Bathroom Remodel in Roscoe, IL
Updated
Roscoe in short
- 4,202
- households in Roscoe
- 2001
- median year built (county 1971)
- 3.2%
- of homes built before 1960 (county 35.5%)
- 31.3%
- of owners are 65 or older (county 34.7%)
The local numbers
How old the homes are in Roscoe
Roscoe has more new housing than the county as a whole. 52.6% of its 4,312 homes were built in 2000 or later, against 13.6% county-wide, for a median year built of 2001. Only one of the 13 Winnebago County communities has a higher share of homes built since 2000. Houses that new usually have a primary bath with its own shower and tub, so the common job is a primary bath update or swapping a builder-grade fiberglass unit for a walk-in shower, not a gut of a one-bath house.
2,991 of the 4,202 households in Roscoe own their home, and 31.3% of those owners are 65 or older (county: 34.7%). Even below the county share, that is a lot of households weighing a low-curb shower or grab bars; the accessible bathroom page covers the prices, and Illinois gives buyers 65 and older 15 business days to cancel a contract signed at home with an uninvited salesperson.
Permits here run through the Winnebago County Building Division, not a city or village desk. It is at 404 Elm Street, Room 403, Rockford, (815) 319-4350, and it charges a $40 processing fee per trade permit on its posted schedule. Its pages do not say whether a same-spot toilet or vanity swap is exempt, so call before the work is scheduled.
Who supplies the water matters for glass, fixtures and grout. Mixed. The North Park Public Water District serves part of Roscoe, and other homes are on private wells. Our hard water guide covers what that means for a new shower.
If the house has no water meter and no water bill, it is probably on a private well, which changes bathroom choices (softener sizing, staining on fixtures). The Village's own zoning permit review can take up to two weeks in peak season.
Roscoe housing and households vs Winnebago County
| Measure | Roscoe | Winnebago County |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 10,706 | 283,292 |
| Housing units | 4,312 | 125,002 |
| Occupied (households) | 4,202 | 116,014 |
| Owner-occupied households | 2,991 (71.2%) | 76,408 (65.9%) |
| Owners aged 65 or older | 935 (31.3% of owners) | 26,511 (34.7% of owners) |
| Renter households | 1,211 (28.8%) | 39,606 (34.1%) |
| Median year built | 2001 | 1971 |
| Built before 1940 | 1.2% | 15.5% |
| Built before 1960 | 3.2% | 35.5% |
| Built before 1980 | 9.1% | 63.4% |
| Built 2000 or later | 52.6% | 13.6% |
| Single-family detached | 66.9% | 70.4% |
| Mobile homes | 3.5% | 1.3% |
| Moved in 1989 or earlier | 3.5% | 10.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), tables B01003, B25003, B25007 (tenure by age of householder), B25024, B25034, B25035 and B25038.
Local rules
Permits, plumbing and water in Roscoe
- Bathroom work and permits
- The Winnebago County Building Division issues and inspects permits here, and County Code Chapter 18 makes it unlawful to alter a structure without one. The county pages do not say whether a same-spot toilet, vanity or tub swap is exempt, so call the Building Division at (815) 319-4350 before treating any bathroom job as permit-free. Moving a drain, adding a fixture or opening walls is alteration work. source 1 source 2
- Permit office
- The Village of Roscoe, Village Hall, 10631 Main Street, (815) 623-2829, permits@roscoeil.gov, issues zoning permits ("Alteration or addition" is on its list) and tells residents to contact Winnebago County Planning and Zoning at 815-319-4350 for building permits. The County Building Division lists the Village of Roscoe among the municipalities it serves. The village says zoning permit review takes "up to two (2) weeks" during peak construction season. Whether interior bathroom work needs the zoning permit is not stated, so ask when you call. source 1 source 2 source 3
- Who may do the plumbing
- No local rule found, so state law applies: plumbing is done by an Illinois licensed plumber, except that the owner-occupant of a single-family home may do their own, to the Illinois Plumbing Code and subject to inspection. A permit office may only issue a plumbing permit to a licensed plumber or that owner-occupant. source 1 source 2
- Permit fees
- The county's posted fee schedule (Ordinance 2016 CO 073) charges a $40 processing fee per trade permit (structural, electrical, HVAC, plumbing) and $40 per re-inspection, and values interior remodel work at $60 a square foot for its valuation table. The county notes the Board can change fees, so confirm before budgeting. source
- Code edition
- Roscoe's building permit and inspections come from the County Building Division, so the county's codes list applies: the codes page (last modified February 20, 2025) says the division follows the 2015 International Residential Code. That listing looks old next to the statewide baseline that began January 1, 2025, so confirm the edition with the Building Division. source 1 source 2
- Contractor rules
- Village code Chapter 110 says "General contractors and construction managers shall be required to register with the village." We did not retrieve the registration terms (fee, insurance). source
- Water supplier
- Mixed. The North Park Public Water District serves part of Roscoe, and other homes are on private wells. In 2009 the Illinois Department of Public Health advised testing private wells within a mile of Ledgewood Elementary after a solvent was found in the school's water, and said North Park customers were not affected. source 1 source 2 source 3
About Roscoe. Roscoe is a village on the Rock River with 10,983 residents at the 2020 census. Wikipedia
ZIP codes. 61073 (93% of its land), 61080 (6% of its land), 61072 (1% of its land). Census 2020
Full pricing, the complete service menu, and the rest of the service area are on the bathroom remodel in Rockford, IL homepage.
Bathroom work
Bathroom jobs homeowners ask about in Roscoe
Common questions
Roscoe bathroom remodel questions
Do I need a permit to remodel a bathroom in Roscoe?
The Winnebago County Building Division issues and inspects permits here, and County Code Chapter 18 makes it unlawful to alter a structure without one. The county pages do not say whether a same-spot toilet, vanity or tub swap is exempt, so call the Building Division at (815) 319-4350 before treating any bathroom job as permit-free. Moving a drain, adding a fixture or opening walls is alteration work.
Can I do my own bathroom plumbing in Roscoe?
No local rule found, so state law applies: plumbing is done by an Illinois licensed plumber, except that the owner-occupant of a single-family home may do their own, to the Illinois Plumbing Code and subject to inspection. A permit office may only issue a plumbing permit to a licensed plumber or that owner-occupant.
What does a bathroom permit cost in Roscoe?
The county's posted fee schedule (Ordinance 2016 CO 073) charges a $40 processing fee per trade permit (structural, electrical, HVAC, plumbing) and $40 per re-inspection, and values interior remodel work at $60 a square foot for its valuation table. The county notes the Board can change fees, so confirm before budgeting. Fee schedules are undated or years old, so confirm the figure before you budget. National guides put permits at $100 to $1,000 (Angi); the cost page shows the rest.
Who supplies the water in Roscoe?
Mixed. The North Park Public Water District serves part of Roscoe, and other homes are on private wells.
How old are the bathrooms in Roscoe?
The Census does not count bathrooms, but it does date the homes. Per the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, the median home in Roscoe was built in 2001 (Winnebago County: 1971). 3.2% of its 4,312 homes were built before 1960 and 9.1% before 1980, against 63.4% county-wide.
What does a bathroom remodel cost in Roscoe?
No cost guide publishes a figure for Roscoe. Angi's national guide puts a full bathroom remodel at $6,651 to $17,661 with an average of $12,155, and a tub-to-shower conversion at $1,200 to $15,000. The nearest local number is the 2025 Cost vs. Value report for Chicago, which prices a midrange bath remodel at $24,072. The full price table shows each source and its date.
How many homeowners in Roscoe are 65 or older?
Per the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, 935 of Roscoe's 2,991 owner households (31.3%) are headed by someone 65 or older, against 34.7% for Winnebago County. For grab bars, a low-curb shower or a comfort-height toilet, see accessible bathrooms.
Do bathroom remodelers have to be licensed in Roscoe?
Village code Chapter 110 says "General contractors and construction managers shall be required to register with the village." We did not retrieve the registration terms (fee, insurance). Illinois does not license remodelers at the state level; plumbers are state licensed, and every remodeler must carry the insurance the Home Repair and Remodeling Act requires.
Planning a bathroom in Roscoe?
Tell us the address, which bathroom and what you want changed. We reply with a price before any work is scheduled.