How do you check a bathroom remodeler in Illinois?

There is no state card that says a remodeler is qualified, which surprises most people. That does not leave you with nothing to check. It means the checks are spread across the people who do each part of the job. A tub-to-shower conversion is a good example: it touches the drain, the valve, maybe a wall, and often painted surfaces in an older house.

No state license for remodelers

Rockford says the same locally. The city says "General contractors are not required to be licensed." Roofers need an Illinois state license. Electrical contractors must register with the city each calendar year ($25, or proof of a license or registration from another Illinois municipality). Plumbing permits go to a licensed plumber or to the owner-occupant of a single family home. (City of Rockford, Building Permits)

The plumber: a state license

Ask who will do the plumbing and for that person's Illinois plumbing license number. Plumbers are licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health. A permit office may only issue a plumbing permit to a licensed plumber or to the owner who lives in the single-family home, so if the contractor says “we'll do the plumbing, you pull the permit,” that is a red flag: the owner exemption covers you doing the work yourself, not someone you pay.

Loves Park is stricter on paper. Loves Park's residential code (Ordinance 4689-25, P2501.1) says "All work shall be performed by State of Illinois licensed plumbers in accordance with the Plumbing Licensing Act," and the permit application asks for the plumbing license number. State law separately lets an owner-occupant of a single-family home do their own plumbing, so ask the city how it applies that before planning a do-it-yourself plumbing job. (City of Loves Park, Ordinance 4689-25)

The electrician: registered in Rockford

Rockford's own pages say electrical contractors are not required to be licensed but must register with the city each calendar year, as its contractor rule above says. A new fan, light, heated floor or GFCI circuit is electrical work, so ask who is doing it.

Insurance: ask for the certificate

Lead-safe certification in older homes

In Winnebago County, 63.4% of homes were built before 1980, and in Rockford 74.3% (Census ACS, 2020 to 2024; the Census bucket ends at 1979, while the EPA rule covers homes built before 1978).

Ask for the firm's EPA certification if your house is that old. The lead paint guide covers what lead-safe work looks like.

Look for the permit

On a permitted job the permit is not a secret. Rockford requires it to be posted where it can be seen from the street or at the main entrance before work starts, and Loves Park requires it to be posted where it can be seen from the street. If the walls are open, the plumbing is new and there is no permit in the window, ask why. The permit is also the paper trail that shows the work was inspected when you sell the house. The permit guide covers which jobs need one in each town.

Questions to ask before you sign

• Who will pull the permit, and which permits does this job need in my town?
• Who does the plumbing, and what is their Illinois license number?
• Can I see your certificate of insurance?
• If my house was built before 1978, is your firm EPA lead-safe certified?
• What shower valve are you installing? It has to be an anti-scald type set to 115 F at most.
• What happens if you find rot or a leak behind the wall, and how is that priced?
• Which days will I be without a toilet or water?
• Is the tile backer and waterproofing named in the contract, not just the tile?

Red flags

• No written contract, or one with “materials as needed” instead of named products.
• No “Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights” pamphlet on a job over $1,000.
• “You don't need a permit for this” on a job that moves a drain or replaces a shower valve.
• A same-day discount that expires if you do not sign at the kitchen table.
• Most of the money up front before materials arrive.

The contract guide covers what the paperwork has to say, and national prices for comparing quotes are on the bathroom remodel cost page.