Water supply
Supply lines in and under the building, from the service entry through to the fixtures.
Plumbing is separately licensed in Illinois. This work is placed with a contractor licensed in that trade.
Water, mechanical, electrical and waterproofing
Water supply, drainage and waste, water heaters, HVAC, electrical, and waterproofing.
What this covers
Drainage and waste
Waste and vent lines, floor drains, and the under-slab work that gets to them.
Plumbing is separately licensed in Illinois. This work is placed with a contractor licensed in that trade.
Water heaters
Replacement and relocation, tank or tankless, including the venting and the connections.
Plumbing is separately licensed in Illinois. This work is placed with a contractor licensed in that trade.
HVAC and mechanical
Heating, cooling and ventilation equipment, ductwork, and the returns that make it work.
HVAC is separately licensed in Illinois. Y Squared runs this work as general contractor, and the license that applies depends on where the property is.
Electrical
Service upgrades, panels, circuits and fixtures, and the rough-in behind new walls.
Electrical is separately licensed in Illinois. This work is placed with a contractor licensed in that trade.
Waterproofing
Keeping water out of below-grade space: drainage, membranes, sump systems and grading.
What this work looks like
Most of this is invisible by the time a job is finished, which makes it the hardest kind to photograph. These are a service trench beside a commercial building, the pipe bedded in the bottom of it, and a utility room after the slab was patched over a trenched line.
The first two are on the projects page, and every photograph on this site is in the photo library.
How this work is handled
Water, mechanical and electrical work is the part of a project most likely to be inspected, and the part where a mistake is buried behind a wall. It is scheduled around the rest of the build so the rough-in happens before anything closes up, and so the inspection happens before the finishes go on.
These are separately licensed trades in Illinois, and HVAC and electrical are licensed by the municipality rather than the state. Every job is coordinated by the owners, and the licensing is set out below.
How a project runs
How long a job takes depends on its size, what is found once the old material comes off, material lead times, and weather. You’ll get a timeline with your estimate.
Permits: permit requirements are set by the village or city where the property sits, and they differ from one to the next. We’ll tell you what your job needs at the estimate.
Licensing on this page
Plumbing, HVAC and electrical are separately licensed in Illinois. HVAC and electrical are licensed by the municipality rather than the state, so the license that applies depends on where the property is.
Y Squared Inc. is licensed for roofing and general contracting.
Ask which license covers your work, and ask for it in writing. On any job, from anyone.
Questions
Who actually performs the plumbing, HVAC and electrical work?
Plumbing and electrical are subcontracted, to contractors licensed in those trades. Mechanical and HVAC work runs under our general contracting license. Either way Y Squared manages the project: scoping the work, scheduling it around the rest of the build, and staying accountable for the result. Ask which license covers your work, and ask for it in writing. On any job, from anyone.
Are these trades licensed separately?
Yes, and not all in the same way. Plumbing is licensed by the state. HVAC and electrical are licensed by the municipality rather than the state, and Chicago runs its own scheme, so the license that applies depends on where the property sits.
Does this work need permits and inspections?
Almost always. Plumbing, mechanical and electrical work is the category municipalities inspect most closely, and requirements are set by the village or city where the property sits rather than by the state. Expect a permit, and expect an inspection before anything is closed up. We'll tell you what your job needs at the estimate.
Related services
Commercial
Interior build-outs and fit-outs: taking a commercial space from shell or strip-out to finished.
Residential
Kitchens, bathrooms, basements and additions, plus decks, siding and garages.
Roofing
Replacements, leak repair, storm damage, gutters and ventilation for homes and commercial buildings.
Service area
- Chicago
- Elmhurst
- Elmwood Park
- Evanston
- Forest Park
- Franklin Park
- Glenview
- Harwood Heights
- Lincolnwood
- Melrose Park
- Morton Grove
- Niles
- Norridge
- Oak Park
- Park Ridge
- River Grove
- Rosemont
- Skokie
- Wilmette
Ready to talk about your project?
Estimates are free. Call or send a message.