Document the condition
Note location, timing, weather relationship, changes over time, and any previous work. Photos and simple measurements can improve the first conversation.
Read the local context
Champaign was founded in 1855, and the housing and roofing stock built across the century and a half since spans everything from 19th-century framing to modern manufactured trusses. With Illinois averaging dozens of tornadoes a year and Champaign County recording 79 between 1950 and 2019, roofs across every construction era in the Champaign-Urbana area face real storm and wind exposure.
Ask what will be hidden
A written scope should explain the preparation and verification that will no longer be visible at completion, not just the finished appearance.
Compare complete scopes
Look for protection, access, materials, permits, testing, cleanup, restoration, exclusions, warranties, and change-order rules.
What official local sources add
The City of Champaign requires a permit (a $70 fee) for new or modified connections to the municipal stormwater drainage system and is the permitting authority for land-disturbing activity, requiring an approved stormwater control plan for qualifying construction projects. Champaign coordinates that permitting with Champaign County, the City of Urbana, the University of Illinois, and the Village of Savoy through the Champaign County Stormwater Partnership's shared MS4 permit program. Roof replacement that changes how water sheds off a property, including new gutter or drainage routing, can intersect with Champaign's stormwater permitting requirements.
Sources were reviewed 2026-07-26. Confirm parcel-specific flood zones, historic-district status, permits, and current requirements with the relevant authority before authorizing work.