Type flooring contractor near me into a search bar anywhere on the North Shore and you’ll get a long list of names. Picking the right one takes a little homework, and most of it happens before anyone measures a room.
Here’s what to check, what Illinois requires and the warning signs we’d watch for if we were hiring for our own homes.
Start With Licensing, and Know What It Means Here
Illinois doesn’t license general contractors at the state level. Plumbing and roofing are licensed by the state, and most other contractor rules are set by each village or city.
So “licensed” can mean different things from one town to the next. In Glenview, for example, the village requires general and demolition contractors to register, post a $25,000 bond and provide a certificate of insurance and proof of workers’ compensation. Contractor types that aren’t on the village’s list don’t register at all.
Ask any contractor what your village requires for the job and whether they meet it. A good one will know the answer without looking it up.
Insurance and Bonding
Insurance protects you if something goes wrong in your home. Ask for two documents.
- A certificate of liability insurance. Ask for it to come from the insurance agent, not as a photo of a card.
- Proof of workers’ compensation. It covers the crew if someone gets hurt on your job.
Illinois’s Home Repair and Remodeling Act requires the contractors it covers to carry at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence in bodily injury coverage, plus $50,000 per occurrence in property damage coverage. The one exception is a contractor with a net worth of at least $1 million.
A bond is a separate guarantee, usually tied to a license or registration, that can pay out if a contractor doesn’t meet certain obligations. Bonded and insured aren’t the same thing, so ask about both.
What Illinois Requires in Writing
The Home Repair and Remodeling Act covers most home improvement work, though it specifically excludes carpet. For covered work over $1,000, the contractor must give you a written contract or work order before starting.
That contract has to show the total cost, including parts and materials, along with the business name and address.
The contractor also has to hand you the state’s Know Your Consumer Rights pamphlet for home repair before you sign, and you sign an acknowledgment that you received it. If you’re 65 or older and sign a contract at home with an uninvited solicitor, the Act gives you 15 full business days to cancel.
The pamphlet’s advice is worth following. Get every estimate in writing, never sign a contract with blank spaces and don’t make the final payment until the work is done to your satisfaction.
It also suggests asking for a sworn statement and, when it makes sense, lien waivers, so unpaid suppliers or subcontractors are less likely to file a lien on your home.
What a Good Flooring Estimate Includes
The lowest bottom line isn’t always the cheapest job. A clear estimate spells out each of these.
- Square footage and the exact flooring product, with a waste allowance
- Removal and disposal of the old floor
- Subfloor prep, like leveling, fixing squeaks or repairs
- Underlayment or moisture barrier
- Transitions, thresholds, baseboards and quarter round
- Moving furniture and appliances
- The start date, expected finish and payment schedule
- The labor warranty, in writing
Questions to Ask Before You Hire
- Who will actually be in my home, your own installers or a subcontractor?
- How will you check the subfloor for moisture and flatness?
- How long does the flooring need to acclimate, and who handles it?
- What happens if you find damage once the old floor is up?
- Can I read recent reviews from local customers?
- How will you protect the rest of the house, and how do you clean up each day?
Reading Reviews the Smart Way
Star ratings are a start, but the words matter more. Look for reviews that mention the things you care about, like communication, showing up on time, cleanup and how the floor looked afterward.
Recent reviews tell you more than old ones, and reviews of jobs like yours, hardwood or vinyl plank or a business space, tell you the most. Pay attention to how the company answers a complaint, since everyone gets one eventually.
Red Flags
- Pressure to sign today, or a price that’s only good right now
- A large cash deposit before any materials are ordered
- No written contract, or one with blank spaces
- No proof of insurance, or promises to send it later
- Refusing to give references when you ask
- An estimate far below everyone else’s with no explanation
- Someone who shows up unannounced with leftover material from a job nearby
- No local address, or a phone number that only reaches voicemail
Why a Local Contractor Helps
A contractor near you can come back quickly if a board squeaks or a transition lifts, and their reputation travels by word of mouth through the same neighborhoods you live in. Look for a real local address and reviews from people in nearby towns.
If you’re also weighing a big-box store, our look at Home Depot flooring installation compares the two routes.
Quality Installs is a family-owned flooring contractor founded in 2004, with an office on Waukegan Road in Glenview. Every installer is licensed, bonded and insured, we carry the maximum general liability and workers’ compensation coverage, and estimates are free.
You can see what we install on our flooring services page and the towns we cover on our service areas page.