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Bathroom RemodelRockford

How a Bathroom Remodel Works

Updated

Eight steps from the first message to the final walk-through. Anything over $1,000 gets a written contract first, and the permit comes before the walls go up.

  1. 1. Call, text or send the form

    Tell us the town, which bathroom (hall, primary, half bath or basement), roughly how big it is and what you want changed: a tub-to-shower conversion, new tile, a vanity, or a full gut. A few phone photos of the room help more than anything else.

  2. 2. A first price range

    We replies with next steps and a rough range for the scope. National guides put a full remodel at $6,651 to $17,661 (Angi), and the cost page shows the rest. No guide publishes a Rockford price, so treat any range as a starting point until someone has seen the room.

  3. 3. The site visit

    Someone measures the room and looks at what the price depends on: where the drains and supply lines run, the condition of the floor around the toilet and tub, the exhaust fan and where it vents, the electrical, and whether the house was built before 1978, which brings in the EPA lead-safe rule for painted surfaces.

  4. 4. A written quote and contract

    Any bathroom job over $1,000 needs a signed written contract before work starts, with the total cost and the parts and materials listed. The contractor must give you the Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights pamphlet before you sign, and you can accept or reject any arbitration clause. See the contract rules guide.

  5. 5. The permit

    Moving a drain, adding a fixture or opening walls usually needs a permit. In Rockford a same-spot fixture swap is exempt; in Loves Park all plumbing work needs one. Ask who pulls it, and check your town's page for its office and fee rule.

  6. 6. Demolition and rough-in

    The old fixtures and finishes come out, then anything behind the walls is done: new supply lines and drains, the shower valve, wiring for lights and the fan. Any new shower valve has to be an anti-scald valve set no higher than the Illinois limit. If there is a permit, the rough inspection happens before the walls close.

  7. 7. Walls, waterproofing and tile

    Backer board and a waterproof membrane go up around the shower, the pan is built or the base is set, then tile, paint and the floor. This is the stage where cutting corners does not show until a leak does, so ask what membrane is being used.

  8. 8. Fixtures, final inspection and walk-through

    The vanity, toilet, glass and trim go in last. If there is a permit, the final inspection closes it out. Walk the room with the crew before the last payment: run the shower, check the valve temperature, flush the toilet, open every drawer.

What to have ready

  • Photos of the room from the doorway, the tub or shower, the vanity and the floor around the toilet.
  • Rough measurements, or at least whether it is a half bath, a small hall bath or a larger primary bath.
  • What has to change and what can stay. Keeping the drains where they are is the biggest money saver.
  • The age of the house. 74.3% of Rockford housing was built before 1980, and anything from before 1978 brings in the lead-safe rule.
  • Anyone in the house who needs a low-curb shower, grab bars or a comfort-height toilet now or soon.
  • Whether the house is on city water or a private well.

How long it takes

No source we reviewed publishes a standard timeline we would stand behind, so we do not promise one. A same-spot vanity or toilet swap can be one visit. A full remodel runs in the stages above, and inspections and material lead times set the pace. The timeline guide goes stage by stage.

What to check before you sign

  • An itemized written contract with the total cost and materials, for any job over $1,000.
  • A certificate of the liability and property damage insurance the Home Repair and Remodeling Act requires.
  • Who does the plumbing: a licensed plumber, unless you are the owner doing it yourself.
  • Who pulls the permit, if one applies.
  • That nothing is booked or started until you agree to the price.

Prices by job are on the cost page, the tub-to-shower page covers the most common job, and the hiring guide lists what to ask.

Sources: Home Repair and Remodeling Act, 815 ILCS 513/15; Home Repair and Remodeling Act, 815 ILCS 513 (full text); Illinois Plumbing License Law, 225 ILCS 320/3; Illinois State Plumbing Code, 77 Ill. Adm. Code 890.690 (showers); U.S. EPA, Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program; City of Rockford, Mechanical and Plumbing Permits; City of Loves Park, Building Permits FAQ; Angi, bathroom remodel cost

Start with step one

The town, which bathroom and what you want changed. Photos help. That is all the form needs.

Call (815) 420-3377See Prices