City of Lake Forest, IL

PERMITS
Please remember, a permit is required for most projects! A permit protects you, the homeowner, by assuring that proper plans are prepared for your project and that Building Code requirements are met. Building Codes are intended to protect your family, friends, neighbors, and your property. Improvements requiring a permit include, but are not limited to:• Remodeling, repairs and alterations
• Additions
• Garages and sheds
• Electrical and plumbing
• Heating and air conditioning
• Exterior lighting
• Water heater replacement
• Decks, gazebos, pergolas, outdoor kitchens
• Installation of yard drains
• Water service changes or repairs
• Swimming pools, hot tubs, spas
• Hardscape – driveways, patios, walkways
• Lawn sprinklers
• Tuckpointing
• Fireplaces
• Fences, walls, and pillars
• Sewer repair
• Yard grading, filling, or berming
• Roofing
• Windows
• Siding
Remember to post your permit placard at the project site at a location visible from the street. The approved plans must be available on the site at all times either electronically or in hard copy. All work must comply with the approved plans. At the start of your project, if desired, a preconstruction on site meeting can be requested with City inspectors.

INSPECTIONS
As your project progresses, your contractor should periodically call to schedule all required inspections in a timely manner. A list of the inspections required for your specific project is provided along with your building permit. It is important that inspections occur at the appropriate point in your project to avoid the need to remove construction materials that may be covering wires, pipes, or other mechanical equipment or structural elements to ensure that the work meets Code requirements. Avoid delays and extra costs by insisting that your contractor schedule all required inspections in a timely manner. Inspections can usually be completed within 1 to 2 business days of a request.

BONDS
Upon completion of your project, a final inspection is required. Successfully passing the final inspection, before the expiration date of the permit, triggers a full refund of the cash bond(s) posted at the time permits are issued assuming all parts of the project have been completed, and there is no damage to public streets, sidewalks or parkways. In addition, the final inspection triggers closing of the building permit and the City file. Open building permits, permits for projects that have not been completed or inspected prior to the expiration of the permit, may be recorded on the property deed. This can result in delays at the time the property is sold. Building permits are valid for 12 or 18 months depending on the scope of the project. Projects must be 8started within 90 days of issuance of permits. A limited extension of a permit may be granted subject to an additional fee if reasonable progress is being made on the project. Remember that construction can be disruptive to neighbors. The City Code requires that once a building permit is issued, work must proceed in a diligent manner toward completion. For additional information on building permits and inspections please visit cityoflakeforest.com/BuildingPermits or contact the Community Development Department at (847) 810-3521.

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT TIPS
• If you have questions on setbacks, building scale, compatibility with other homes in your neighborhood, tree preservation, Board review or other issues, contact the Community Development Department early in the process. We can help save you time and money!
•Be sure you or your contractor obtain a permit before beginning work.
• Submit clear, complete plans, and a current property survey to avoid delays.  If your plans change after permits are issued, submit revised plans before you allow your contractor to do work that differs from the approved plans.
• Instruct your contractor to keep the site and the street clean, avoid parking on neighbors’ lawns or obstructing driveways, and to keep all construction, erosion, and tree preservation fencing in place until approval is granted by the City to remove it.
• Be sure your contractor calls for a final inspection. A new or replacement house may not be legally occupied until a certificate of occupancy is issued. For other projects, a final inspection is also required.
• A permit that is not closed out is recorded against your property deed and causes delays when the property is sold. also, cash bonds are required at the beginning of projects and unless the bond money is needed to correct damage to public property, these cash bonds are returned after all final inspections have occurred.
Please contact the Community Development Department at (847) 810-3521 for further information.