General contractor in Sycamore, IL

Homes built in Sycamore from the 1960s through the 1980s were constructed with compartmentalized floor plans that made sense for that era. Today, homeowners in these neighborhoods want kitchens that connect to living areas and bathrooms that function as more than utility spaces. Achieving that in a mid-century home means assessing which walls carry load before any demo begins, because the framing in these homes does not follow the same patterns as newer construction.

Sycamore's newer subdivisions on the city's perimeter, including Heron Creek and Sycamore Creek, were built with full basements that remain unfinished in many homes. Finishing those basements in DeKalb County requires compliance with the county's adopted building codes, including egress window requirements for any sleeping areas and minimum ceiling height standards. We handle the permit process through the City of Sycamore's Building Department and schedule inspections at each required stage.

The freeze-thaw cycle in DeKalb County is a real factor in basement remodeling. Older homes in Sycamore's established neighborhoods can show signs of moisture intrusion along foundation walls, particularly on the north and east faces where snow accumulates and melts repeatedly through winter. We assess moisture conditions before framing a basement, because covering a wet wall with drywall creates a bigger problem than the one you started with. Addressing drainage and waterproofing first is part of how we take a job from start to finish the right way.