All Forum Posts by: Jennie Berger

Thanks for the update @Samuel Pavlovcik--very useful info and so nice to have something concrete in writing!

@Garrett W Williams Welcome! 

Piggy backing on what several have already stated, I would add this: Choose a location you like! Far too many investors I've met invest in areas they don't necessarily like, or even feel safe in, because the profit margins may be larger, or it's an up and coming neighborhood, or you can find much cheaper properties, yada yada. None of those are bad things, in and of themselves. But I'd recommend exploring some areas--drive and/or walk around--and see how you feel while you're in those neighborhoods. 

Other investors might recommend against this, but I'm a big believer in following your heart first, and then finding a way to make the numbers work. You will find good deals in ANY area of Chicago and immediate surrounding neighborhoods, so might as well choose one that makes you feel happy and excited to invest and spend your time in. 

Good luck!

@Jonathan Klemm Sorry for not clarifying on the requesting inspectors part. I was told we can request NOT to have a certain inspector since we've had issues with them in the past. Not that we could request a certain inspector, just to NOT have a certain one. Wanted to make that clear. I'm not sure if that's OK, or frowned upon, or not allowed. One of our plumbers who has a really good connection to the head of one of the inspections departments told us that....so I thought it was worth asking here.

@Samuel Pavlovcik Great adds--thanks for chiming in! Photo documentation is brilliant and, while we take photos of pretty much everything else along the way, I never thought about photo documenting those specific items. 

As for the easy permits & inspections--I just want to be clear that we're on the same page. Are you saying that, as an architect, since you don't deal with permits necessarily when an easy permit is involved (since architectural renderings/plans aren't needed), that you cannot confirm/deny that rough inspections are required? I guess I'm trying to figure out if/where the city mentions anywhere in writing, whether blatantly or hidden, that rough inspections are required. I cannot find it and continue to get conflicting advice. (I assumed (albeit incorrectly, I suppose) that, out of anyone, architects would know best and have access to the most updated information since they work so closely with the city on a regular basis.

Our easy permit covered all of our plumbing and ventilation upgrades. Our basement ceiling was also left exposed which made it easier for the HVAC inspector to get a good look. Luckily he was nice and helpful. We didn't open any other walls up except for the areas associated with the upgraded fixtures/piping, which was included on the permit. We are definitely going to schedule roughs no matter what moving forward. I was just hoping to have a black & white answer, a yes or no. But I'm seeing based on all of the expert insight and responses on this thread, that nobody really knows for sure so it's better to just do it, regardless.

And yes, we schedule inspections about 2 weeks out because they take forever to confirm. Ugh!

Hey @Eric M.- Sounds like you know exactly what we just went through. :/ Lucky you got a helpful inspector. We had a pretty good experience with our HVAC, Electricial, and Final (new) inspectors on this project. It was plumbing that really set us back. It's so frustrating.

@Crystal Smith Thanks for adding to the mix!🙌

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Ya, we chose an easy permit because the work we were doing fell into the category of what was covered. In fact, the permit itself was never the issue. 🤷‍♀️ Looking forward to connecting with you via DM.

@John Warren Makes sense!

Now, we know one plumber who has connections. But that happened by chance and fell in our lap. 🙃

How would one go about intentionally finding contractors who have established relationships with the inspectors?

As for the codes--my fiance is a GC and he knows the codes. But the codes don't seem to matter to some inspectors...🤷‍♀️

It is a game, isn't it.

@Christopher Grannen Thanks for the moral support! I hope you find some clarity too. :)

I'll admit, I'm totally confused about easy permits and the required inspections.

It was our understanding, per 2 different professionals (an architect & licensed GC), that we do NOT need rough inspections when doing a rehab with an easy permit. However, upon scheduling our final inspection for a rehab project (which we were told we DID need), the city told us we needed rough inspections. 🤦‍♀️

As you can imagine, this has been an absolute nightmare of a process to backpeddle and get everything 'righted'. But it still doesn't solve the mystery for me. Do we, or don't we, need rough inspections with an easy permit? I know the city said we do but...

Let me elaborate--the only walls we opened were to update associated piping with new plumbing fixtures and electrical fixtures/switches. This was all on the easy permit. Thus, it would make sense to me that roughs were NOT necessarily, by default required. Add to that the fact that 2 industry professionals told us explicitly that they were NOT necessary, and hence, perhaps you see where my confusion comes from.

Did Chicago change the laws recently? Did something else change? Is this just a decision left up to the discretion of whoever happens to receive the inspection request?

Not gonna lie-- It feels like a moving target with city inspectors at times. One inspector comes out for a rough plumbing inspection and wants a) changed. Even though it's up to code, as is. So you change a) and another plumbing inspector comes out later and says what's a) about? And you try to say that the previous inspector wanted it like that but they don't seem to care and they make you change it again...and this can go on, and on, and on.

Is it just me or are we living in some strange universe where plumbing and other codes don't matter, and inspectors can say and do whatever they want with no recourse? And what about the architects and GCs...shouldn't they know the rules and any applicable changes as they occur?

Do we have recourse? Is there a way to avoid this? Whom can we talk to/complain to (without shooting ourselves in the foot)? Is there a way to hold city people accountable without a lawsuit? Looking for proactive and practical solutions and suggestions.

Thanks guys.

*Oh, and I cross posted this in another forum. I posted it first in rehabbing and flipping, and then copied it over here because I thought I would get more Chicago related people to respond. :)