Home Remodeling and Construction in Gurnee, IL
Kitchens, basements, decks and roofs for Gurnee homes, planned around the village's permit rules and the Des Plaines River floodplain.
Our work in Gurnee
Remodeling and building in Gurnee.
Gurnee is about 21 miles from Twin Lakes, and it feels different from the lake villages to the north. It is a suburb of roughly 30,700 people, split by Interstate 94 into an older east side and a newer west side. Houses on each side have different needs, so we begin every estimate by asking when your home was built and what has been done to it since.
Gurnee posts its permit paperwork online. Reroofs, siding, windows and furnace swaps go through the village's online portal, remodels, decks and patios use a short-form application, and kitchens, baths and finished basements each have a checklist. We gather the documents with you. A free written estimate and a free design come first, and one crew handles the work from first measurement to final sweep.
The area
About Gurnee.
Gurnee is a village in Lake County, Illinois, about 40 miles north of Chicago and 50 miles south of Milwaukee. It borders Waukegan and covers roughly 13.6 square miles along the Des Plaines River. Settlers reached Warren Township in 1835, and the village takes its name from Walter S. Gurnee, a former Chicago mayor. Population climbed from about 2,700 in 1970 to nearly 28,800 in 2000, with about 30,700 counted in the 2020 Census and roughly 12,400 housing units. Six Flags Great America opened here in 1976 and Gurnee Mills in 1991.
Projects
What we build in Gurnee.
Local conditions shape the work. Here is what we pay attention to in Gurnee.
Finished basements
Newer Gurnee basements are required to have a sump pump system, and the village recommends a backup. We plan finished space around drainage, moisture and a working sump.
Roof replacement
Gurnee allows one layer of shingles over an existing shingle roof, and roofers must be registered and state licensed. Roofs from the growth years may need a full tear-off.
Windows, doors and siding
Replacement windows in Gurnee must meet a 0.28 maximum U-factor and doors 0.30. Window, door and siding replacements are filed through the village's online portal.
Kitchen and bath remodels
Gurnee has permit checklists for both. Many homes built during the 1970 to 2000 growth years still have original layouts, which is where a free design helps.
Every trade
Everything we do, in Gurnee.
One crew handles the whole list, so a kitchen and a new roof can share one schedule.
Good to know
Permits and local details.
Every town has its own rules. Here is what we found for Gurnee.
Permits and inspections
Gurnee's Building Safety Division, at Village Hall on O'Plaine Road, reviews plans, issues permits and inspects the work. Most construction, remodeling and improvement projects need a permit before work begins. Inspections require 24 hours' notice and your permit number. The village's code page lists the 2024 International Residential Code, effective March 1, 2026.
Des Plaines River flood areas
The village calls the low ground around the Des Plaines River and its tributaries its main flood hazard area. Residents can check flood maps to see where a home falls, and new development follows the Lake County Watershed Development Ordinance. Newer basements must have a sump pump system, and the village recommends a backup.
Contractor registration
Gurnee requires roofers, electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors to register with the Building Department before a permit is released. Roofers need a current Illinois roofing license and general liability insurance. Plumbers need an Illinois or Chicago plumbing license plus an IDPH registration. Ask any contractor for those credentials before you sign.
Questions
Gurnee questions.
Things homeowners in Gurnee ask before they start. Don't see yours? Just call.
Prefer to talk it through? Call and ask for a free estimate.
Does a reroof in Gurnee need a permit?
Yes. The village lists reroofs among the projects filed through its online portal. Only one layer of asphalt or fiberglass shingles may go over an existing shingle roof, and not over wood shingles or shakes. Roofers must register with the Building Department and hold an Illinois roofing license first, so ask for both.
How do I find out if my Gurnee home is in a floodplain?
Start with the village's flood insurance rate map, inundation map and general flood zone map. The Engineering Division keeps elevation certificates that owners provide. If you are in or near the Des Plaines River floodplain, tell us before design so we can plan any basement work or addition around it.
Which building codes does Gurnee follow now?
Gurnee's code page lists the 2024 International Building, Residential, Fire, Fuel Gas and Mechanical codes, effective March 1, 2026, with the 2012 editions superseded. Plumbing follows the State of Illinois Plumbing Code. Since the village updated recently, plans drawn a few years ago are worth rechecking. We design to the current set.
Nearby
Towns close to Gurnee.
We also work in these nearby towns, and about 45 minutes around Twin Lakes.
Where this information comes from
We checked the details on this page against public sources. Rules and fees change, so confirm anything specific with your local building office or with us.
- Village of Gurnee, Contractor Requirements
- Village of Gurnee, Contractor Requirements (phone numbers and hours)
- Village of Gurnee, Building Division
- Village of Gurnee, Building Permits
- Village of Gurnee, Building Codes and Ordinances
- Village of Gurnee, Flooding in Gurnee
- Lake County, IL, Watershed Development Ordinance
- Gurnee, Illinois, Wikipedia
Free estimate
Thinking about a project in Gurnee?
Tell us what you've got in mind. We'll set up a time to look at it, and you'll get the scope and price in writing, with the design work on us.
- Free written estimates and free designs
- Discounts for military, seniors, teachers, 1st responders and people with disabilities
- Twin Lakes, WI and about 45 minutes around it