Which kitchen and bath jobs need a permit in Hinsdale, IL?

Who handles permits in Hinsdale?

The Village of Hinsdale. The village sits mostly in DuPage County, with a small part in Cook County, and its permits page describes permits as the way it checks that all construction in the Village meets life and safety codes.

How does the Village sort kitchen and bath work?

Instead of one general rule, the Village’s permits page lists common jobs with a yes, a no or a “call to discuss.” These are the ones a kitchen or bath update can touch:

Its list of projects that need no permit at all is short: one-for-one replacement doors, millwork and trim, painting, and refinishing hardwood floors.

Where do cabinets, countertops and vanities fit?

They aren’t on either list. You’ll read online that cabinets and countertops don’t need a permit. That idea comes from a section of the model International Residential Code, which lists “cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work” among work exempt from permits. Hinsdale’s ordinance adopting the 2021 code deletes that section in its entirety.

So don’t lean on a general answer. Tell the Village exactly what changes: the cabinets, the top, and whether the sink, faucet, outlets or lights are moved or replaced.

A new vanity means disconnecting the sink and faucet and hooking them back up, so it’s worth the same call even when nothing moves. Before you call, see what to ask before buying a bathroom vanity, so you can say which parts are new.

Does Hinsdale’s historic district change anything?

It can. Downtown Hinsdale and the Robbins Park district are both National Register historic districts. The Village’s permits page flags a Certificate of Appropriateness review by the Historic Preservation Commission for new construction, demolition or improvements to a local landmark or a property in the Robbins Park Historic District.

The same page says downtown, Robbins Park and landmarked properties may need submittals and reviews beyond a standard permit application. The Village advises talking to it before a project starts, and for these homes that’s the first step.

What should be settled before you apply?

• The plan: the Village’s code asks for plans and specifications with the application, showing the work in detail.
• Changes: once plans are approved, the work has to follow them, and changes need the Village’s approval first.
• Starting early: work begun before a permit is issued adds a fee from the reinspection schedule on top of the regular permit fee.
• Inspection: every permit is inspected after the work is done.
• The installer: the page lists a contractor’s registration application with alteration and remodel permits, so check your installer’s status with the Village.

Because changes after approval need the Village’s OK, decide the layout early. We measure the kitchen and draw it in 3D, so the sink, range, island and outlets are settled before any drawings go to the Village. Ask the Village which drawings your job needs.