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Chicago — Tier-1 Pillar

Chicago Full-Home Renovation — CDOB Standard, Landmark Review, TIF, Union Labor

Chicago full-home renovation reality. CDOB Standard Plan Review, Commission on Chicago Landmarks review in ~60 districts, TIF grant eligibility for facade/tuckpointing/windows, IL Prevailing Wage on public-funded work, union labor posture, pre-1978 lead-safe. $200K-$1.4M typical.

~2 min read·Updated 2026-04-23

Chicago whole-home renovations stack jurisdictional review. CDOB Standard Plan Review is the baseline (12-26 weeks). If your block is in one of ~60 landmark districts — Old Town Triangle, Astor Street, Pullman, Wicker Park, Gold Coast, Kenwood, Marquette Park Bungalow Historic District — the Commission on Chicago Landmarks reviews every visible exterior change (additional 4-12 weeks). Your ward may sit inside a TIF district where grant programs offset 30-75% of qualifying facade, tuckpointing, and window work, but the grant must be pre-permit not retroactive.

AskBaily routes Chicago whole-home renovations to one BACP-registered GC who has walked Standard Plan Review, understands landmark districts, and knows which TIF grants actually fund.

What a Chicago whole-home renovation actually involves

  1. CDOB Standard Plan Review — drawings stamped by IL-licensed architect.
  2. CCL landmark review if applicable — Permit Review Certificate.
  3. TIF pre-permit application if grant-eligible — 8-16 weeks before Standard Plan.
  4. BACP GC license verification.
  5. IL State Plumbing License + IL Roofing Contractor Act compliance if roofing scope.
  6. Cook County Lead Safe + EPA RRP for pre-1978 buildings.
  7. Chicago winterization R-values — R-49 ceiling, R-20+ wall, exceeds IRC minimum.

Frequently asked questions

What is Commission on Chicago Landmarks (CCL) review? CCL reviews visible exterior work on ~400 individually landmarked buildings and ~60 landmark districts before CDOB issues permit. Review timeline: 4-12 weeks. Interior Landmark designation applies to a handful (Chicago Theatre, Rookery lobby).

Can I get a TIF grant for my Chicago renovation? Maybe — depends on ward and scope. SBIF (Small Business) and NIP (Neighborhood Improvement Program) grants can fund 30-75% of facade, tuckpointing, and window-replacement work. Must apply pre-permit and grant must be approved before Standard Plan submittal.

What does a Chicago gut renovation cost? Mid-range Logan Square or Lakeview 3BR: $200K-$500K. High-end Lincoln Park or Gold Coast vintage greystone: $500K-$1.2M. Ultra-luxury Astor Street mansion: $1M-$4M+.

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Who is Baily?

Baily is named after Francis Baily — an English stockbroker who retired at 51, became an astronomer, and in 1836 described something on the edge of a solar eclipse that nobody had properly articulated before: a string of bright beads of sunlight breaking through the valleys along the moon’s rim.

He wasn’t the first to see them. Edmond Halley saw them in 1715 and barely noticed. Baily’s contribution was clarity — describing exactly what was happening, in plain language, so vividly that the whole field of astronomy paid attention. The phenomenon is still called Baily’s beads.

That’s what we wanted our AI to do. Every inbound call and text has signal in it — a homeowner’s real question, a timeline, a budget, a hesitation that means “yes but.” Baily listens to every one, 24/7, and finds the beads of light.

Baily was a businessman before he was a scientist. That’s our vibe too.

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