Village Trustees Approved Ordinance For Contractors

Village staff says most work that is normally done by a landscape contractor does not require a permit.

Contractors working in Buffalo Grove Ill., will now be scrutinized a bit more and looked at much closer by village officials.

Village trustees approved an ordinance that registers contractors that work in the village in order to help ensure that qualified contractors perform code compliant work for residents and businesses.

Any person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of constructing, enlarging, altering, removing, or remodeling any structure or doing work on the exterior of the property will be required to obtain a Contractor Registration in Buffalo Grove.

Homeowners performing their own work are exempt from the previsions of this ordinance.

Prior to this past Monday, December 14th, the Building and Zoning Dept. did not have a method of preventing contractors who continually do not obtain required permits, do noncompliant work, and do not obtain proper inspections.

Village staff said most work that is normally done by a landscape contractor does not require a permit. However, some landscape contractors may need to register if they perform work that requires a permit such as outdoor kitchens and fireplaces.

Landscape contractors who apply lawn care products to the lawn are regulated and licensed by the Illinois Dept. of Agriculture (IDA). The IDA governs licenses and inspects those contractors. Since the Village of Buffalo Grove does not have jurisdiction over this work, it was decided not to include them in the program.

A $100 annual fee will be charged and a completed Contractor Registration Form must be submitted for a contractor to perform work in the community. If a contractor is registering for more than one trade, such as a contractor registering for both a general contractor and a carpenter, the first registration will be $100 and the subsequent registration will be $50.

All contractors who are registered through the State of Illinois are exempt from the fee but will still have to provide the Contractor Registration Form. That includes plumbing, roofing, alarm, and irrigation and fire sprinkler.

There will also be an increase to the cost of the electrical license for electricians who have passed the Buffalo Grove electrical contractor test and hold a license in the village.