Sink & Faucet Installation in Des Plaines, IL

That is the City of Des Plaines Community and Economic Development — Building and Permits Division's call, not ours. The general shape of it is that cosmetic work is usually outside permit scope and anything that adds or moves electrical, plumbing or gas usually is not. Where Des Plaines publishes a rule we follow it; where it does not, we say so in the quote rather than assuming an exemption on your behalf.

Because the opening is cut to your exact sink, not to a spec sheet. Fireclay in particular can vary up to 2% in size out of the kiln, and the reveal - how the counter edge meets the bowl - is set permanently by that cut. If template day arrives without the physical sink, you risk a re-template fee (commonly $75-$150) or, far worse, a cutout that does not fit. Have the sink delivered to the house before the template appointment, along with the faucet spec sheet.

Because every cutout and faucet hole is cut at the shop from exact specifications, not on site. An undermount sink usually has to be physically at the house on template day so the templater can capture the mounting and reveal precisely. Changing the sink, faucet configuration, or cooktop after templating means re-programming or re-cutting the stone, which typically adds one to three weeks and can add cost — this is the single most common self-inflicted countertop delay.

Because the sink cutout and faucet holes are cut into the stone during fabrication to match your exact fixtures, not adjusted on site. The templater records the precise sink model and faucet spread, so a sink chosen after template day forces either a re-template or a delay while the shop waits. Buy the sink, faucet, and cooktop before scheduling the template visit and have them physically at the house.

Usually not — most fabricators set the tops, mount the undermount sink, and epoxy the seams, but disconnecting and reconnecting plumbing, the disposal, and the cooktop is excluded and falls to your plumber or handyman, typically the next day after adhesives cure (about 24 hours). Confirm this in the quote and book the plumber as soon as you have an install date, planning for roughly a day without a working sink. Ask specifically how the undermount sink is supported: mechanical clips or rails outlast the bare epoxy-blob method that shows up in sagging-sink complaints years later.