Permit Expeditors - worth it?

[Sumaiya Patel]

We are looking to pull permit for a total gut rehab in Chicago area. I have done flips in suburbs but never really dealt directly with the city of Chicago Building & Permit. I heard wait time is very long. Any tips? Recommendations on how to proceed? Is it worth hiring an expeditor? How fast can they get the permit? I would love to pass my inspections on the first try. :)

[Zach Hoffman]

Sumaiya,

I am an Architect in Chicago and the simple answer is yes you should hire an expeditor. Permit review times can vary due to a number of factors on a project by project basis. I would only categorize them as "very long" if you have also made any special requests (zoning, driveway, etc).