Money, Paper and People
Lesson 17. Permits and Code, Iowa and Illinois
At a Glance
- The contractor pulls the permit, not you
- A contractor asking you to pull it is a warning sign
- Two layers is the usual maximum before a full tear off
- Unpermitted work can surface when you sell
Why It Exists
A permit buys an independent inspection. Somebody whose paycheck does not come from the roofing company looks at the job and signs it off.
That is genuinely useful to a homeowner who cannot climb up and assess the work themselves, which is nearly every homeowner.
Who Pulls It
The contractor does, in their own name, as part of the job. That is normal and it should already be in the estimate.
Code Points That Come Up Here
Local amendments vary between Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline, Rock Island and the county, so your contractor should know the rules for your address. These are the ones that usually matter.
- Number of layers. Two is commonly the maximum before everything must come off
- Ice barrier at the eaves, which is required in this climate zone and is the important one
- Drip edge, now required at eaves and rakes under modern code
- Fastener count per shingle, which increases in high wind areas
- Attic ventilation ratio, expressed against attic floor area
- Fall protection on the job, which is an employer obligation and not yours
Registration and Licensing
Iowa requires out of state and in state contractors to register with the state before doing construction work, and roofing is covered. Illinois requires roofing contractors to hold a state roofing license, which is specific to the trade.
Both are verifiable online in a couple of minutes and both are free to check. Lesson 18 walks through doing it.