Chicago’s housing stock is nothing like the suburbs. Greystones with 100-year-old plaster. Bungalows with balloon framing. Two-flats with radiator risers punching through every floor. High-rise condos with concrete-backed drywall. Each building type fails differently — and each one demands a repair approach that accounts for what’s behind the wall, not just what’s on the surface. Licensed & insured. COI available for every building.
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Drywall in Chicago behaves nothing like drywall in the suburbs. Most buildings in the city were constructed between 1890 and 1960 — long before modern drywall became standard. That means the walls you see today are often a patchwork: original plaster over wood lath in one room, drywall over furring strips against brick in another, and a previous owner’s DIY patch connecting the two. Radiator pipes penetrate walls and ceilings on every floor. Galvanized plumbing corrodes from the inside out. Balloon-frame walls let moisture travel vertically between floors. These aren’t suburban problems — and they don’t respond to suburban repair methods. We handle to across every building type in Chicago: greystones, bungalows, two-flats, three-flats, vintage condos, loft conversions, and high-rises.
Every Chicago neighborhood has a dominant building type with its own failure patterns. Lincoln Park and Lakeview greystones crack along plaster-to-drywall transitions. Logan Square bungalows develop movement cracks from balloon-frame shifting. Wicker Park two-flats show water damage around cast-iron waste stacks. River North and West Loop loft conversions have exposed-brick-adjacent drywall that absorbs moisture through the masonry. Whether you’re in a 1920s walk-up or a 2010s high-rise, drywall damage in Chicago starts behind the surface . If your wall or ceiling shows cracks, stains, soft spots, or old repair lines that won’t stay hidden, we can open it up, identify the actual cause, and fix it properly.
Pricing in Chicago depends on what’s behind the wall — not just what’s on it. A simple drywall patch in a modern high-rise costs less than the same-size repair in a 1920s greystone where the wall is plaster over lath on one side and drywall over furring strips on the other. Radiator pipe work, lead paint prep, and condo building access requirements all affect the final number. Below are realistic ranges. Final pricing confirmed on-site — free, no obligation.
Yes — this is one of the most common repairs we do in Chicago. The key is managing the depth difference between plaster (which sits on wood lath) and drywall (which sits on studs or furring). We build up the transition zone in layers using reinforced mesh so the seam disappears visually and doesn’t re-crack as the two materials continue to move independently.
Yes. Radiator riser penetrations are a Chicago-specific problem. The pipe moves when the boiler cycles, and condensation softens the surrounding material over decades. We clean out the old compound, seal the penetration with flexible material that tolerates thermal movement, rebuild the surrounding surface, and finish flush. The repair holds through heating seasons because it’s designed to move with the pipe instead of cracking against it.
Yes. EasyPatch is operated by TMV Services LLC, a licensed Illinois general contractor (License #TGC139780) with full liability insurance. We provide COI naming your building, HOA, or management company as additionally insured — typically same-day. We’re used to working with Chicago doormen, building engineers, freight elevator schedules, and management company approval processes.
Any building constructed before 1978 may have lead paint. We follow EPA RRP guidelines for dust containment and work practices when disturbing painted surfaces in pre-1978 buildings. If lead paint is a concern, we contain the work area with plastic sheeting, use wet sanding methods, and clean up according to protocol. We don’t perform lead testing or abatement, but we work safely around it.
Brick is porous. When drywall is installed directly against exposed brick without a proper vapor barrier or air gap, moisture migrates through the masonry and into the drywall from behind. This is extremely common in Chicago loft conversions. The fix involves removing the affected drywall, installing proper isolation between the brick and the new board, and refinishing. Painting over the damp spots without addressing the moisture path just creates a recurring problem.
Yes. We work in Chicago two-flats and three-flats regularly — both owner-occupied and rental units. If the damage spans multiple floors (common with shared waste stacks and risers), we can assess and repair across units in a coordinated visit. For rental properties, we work directly with tenants on scheduling and provide itemized documentation per unit for your records.
We handle our own parking — you don’t need to worry about it. For high-rises and managed buildings, we coordinate with your doorman or building engineer on freight elevator access, service entrance requirements, and any contractor check-in procedures. If your building requires advance notice or specific hours, let us know when scheduling and we’ll work within those rules.
Yes. EasyPatch is operated by TMV Services LLC, a licensed Illinois general contractor (License #TGC139780) with full liability insurance. We carry COI and provide documentation to condo associations, building management companies, co-op boards, and property managers across Chicago on request — typically same-day turnaround.
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