Two-flat and multi-unit renovation in Chicago

The two-flat is one of the defining Chicago buildings. Many owners live in one unit and rent the other, which means renovation has to work around tenants, shared utilities and a building that has usually been updated in pieces over the decades.

We plan each unit as its own section of the written scope, with shared systems and common areas listed separately, so you can see exactly what each unit costs and what the building as a whole needs.

What is included

Owner-unit renovations
Rental unit updates and turnovers between tenants
Common stairs, halls and entries
Kitchens and bathrooms stacked over each other
Basement and garden-unit work
Coordination of heating, plumbing and electrical trades across units

In Chicago-area homes

Stacked kitchens and bathrooms share drain lines. Work in one unit can mean shutting water off for another, so we plan shut-offs and give notice times in advance.

Many two-flats and three-flats share a single boiler or have one per unit. Heating work is planned around the season and the tenants.

Renovating a building with more than one unit can bring different permit and inspection requirements than a single-family house. We confirm them for your building before work starts.

How it is priced

After a walk-through, you get a written scope with each part of the job priced on its own line. Anything new that turns up is written up as a change order for your approval before it is added, and the invoice follows the scope line by line. How we work

Homes where this comes up

Questions

Can you work while tenants live in the building?

Yes. We plan noisy work, shut-offs and access ahead of time so you can give your tenants proper notice.

Can you price each unit separately?

Yes. Each unit is its own section of the written scope, with shared building work listed separately.

Two-flat and multi-unit renovation