Bathroom Remodeling Guides for Winnebago County
Updated
Each guide answers one question with the rule, the price range and the source: the city, county or state page it came from, or the national cost guide with its date. Written for homeowners in Rockford, Loves Park, Machesney Park and the rest of Winnebago County, Illinois. For prices by job, see the cost page.
Planning, cost and value
How long it takes, what order it goes in, what a budget buys and what comes back at resale.
- 01How long does a bathroom remodel take?Most bathroom remodels run one to four weeks of work, per a This Old House survey, plus permit review and inspections. The local steps that set the clock.
- 02What order does a bathroom remodel go in?The order of a bathroom remodel, from demolition and rough-in to the inspection, waterproofing, tile and fixtures, with the Illinois rules that apply at each step.
- 03Can you redo a bathroom for $5,000 or $10,000?What $5,000 and $10,000 buy in a bathroom remodel, using Angi's scope bands and half bath prices, and where the money goes in an older Rockford bathroom.
- 04Does a bathroom remodel add value to your home?What the 2025 Cost vs. Value report says a bathroom remodel returns at resale in the Chicago market, midrange versus upscale, and the Illinois property tax exemption.
- 05Should You Keep at Least One Bathtub?Thinking of turning your only tub into a walk-in shower? What the cost data shows, who still uses a tub, and how to decide without guessing about resale.
Permits, contracts and hiring
Which jobs need a permit, what the contract must say, who can do the plumbing, and lead-safe work in older homes.
- 06Do you need a permit to remodel a bathroom in Rockford?Which bathroom jobs need a permit in Rockford, Loves Park, Machesney Park and the county towns, who can pull a plumbing permit, and what the fee schedules say.
- 07What has to be in a bathroom remodeling contract in Illinois?The Illinois Home Repair and Remodeling Act: the written contract over $1,000, the consumer rights pamphlet, required insurance, arbitration and the 15-day senior cancel right.
- 08How do you check a bathroom remodeler in Illinois?Illinois does not license remodelers, so check the plumber's license, the insurance certificate, lead-safe certification, the permit and the written contract instead.
- 09Lead Paint and Bathroom Remodels in Pre-1978 HomesIf your house was built before 1978, a paid bathroom remodel that disturbs painted surfaces falls under the EPA lead-safe rule. What it covers, the small-job exception, and how many local homes are that old.
Showers
The anti-scald valve rule, minimum shower size, curbless showers, and acrylic versus tile.
- 10What does the Illinois anti-scald shower valve rule require?Illinois requires an automatic safety mixing valve on every shower, set to 115 F at most when installed. Pressure-balancing versus thermostatic, and why the water heater does not count.
- 11How big does a shower have to be in Illinois?Illinois requires single-family showers to have at least 1,024 square inches of floor area and 32 inches on the shortest side. What that means when a tub alcove becomes a shower.
- 12Curbless Showers: Pros, Cons and What They TakeA curbless shower has no step at the entry. Why people want one, why it costs more than a low curb, and what the Illinois plumbing code still asks of the pan.
- 13Acrylic or Tile Shower: Which Is Right for You?Acrylic and solid-surface showers go in fast and wipe clean. Tile looks custom and lasts. What each costs, what the plumbing code asks of both, and how hard water changes the choice.
- 14Hard Water and Your Bathroom Around RockfordWhat local water reports do and do not say about hardness, why white scale shows up on glass and fixtures, and how to pick a shower, glass and finishes that are easy to keep clean.
Accessible and new bathrooms
Walk-in tubs or showers, paying for accessible work, and basement bathrooms below the sewer line.
- 15Walk-In Tub or Walk-In Shower?Both make bathing safer. A walk-in tub keeps the soak; a walk-in shower is simpler and costs less. National prices, who chooses which, and the in-home sales rule for buyers 65 and older.
- 16How to Pay for an Accessible Bathroom in IllinoisThere is no Illinois home accessibility tax credit, whatever some sites say. What does exist: the Homestead Improvement Exemption, the disabilities homestead exemption, and IHDA repair funding through local agencies.
- 17Do You Need an Ejector Pump for a Basement Bathroom?If the basement drains sit below the sewer line, Illinois requires a sealed, vented sump with an automatic ejector. What that means, the ceiling height rule, costs, and the septic question.