Who we are
Russell Renovation LLC is a Chicago-based construction company specializing in general contracting, remodeling, and residential renovations throughout Chicagoland.
We combine quality craftsmanship with modern technology and AI to deliver a smarter, more efficient construction experience. From project planning and communication to estimating, coordination, and quality control, Russell Renovation fully embraces today’s technology to help our team make better decisions, improve efficiency, and deliver the highest-quality results possible for our customers.
From kitchen and bathroom remodels to basement build-outs, interior renovations, and whole-home transformations, our focus is simple: do quality work, communicate clearly, respect our customers’ homes, and use every tool available to produce better results.
At Russell Renovation, we believe the future of construction is where skilled craftsmanship meets innovation.
Verify us before you hire us
Anyone can say they are licensed and insured. Here is what to check, and how:
- City of Chicago General Contractor license, Class E: TGC146550 — status active. Chicago maintains a public contractor license lookup where this can be confirmed.
- General liability insurance: $1,000,000 per occurrence. A certificate of insurance is available on request, and can be issued directly to a property owner or lender.
- Russell Renovation LLC — an Illinois limited liability company since 2017.
Permitted work of record
Every job we run gets permitted. That means there is a public, government-issued record of the work — not a claim on a website. Here is ours. You can look these up yourself in the City of Chicago building permit database.
| Issued | Address | Reported cost | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2022 | 9142 S. Longwood Dr. | $180,000 | Second-floor addition, two-story brick residence (self-certified) |
| Mar 2022 | 9142 S. Longwood Dr. | $5,000 | Interior demolition — plaster and drywall removal |
| Mar 2022 | 9142 S. Longwood Dr. | — | Demolition of dilapidated detached garage |
| Feb 2022 | 617 W. 62nd St. | $140,000 | Plumbing replacement across three kitchens |
| Nov 2022 | 6752 S. Champlain Ave. | — | Revision to plumbing permit |
| Oct 2021 | 6752 S. Champlain Ave. | $64,602 | Plumbing fixtures and associated piping, two units |
| Apr 2021 | 6752 S. Champlain Ave. | $64,602 | Doors, cabinets, hardwood and carpet replacement |
| Mar 2021 | 727 E. 92nd St. | $25,000 | Repairs to fire-damaged two-story frame residence |
| Nov 2020 | 13409 S. Burley Ave. | $35,000 | Rooftop photovoltaic solar array |
| Nov 2020 | 8528 S. Wabash Ave. | $2,000 | Drywall repair and water heater |
| Jul 2020 | 1333 W. 98th St. | $75,000 | Full renovation, two-story wood frame residence |
Eleven permits across seven properties. Reported cost is the figure filed with the city on each permit; a single project often requires more than one permit, so these should be read individually rather than added together. Most of this work is on the South Side, where we are from.
A note on the dates. The most recent permit here was issued in December 2022. We stepped back from taking new residential contracts while rebuilding the company’s systems and renewing under our current license, TGC146550. We are taking projects again now — and we would rather tell you that plainly than have you notice the gap yourself.
Who you are working with
Russell Renovation is owned and run by Kelvin Russell, the licensed general contractor of record on our projects. He is on site and reachable directly — not a call center, and not a salesperson handing you off after the contract is signed.
Kelvin also holds a degree in computer science, and builds the systems the company runs on. That shows up in the work as documentation: written scopes, tracked change orders, photo records, and a project log the owner can actually see.
How we work
- Written scope before work starts. Everyone should know what is included and what is not.
- Permits pulled where the work requires them.
- Licensed trades for licensed work. Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC are performed by separately licensed contractors.
- Documentation as we go, so there is a record of what was done and when.
Most complaints people have about contractors are really complaints about communication. We try to solve that one first.