In law suites

Basement In Law Suites in Chicago & the Suburbs

Bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette and sometimes its own way in. An in law suite combines everything a basement can need: egress for the bedroom, an ejector pit for the bathroom, and enough electrical capacity for a second set of appliances.

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What is involved

In Law Suites, Planned from the Slab Up

A suite for a parent, a grown child or a long stay guest is the most complete basement job there is. The bedroom needs an escape opening, the bathroom needs an ejector pit, and the kitchenette needs circuits your panel may not have room for.

There is one line to know before you start. A suite for family is one thing. A separate apartment with its own kitchen that you rent out is a zoning question in Chicago and in most suburbs, and the answer depends on the lot. We tell you which one you are building before we draw it.

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What the job includes

A bedroom with an egress window and closet
A bathroom on an ejector pit, curbless where it helps
A kitchenette with cabinets, counter, sink and appliance circuits
A panel capacity check before the design is settled
Wider doorways, lever handles and blocking for grab bars
Sound insulation between the suite and the house above
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to code
Zoning checked and permits pulled in our name

Basement ideas

In Law Suites Ideas

Design examples for Chicago area basements. Open any photo for a closer look.

Planning notes

What to Know Before You Start

1Built for the person living there

If the suite is for a parent, plan it for the next ten years, not the next one. A curbless shower, a fold down seat, blocking in the walls for grab bars, a wall hung vanity and wider doors cost little when the walls are open and a lot to add later.

Light matters too. An egress window in the bedroom and a bright, simple kitchenette make a basement suite feel like a home rather than a basement.

2Power for a second set of appliances

A kitchenette adds a fridge, a cooktop or microwave, and sometimes a dishwasher drawer, each with its own needs. Add a bathroom fan, an ejector pump and a few rooms of lighting, and an older panel can run out of space.

We open the panel door at the estimate. If it needs an upgrade, that is a line in the scope, not a surprise halfway through.

Local rules worth knowing

ChicagoAsk the city whether a basement suite with its own kitchen counts as a separate unit, since a basement unit set up as an ADU conversion unit needs a Department of Housing pre certification before the building permit.

EvanstonEvanston's zoning allows one accessory dwelling unit per lot, and one carved from an existing house may fill a single level such as the basement, provided it stays smaller than the main dwelling and in the same ownership.

SkokieSkokie's zoning code allows no residential unit where the floor is below grade, so a basement can give a relative a bathroom and living space but not a separate apartment or a bedroom.

GlenviewGlenview defines a dwelling unit around one indoor cooking space and counts stoves, ranges and ovens as cooking appliances, so a second basement kitchen is checked with the Village before design.

NorthbrookNorthbrook permits one attached accessory dwelling unit per lot, no larger than 600 square feet or a quarter of the house's floor area, with the owner living in the main house and no short term renting.

Highland ParkHighland Park's zoning code defines a dwelling unit by its complete kitchen and bath, and describes caretaker's and servant's quarters in a single family house as having no kitchen, so we check a basement suite's layout with the City before it gets a full kitchen.

Evergreen ParkEvergreen Park records the zoning district and the number of dwelling units at every sale, so plan an in law suite as part of the one house.

Oak LawnA second kitchen in an Oak Lawn basement can raise a zoning question, so confirm the current rule with the village Building Division before it is drawn.

HomewoodHomewood zoning permits one attached or internal accessory dwelling unit per lot in its four residential districts, at least 220 square feet, with internal units capped at 25 percent of the house's floor area and the owner living on the property.

Common questions

In Law Suites FAQ

Can I rent out a basement apartment?

That is a zoning question, and the answer depends on your town and your lot. A suite for family is usually straightforward. A separate rental unit with its own kitchen often is not. We check before anything is drawn.

Does an in law suite need its own entrance?

Not necessarily. The bedroom needs its escape opening. A separate outside door is a design choice and, in some towns, a zoning one, so we look at both.

Can you make the bathroom accessible?

Yes. A curbless shower, a fold down seat, grab bars on blocked walls and a wall hung vanity are planned with the slab and the ejector from the start, which is the cheapest time to do it.

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Fill out the form and we will call to set a time to look at your basement. The estimate is free and there is nothing to sign.

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Where we work

Chicago Evanston Skokie Glenview Northbrook Highland Park Evergreen Park Oak Lawn Homewood Tinley Park Orland Park