart ! Unfortunately I’m stuck here for a bit more. At least I’ll be in my forties. The people that retire here are loony tunes
We had about 300 sf of our basement finished. It included installing a larger window, recessed lighting, several outlets, including a/v wiring and receptacles, quite a bit of framing around hvac ductwork, risers on stairs installed for carpet, and finally, carpet. He also installed a door with frame, a dummy wall with panels for the utilities in the partly unfinished laundry and furnace room, and linoleum. All was well trimmed. (I painted.) The contractor did all of the work except for the carpet install and had full insurance. It cost 6k, and another 1.5k for the carpet, I think (including the stairs).
We have since had him back for at least three other jobs, one was to remodel our family room, including a full fireplace surround and mantel. We have noticed also that his prices keep going up, lol.
Find a good contractor who has design skills and insurance, but who is fair, and stick with him.
So, at a minimum, even with a "nights and weekends" contractor, figure to pay $75 to $100 per sq. ft. And remember, you get what you pay for.
Why the closed room in the basement? Another bedroom? OMG are you in for trouble. Fire, Health, Building and Code will be so far up your butt you will beg to pay for permits and have a proper contractor do the work.
But go ahead, have the third cousin of your "good friend" do the work for $5,000.. What could possibly go wrong???
Good on you for getting the h*ll out! Smart ! Unfortunately I’m stuck here for a bit more. At least I’ll be in my forties. The people that retire here are loony tunes
Don't worry my friend, you're day will come, and it will be glorious! I was 38 when we pulled out of Chicago in late October 2011, at 4:45am, as sleet was hitting our windshield. Tears of pure joy rolling down our North Carolina faces as we watched the sun come up over the lake while hauling butt east on I-80 towards the Indiana state line!
As fate would have it, I'm looking at my first return visit for a project in Evanston.... It'll be a quick trip, but just long enough to load up the cholesterol chuck-wagon with a mountain of lasagna from Rose Bud on Taylor St.!
I did my 12 x 24 room myself. No plumbing. Framed it. Sheet rocked it. Drop ceiling. Wired all outlets, lights and switches, network cables. The Floor wasn’t exactly level so I used luxury vinyl tiles so they would go with the floor. Hardly noticeable. I paid a guy $200 to sparkle and tape. I painted. Came out pretty darn perfect. I have carpenter friends who were shocked as I have never done this befor in my life. It took 6 months on weekends since I work full time and had little time for this. I spent weeks getting near perfect measurements and then wait another couple of weeks to make sure they were right. Anyway, it might have costed $3000 for everything. Maybe you can try it yourself too. So far, nearly three years later, everything is fine.
I did my 12 x 24 room myself. No plumbing. Framed it. Sheet rocked it. Drop ceiling. Wired all outlets, lights and switches, network cables.
...
Anyway, it might have costed $3000 for everything. Maybe you can try it yourself too. So far, nearly three years later, everything is fine.
So for a 288 sf finish job very similar to OP’s it cost you about $11/sf in materials. OP wants to know if he can get labor included for only a $1/sf more
Permit issues aside, this shows why $5000 for his job is way too low.
I used to live in Chicago (Glen Ellyn - DuPage County, next door to the west of C"r"ook county). I can't fault you for wanting to avoid triggering a tax reassessment. Our house had a tax-assessed value of less than $200,000, yet an annual tax bill north of $16,000, for maybe a 1,700 SF house! Insanity at it's finest! We rented, thank goodness, from 2009-2012 before fleeing "Ill&annoyed" for the "swamp", and have been happy ever since.
I can't speak to process here. But will add a few tidbits to keep in mind when doing this.
1) Doesn't matter what kind of seller you find later on. If the house doesn't pass inspection, your buyer's lender is likely to not approve their loan, meaning you don't have a buyer. Home loans come with inspections to verify the lender's collateral is ok.
2) Outlets / electricity - understand placement height in those basements. Understand code requirements, and make sure whomever you get understands this too. There is a waterline requirement that you need to be aware of. Place those outlets too low where you would normally place them, and you're not going to pass an inspection.
3) HVAC - there is a balance you need to keep in mind if you want to keep your system from premature failure. Closing off a section could mean throwing off that air delivery/return balance for your system. Just be mindful of where that vent is located. Might be impactful, might not, but something to be aware of.
4) If you're framing up against your foundation wall, understand code there for putting wood to concrete. There can be mold issues quickly if you don't understand the need to let things breath when you start closing them up. This also speaks to placement of the wood framing to the concrete floor.
5) Insurance - remember, sumps fail. If you're not permitted for this and you have to file a claim because your sump failed while you're taking a break from those horrible winters and warming your buns in Vegas in February, good luck having insurance pay for the repairs. No permit = a possible (likely) easy way out for a claim request.
5a) Anyone gets hurt because of this non-permitted improvement, and you're likely flying solo to pay for it. Insurance will definitely leave you in the dust if it's found that, say, an electrical fire started because of an overloaded circuit in the basement movie room that wasn't given the county inspector's blessing prior to usage.
Just some food for thought here. I feel your pain with the taxes there amigo, I truly do!
#5 and 5a is not true.
Not only have I lived in Illinois (my entire life until 2 years ago), had two basements finished, but I'm also an insurance agent. Insurance companies can give two &#$@! if you had a permit to finish your basement! If they cared they would ask and it would be an underwriting question. It's not!
First, water/sewer coverage (sump pump failure) will only be covered if you have that OPTIONAL coverage added to your homeowners policy. SO GET IT! Flood is NOT covered by any homeowners policy. You have to get a separate policy for that entirely and it's very expensive. As far as liability is concerned, a contractor would not be covered under your homeowners liability anyway. That would be covered under his employers work comp policy. And 3rd, if a guest is injured in your home and you are at fault, your homeowners policy will pay out whether you had a permit or not as it has nothing to do with it. Liability pays out if the person is anywhere on your property. Liability means "YOU" were negligent in some way, doesn't matter how or where as it extends off premises as well.
Last edited by CGab; 08-20-2018 at 08:19 PM..
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