How to Become a Registered Contractor
All Contractors must be registered in the Village of Westchester. Registration is per calendar year January 1
-December 31.
THE FOLLOWING MUST ACCOMPANY EACH APPLICATION:
1. Liability Insurance: Please attach a copy of your liability insurance which:
- The certificate must include the Village of Westchester as ADDITIONAL INSURED AND CERTIFICATE HOLDER. This form is typically a CG2010 or CG 2026, and a CG2001, CG2012 (Permit Only) or a blanket form, as least as broad.
- Minimum Requirements: $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage.
- The certificate must show WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION insurance. If you are self employed, please provide a letter on your letterhead stating that you are not required to carry Workmen's Compensation.
**Please note: No certificate of insurance is required for Illinois licensed plumbers
2. Bond: Please provide a
$25,000 LICENSE AND PERMIT BOND. The bond must accompany this application. A copy or fax is acceptable to issue the permit, but the original must be signed and mailed to Village of Westchester. **Please note: No bond is required for Illinois licensed plumbers or Illinois licensed private alarm companies
3. Registration Fee
- General Contractor $200.00
- Subcontractor $100.00
- Waste Haulers/Dumpsters $600.00
- Illinois licensed plumbers No Fee
Fee for working without registering Additional 50% of the registration fee
4. Licenses:
- State Plumbers License: Please provide a copy of your Illinois State Plumbing Contractor Registration (055) AND one of the following:
- Illinois State Plumbers License (058)
- City of Chicago Plumbers License
- State Roofers License
- State Private Alarm Contractors License
- Electricians License (I.D. Card will NOT be accepted.)
Contractor's Registration Application.
About the Program
The Village of Westchester is served by separate storm and sanitary sewers. During some intense rains, the capacity of the sanitary sewer system is not adequate to carry the peak flow, resulting in pressurized sewers. When pressurized, the sewage can backflow through house sewers into basements if there is no backflow prevention.
The Village has decided to help the owners of single family homes and two-flats defray a portion of the costs of providing protection from the backup of sewage in the basement. The grant program’s intent is to offset a portion of the expense that a property owner will incur to revise the house plumbing or install a standby generator such that sewage cannot backflow into the house when the sanitary sewer is pressurized. There are six basic options available to the property owner, as listed below:
- Modification of the soil stack to direct flow out of the house in a new OVERHEAD SEWER and the elimination of all gravity drainage below the basement floor slab.
- Installation of an interior or exterior BACKFLOW PREVENTION VALVE and bypass pump on the house lateral in an underground vault.
- LIFT STATION system with an inside or outside underground vault.
- CLEAN CHECK VALVE
- GLASS BLOCK WINDOWS or RETAINING WALL
- Installation of RESIDENTIAL STANDBY GENERATOR system (8 KW minimum), excluding Portable Generators, Tailgating generators, and inverter generators.
Each approach has different costs and degrees of property owner disruption, as well as different implications on the homeowner’s use of the revised plumbing.
For items 1-4 above, a licensed plumber can determine which option best serves your need.
Updates or enhancements to current overhead sewer or lift station systems are not eligible for this program, however, replacement of an old system is eligible under this program.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligible Properties: This program is limited to single family or two-flat residences within the Village of Westchester. Any property owner owing past due amounts to the Village of Westchester shall not be eligible for reimbursement under this program.
Eligible Reimbustments: The success of the program depends on following a clear set of guidelines which set forth the Village’s policy on which costs are and which costs are not eligible for reimbursement by the Village. The following guidelines are set for eligible and non-eligible costs:
Eligible Costs: Only the following eligible costs which were incurred after April 18, 2013 shall be eligible for consideration for reimbursement:
- Cost of location, excavation and exposure of the house lateral, including the support of existing structures, for connection of a new overhead sewer to the existing lateral.
- Cost of a new sump pit, sump pump, and associated electrical and plumbing work needed to lift drainage from basement plumbing fixtures to an overhead sewer.
- Cost of trenching and concrete floor replacement.
- Cost of installing a backflow prevention valve with a bypass (new sump and sump pump in an underground vault) and associated electrical and plumbing work.
- Applicable permits fees.
Non-Eligible Costs
- Removal and replacement of interior basement walls and finishes.
- Use of materials not meeting the requirements of the Village’s Guideline Specifications.
- Planting of new landscaping (bushes or trees) other than grass.
- New electrical panels and/or upgrading the house electrical supply.
Maximum Reimburstments
- Overhead sewer system limited to 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum grant of $2,000.00.
- Backflow prevention valve with a bypass pump limited to 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum grant of $2,000.00.
- Lift station system with an inside or outside underground vault limited to 50% of eligible costs up to a maximum grant of $2,000.00.
- Clean check valve limited to 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum grant of $1,000.00.
- Glass block windows or retaining wall limited to 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum grant of $500.00.
- Installation of RESIDENTIAL STANDBY GENERATOR system (8 KW minimum), limited to 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum grant of $1,500.00.
Permits: A construction permit is required from the Village’s Building Department. As an added cost benefit, fees associated with obtaining the required construction permit will be waived.
See complete program details.
About Real Estate Inspections
The Village of Westchester’s Certificate of Compliance Program is designed to help protect the lives and property of the community and preserve property values in Westchester. This program monitors the life safety, fire and plumbing codes of all residential and commercial properties at the time of ownership change. To schedule an inspection, please call Community Development at 708-345-0199. Please review this checklists below before moving forward.
Application for Compliance Inspection
Residential Certificate of Compliance Checklist
Commercial Certificate of Compliance Checklist-Building & Electric
Commercial Certificate of Compliance Checklist-Plumbing
Affidavit to Assume Liability for Repairs