All Forum Posts by: Samuel Pavlovcik

@Shamar Gregg welcome to BP, I'm new to the REI end of things as well but I am a Licensed Architect experienced in residential remodeling and construction. This forum has been a great resource and is filled with a lot of excellent information and knowledgeable people. Feel free to reach out if you ever have any Architectural questions for the City or surrounding suburbs!

@Account Closed I've got some great recommendations for all of the above. When I hear gut-rehab i typically jump to assuming this is a Residential project. Am I correct? Single-family or Multi-Unit?

@Tanner Johnson While the rules can vary greatly among different jurisdictions, many villages/cities will require the primary contractors (HVAC, Electrical, Plumber) to be Licensed to do the work. All tho, frequently an Owner can "Self-perform" any work they want, but the property needs to be their primary residence. The City wants to ensure the work is done safely and per building codes, and even tho they will come out to do inspections, they even realize that they typically do not catch everything, nor are they fully responsible to; which means it is still the full responsibility of the owner to ensure the work is done safely. They require contractors and do not allow owners to self perform if it is not owner occupied/primary residence because they want the contractors to be insured as well to make sure someone is there to cover the liability if something were to happen.

@Stephen Bourgeois Way to make the best of a bad situation! I sent you a PM, I'd be happy to help out. 1st thing we need to do is check the Zoning to make sure you can build the 4-unit building on your lot which was previously a single family. Are there other townhouses nearby within that gated community?

@Emily L. Wiersema, I believe what @Joseph H. was saying is that it will depend on the City/Jurisdiction who you have to request the permit thru; which is correct. You can avoid Stamped Architectural drawings in many smaller towns, sometimes even hand-sketched plans drawn to scale is enough. In larger municipalities like within the City of Milwaukee, you may need architectural drawings stamped by an Architect. Additionally, the scope of work will have something to do with the requirement as well. Depending on how the layout is changing, ensuring that no load-bearing walls are being moved, and also if plumbing fixtures are being added (which it sounds like there will be) you may need an Architect. The easiest thing to do would be to reach out to the Municipality that you would be submitting the permit to and just ask what they would require for your project scope.

Congratulations on the properties @Katelin Eberhard.

I'm sure you will find plenty of knowledgeable people on this forum who would be happy to help out! What are tour plans for the properties? Do the properties need rehab work or are you looking to do minor improvements? What type of assistance are you looking to find here on BP?

@Allen L., That sucks about your contractor walking out, I've heard these stories far too often, and it continues to give GC's a bad rep. I noticed you are from Chicago, is the property you are mentioning above located within Chicago as well? I ask because the City of Chicago manages permits very differently than many of the surrounding suburbs or counties.

Based on the fact that you said your GC pulled a permit for the plumbing, I am assuming he pulled an Easy Permit with the City of Chicago. @Moises R Cosme is correct that if this is the case, You as the homeowner can pull the new permit yourself; however, if you needed to pursue a Full Permit Process in cases for projects including new construction, additions, or larger remodels, the City of Chicago requires the permit to be obtained thru a Licensed Architect, Licensed Structural Engineer, or a Permit Expediter.

Since I am assuming this was an Easy Permit for the plumbing, you also don't need any plans to be submitted. What you will need are the following:

- A completed permit application signed by you as the owner, and signed by your GC (If you are going to hire another, otherwise, as the owner you can act as the GC).

- You will need the contact information for your plumber listed on the permit application, and they Must be licensed in the City of Chicago by the time you submit the permit.

- A Letter of Intent from the Licensed Plumber stating that they intend to do the plumbing work at your project address. Note: The address must be listed, and this letter of intent must be Sealed with their IL Plumbers Seal, or it must be notarized.

Pre-COVID19, Easy Permits were obtained by going to the Easy Permit Desk at the 9th floor of the Chicago City Hall building. Last I checked (about 3 weeks ago) the office still wasn't open; however that may have changed or may change soon.

In the meantime they were allowing people to submit for an Easy Permit online using a modified system. See link below for the temporary process:
https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/bldgs/general/EZPERMIT/Interim%20Online%20EPP%20Procedures%2020200319.pdf

Additionally, I would recommend reaching out to Martha Reynoso at the Easy Permit desk, she will help you get things straightened out and let you know of any changes to the current process, or anything specific you might need. I will send you a PM with her email address.

Hey @Marcus Streeter, good call on jumping into the threads here on BP. There are a lot of knowledgeable people happy to provide a lot of great insight and information!

I am an Architect based out of Chicago and do a lot of work in the surrounding suburbs as well. I am new to REI but joined the forum to begin to learn and absorb anything I can about best practices and processes and hopefully learn as much as I can from other peoples mistakes so that I make fewer of them on my own.(Wishful thinking I know...)

Cook County can be one of the biggest pains around to deal with on projects. All of their processes seem to be *** backwards, and every time you talk to someone it feels like their goal is to not let you accomplish the only thing you were trying to get done...

Feel free to reach out if you have any architectural questions for projects in the area! 

@Robert Trevor the last update on the ADU Ordinance that I've seen since it was introduced on 05/20 and says it will be up for a final vote in June or July, and take affect on 08/01. That being said I wouldn't be surprised if it gets delayed with the whole COVID crisis, as the ZBA hearings were all delayed for months. Check out this thread for more info: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/664/topics/838814-chicagos-aduinsanely-powerful

In terms of galzing. Chicago building code requires 8% of natural light and 4% of natural vent for living and bedroom spaces. Therefore a 1,000 sq.ft. open space would require 80 sq.ft. total of natural light, and 40 sq.ft. total of natural vent. I assume it is not going to be one large open space, so each living or bedroom space would need to meet this requirement based on the calculation provided.

Based on the fact that you have 8' ceilings, and 2 exits, it should be in a pretty good position based on Architectural standards, all tho @John Warren brings up a good point regarding the additional extensive costs of adding windows in masonry buildings Vs. frame buildings, but if you have room to lower the sill instead of raising the top or widening the window, you will be able to save costs by reusing the existing lintels (Assuming they are in good shape) The only other concern would be the distance from the exterior face of the wall to your property line. If it is less than 2.5', they won't let you count it towards your natural light & vent calculations.

RT-4 is already multi-unit zoning and based on the fact that its only a 2-flat you will likely be good to add at least 1 more unit "By Right" without any issues. Unless you have an unusually small lot... You also mentioned that it is "hardly below grade". If it is less than 50% below grade (from finished floor to finished ceiling) that floor would already need to count towards your FAR calculation. Hence why you find so many residential buildings in Chicago with basements that are practically 4'-1" below grade and 3'-11" above... It still would't be a problem if that unit already counts towards your FAR since it is existing; it just may have a negative effect on the building if you were ever to want to pursue building an addition onto it...

@Chauncy Gray, That makes total sense. My initial thought when you said "Group Homes" was possibly some form of transitional housing from incarceration/rehab instead of elderly/disabled; hence my concerns for neighbors not wanting it in their neighborhood. But I do agree that it could provide benefit to the communities you are serving. IF you can find a lot that is already Zoned to allow for group housing by right, you will still have an easier time; rather than trying to build within single-family zoning; however, you may have an easier time obtaining a variation to allow your use if you have support from the community.

I don't have any thoughts on areas to "Stay away from" and If you find a few lots you are interested in, feel free to send them over and I could do a quick check to see if they would allow Group Housing by right. Feel free to PM me directly. I can also show you how to do this yourself if using publicly available information. If you can find it allowed By Right, you are going to have an easier time regardless. Plus it is likely that you will have more ease in constructing a building that is better suited for that occupancy.