Inspectors are knowledgeable and friendly. Their reports are easy to read and do not instill panic in a first time homebuyer. They are thorough with their work and even provide a list of contractors for the homeowners future use. read more

Would not recommend as the inspector left oven, dishwasher on, along with lights, window locks. Also broken parts in garage that appears to be a mystery. Efforts to speak with owner (Ron niego) by phone not successful. Feel there are better options available read more

I had a bad experience using Cornerstone, please reach out to me and I can share the facts/documentation of my experience. Please notice in reviews below that Cornerstone offers compensation to take down bad reviews. read more

Really pleased with Cornerstone Home Inspections. They were very thorough. Dean took his time and looked at everything plus explained everything to me. I would definitely recommend them to friends and family. read more

Take Pamela B.'s attacks with a grain of salt. She seems to have some emotional problems. She seems to have a personal vendetta against this company and isn't thinking rationally. Here are a few excerpts from her unsolicited messages to me: "...you should be ashamed of yourself for whoring yourself in such a flagrant way!!! Pathetic broke ass" "...I am trying to help warn people about lying whore mongers like you." and "Welcome to the internet gay boy." Why thank you, straight hag. If a home inspector misses something material to the condition of the home, take them to court. If you're just making things up to get attention, continue going about things this way. read more

Don't use this company. They agreed to meet us at 4:00. We set up the appointment 3+ days in advance. They texted the night before to say the inspector would be 45 minutes late because of traffic. We then had to scramble to rearrange appointments with realtors and the condo building engineer. While we were waiting for the inspector to arrive, they called to say he'd be another hour late. The building engineer refused to stay. I had to hire another inspector who wasn't available for several days. This severely impacted my ability to meet my contractual obligations to the seller of the property. I had to negotiate a longer attorney review period. Unacceptable and unprofessional. Stay away. Update: The owner of the company contacted me and offered me $300 if I would remove the above review. No way. The whole purpose of Yelp is to communicate experiences. A good review is earned by rendering good service, not by bribery. read more

Mr Nieto continues to lie and lie and lie. I WAS NOT paid any settlement! I DID NOT sign off on anything. I was refunded my payment for the sub-par home inspection. I am NOT "off the mark" . NOBODY who is "close to me" has called to apologize to him on my behalf. That is more of his delusions and lies. As he states - go check Angie's List - they show as of July his license - THAT HE IS REQUIRED TO HAVE is expired. Go to the State of Illinois Department of Professional Regulations site where the business has to be licensed from - the license for The Chicago business location expired in Nov 2014. There is a similar business name in St Charles that IS licensed, but that is not the address Mr Nieto uses on Yelp or Angie's List. read more

As a Real Estate broker of 20+ years, I have used many different inspection companies. Some are better than others. The main purpose of an inspector is to make sure that there are no hidden, big cost or dangerous issues that should prevent you from buying the home. They should also show you how to properly maintain your systems so that you can prevent future repair costs. This should be done efficiently, with clear reporting methods and at a reasonable cost. Cornerstone continues to be on my list of inspection companies because they do just that. They are professional and knowledgeable. read more

First time condo buyers should be issued shirts that say "I have no idea what I'm doing. Please help me." When buying a new home for the first time, you find out all kinds of things you gotta get done - fast. Well we do, since we want the F outta our current apartment. A friend referred us to Cornerstone and we were thrilled. Ron, the owner, was so thorough explaining the process to me, and this was just over the phone. He hadn't even started the inspection yet! He and an associate, Brian, were the first ones at the new place. Everything they do is on a handheld, fancy thing, and the report is emailed same day to whoever needs it (i.e. mortgage person, lawyer, other people we pay whose purpose I don't understand.) They were both extremely thorough and also easy to understand (and not scary) when it came to the things that needed attention. Our toilet needs a new seal, it's not a deal breaker! Very happy. Hope the rest of these tense weeks goes over like the inspection. Get 'er done people. read more

Cornerstone was recommended by by real estate agent. I called them on a friday when I was out of town and it was past business hours. He called me back that night and scheduled an appointment for Tuesday which was the first day I was back. The inspector was very nice and seemed to do a very good job. He walked be through all the mechanicals in the house and pointed out the few issues he came up with. read more

I highly recommend Cornerstone Home Inspections. As a real estate agent in Chicago I depend on reliable and thorough inspections in order to make sure my clients are protected. I always have great feedback from my clients when they use Cornerstone Home Inspections. Their reports are very thorough, accurate, and detailed. read more

There were more errors in the inspectors report than I have seen in a long time. Inspector said no GFCI in kitchen , there are 2. Inspector said garage lights don't work , they are on. Inspector said fireplace had creosite build up but was just professionally cleaned less than a year ago and seller only had a handful of fires. Inspector suggested a structural engineer to confirm trusses aren't leaning, but shows no pictures or gives no evidence that it may be. Inspector said microwave doesnt work, but works fine. Inspector said smoke detectors don't work, but seller tested them before and after the inspection and they work just fine From a seller's perspective he scared the heck out of the buyer and killed the deal. Buyer's agent said he seemed to be young and unqualified. read more

U call them out to check out my new home I was buying. What a great job. From the very first time I call into them nothing but professional. They showed up on time and spent over three hours going threw my home looking and finding things I never would have. Highest marks read more

This is the second time we have used Cornerstone. We used them when we purchased our home 11 years ago and we decided to use them again for a recent home purchase in the suburbs. I can't speak highly enough about Ron's promptness, attention to detail without killing the deal and his wealth of knowledge. He clearly doesn't pretend to be an expert in the plumbing, electrical or HVAC fields but he knows enough to keep his clients well informed. Ron had the full report available the same day. The last thing we want to do is chase an inspector due to tight deadlines. Lastly, his allegiance is to his customer and not the other buying or selling side. I would highly recommend Ron and CornerStone Inspections! read more

Per your response 2 years later.... Thanks so much. Not only did this person contact me via private message asking what it would take to remove his review, he has posted his version of the events from 2 years ago. One true thing in Cornerstone's response is that $600 was extortion. We found someone else to complete the work. However, the individual this person put us in contact never came over. Per Cornerstone's claim that a licensed electrician came over and checked the lights in person is completely false. Perhaps they are getting poor information from people that they work with, but even that shows a lack of attention to detail that was present in our original home inspection. It only reinforces my original review of 2 stars. At this point I am going to downgrade the review to 1 star. Not only is it strage that someone is responding to a review 2 years later (again, lack of attention to detail), but they are posting a somewhat hostile response and sending a private message to me seeking trade to remove the bad review. read more

We've used Ron and his guys at Cornerstone twice now. The first home Ron took what looked to be a beautiful condo and found things all over the place that we should be concerned with. Everything that he pointed out he not only provided information on why it was incorrect, but educated us on how it could be fixed so that we could talk intellegently with the owner on why these items were important. Thankfully we ended up walking away from this home, and we heard later that when someone else closed on the condo that the owner didn't end up fixing any of the items on the inspection list! Thanks to Ron, his list of items was one other reason we didn't purchase the home. Fast forward 9 months later, my husband and I find another home, we contacted Ron again to come out and do the inspection. Same as before he gave us great information. The home we were about to purchase was in great condition except for one spot. He wrote it in his report and again provided us with additional information on what he would suggest for a worst case scenario. The current home owner argued that nothing was wrong, but because of Ron's recommendations we wrote it into our final contract that the owner would be responsible if the issue returned. (This issue was what appeared to be old water damage). That was one of the best decisions we made! less than a month later (with recent rain and snow storms) the issue not only reappeared but had spread to other windows and was exponentially worse! The owner is required to fix it and he's working on it. Thanks again to Ron and his team! I'd recommend him to anyone out there! Especially first time home buyers!! read more

Being a first time home buyer, I have run into the unexpected many times. Home inspection can make or break a deal. I was referred Cornerstone by my Realtor and couldn't be happier. The inspection was flawless and only took an hour and a half. Kurt my inspector went through every detail about the condo with me. He also sent an electronic copy to all appropriate parties to help move everything along. All of the inspectors working for this company are Chicago Firemen and give an instant ease while working with them. Very thorough and if/when I move again, I will be calling them. read more

As a realtor I need to know a few good home inspectors for when clients are purchasing a new home. An attorney recommended Cornerstone Home Inspection Services, LLC a few years back. Since then I referred them a number of my clients, and all my clients that used them were very happy. They are always very friendly, and explain their reports to the client in a way that the client understands what is on there and what is wrong with the property. I will continue to refer them to my clients! read more

Knowledgeable and helpful with several good referrals and professional testing. However, I think they are very overpriced. One of our visits for less than an hour was $300. In the end it was not a good value. read more

Cornerstone recently did my home inspection. Ron was very professional and thorough. He made sure to clearly explain any issue or possible future issue found. Report was completed and emailed to me the same night. Highly recommend to anyone buying a home. read more

I am in the process of purchasing my first condo, and the process has been a bit stressful. When it came time to getting my future home inspected, my realtor referred me to Cornerstone. I called on a Monday, and within 5 minutes, was scheduled to have my inspection on Thursday. I was very impressed that they were able to accommodate me on such short notice. On the day of the inspection, I had the pleasure of having Ron, the owner, complete the inspection. He showed up on time, talked me through the process, and was very thorough in checking every aspect of my new condo. I loved that he also took the time to teach me how to properly maintain the appliances (i.e. furnace, humidifier). All in all, the impeccable service provided by Cornerstone really eased my mind! Thanks!! read more

I am a Realtor who has done over 30 inspections with this company and they have been EXCELLENT every time!! My clients love them and the fact they run their reports electronically and will walk buyers through everything in detail. They will explain things so you understand...not to mention you walk away with a binder of home resources for you to call on these guys are also MOLD INSPECTORS and FIRE FIGHTERS. read more

Steve just gave us a pre-sale inspection and seriously, the service was worth twice what we paid. He was efficient and thorough; would highly recommend. Oh, he's also a Fireman - how kick ass is that? read more

We hired Cornerstone for our three flat after getting a recommendation from a realtor. Our family had a great experience with Ron. The inspection was thorough and the report was an amazing detail of all issues with helpful descriptions and photos. Ron was polite, professional and on time. I would recommend Cornerstone to anyone in need of an inspection and will use them again. read more

I am a real estate agent and I refer cornerstone to all my clients buying and selling their home. The ones that use them love their honest, prompt and friendly service. This is a fantastic and professional group that KNOWS houses! Their expertise is critical to my client's decision to buy a home or get their home ready to sell. No complaints from the hundreds of referrals. Best in the business! read more

On time, courteous and informative. We worked with Chuck and he efficiently went through everything with us. The inspection report was well written and provided by the next day. Cornerstone also has a great network of licensed repair specialist should you need anything fixed. read more

Cornerstone was recommended by a friend. The service was great. My inspector was very professional and very thorough.

Cornerstone was highly recommended to me by my real Estate Agent. We called and left a message and in less than a couple of hours Ron the MOLD Man inspector got back to us and scheduled the inspection. Once we meet Ron in person he was very cordial and knowlegdeable. He spend about four hours in our inspection, very thorough, he took air samples and sent swaps to the lab after finding what appearred to be mold in the attic. Ron's expertise not only saved me from purchasing a home that would've cost me thousands of dollars to fix but most importantly he saved my family from the many heath issues that this contanimated moldy home would bring to us. read more

Bought my first condo recently and cornerstone was recommended by a friend. I couldn't have asked for a more pleasant experience. They took pictures and documented every issue big or small. They were prompt with everything... Emails, phone calls, etc... At the end I got a very detailed report and ended up getting $4000 from seller b/c of several minor issues and one major that cornerstone found. The people (inspectors, receptionists) are very pleasant and responsive. I would certainly recommend Cornerstone. read more

As a first time home buyer, I had no clue what to look for during the inspection of my new condo. Ron was beyond thorough and was very thoughtful in explaining ways I can lower costs and savings once the condo became mine. Without question, I will call on Ron to do any further inspections while I live in Chicago and will certainly recommend my friends and family to him in the future. If you want someone that won't leave a single stone unturned, contact Cornerstone for your next inspection...I will! read more

I have used Cornerstone twice and couldn't be happier. My recent purchase is arehabbed bungalow so I was concerned about major items. Since it is a used house much like a used car there are going to be things that need to be fixed. I just wanted to make sure the major things were working or didn't need major work roof, mechanicals, windows, tuck pointing all passed. My inspector did find some GFI outlets that needed fixing (pretty standard) and the catch basin needed cleaning. It was thorough and I feel at ease. I would highly recommend Cornerstone read more

I'm a Realtor and use Cornerstone Home Inspection Service exclusively. I've met most of their inspectors and each and every one has done a thorough, professional and quality inspection. ALL of my clients have been happy from the South Loop, to the north side, to Mount Prospect. Thank you all so much for being a trusted source for my business and my clients. read more

I recently used Cornerstone Home Inspections for my single family home in Chicago and I was thrilled with their service. They arrived exactly when they said they were going to and spent over 4 hours inspecting my home, inside and outside, top to bottom and every way possible. I could not have been any happier with their service. They found a foundation issue that, after further review was relatively minor, but that i would never had noticed on my own. I recommend them highly and will use them for all my further purchases. They are true professionals helped me move forward with my purchase. Thanks Cornerstone!! read more

Ron Niego and his professional team of inspectors are the best out there. As a buyer agent in Chicagoland, I have referred hundreds of buyer to them since 2002. They show up on time, they are thorough, they patiently answer questions and explain how systems work to my buyers, and they quickly complete the report to be used for negotiations. I also use them for my own properties as well. Mold testing is an optional service also. This has never happened, but if they missed a defect, there is a process by which Cornerstone would come back to the property and fix anything, as long as the proper steps in the contract are followed. There is always something wrong with any home, big or small, but the key is that the issue is explained in a way that makes repair manageable and not so big alarm to scare buyers. Most problems can be fixed, and usually the seller is paying. They have many contractors they can recommend also and they provide a 50 page book on home systems as part of their fee. By the way, the fee is way lower than many other companies that gouge buyers. I stake my livelihood and reputation on Cornerstone doing a good job and they have delivered for 15 years. read more

Initially the service seemed fine. After the completion of the sale of the home and a sewer backup my opinion changed. Watch this guy like a hawk and ensure that he does everything he is supposed to do in order to thoroughly evaluate your potential home. When I complained later about shortcomings in his performance he sent several emails defending himself. These were simply insulting and showed a complete lack of professionalism on the part of the owner of the company. read more

My husband wrote a review of this business (which can be found when you google this business) but it has mysteriously disappeared from this site. STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY. They are complete inept. COMPLETELY!!! We were recommended by our realtor, Gerald Marzillo from Century 21, and this company stated there was no evidence of a water leakage in the basement. WRONG! After we purchased the home, it was quite apparent to an untrained person that the "baseboard that had been removed" was actually a water line from a previous flood. IMHO, these people are in bed with the realtors that recommend them. Times are tough, realtors need to move houses, and ethics - and peoples lives and hard earned cash - be damned. We'll see if this review stays this time - of course the only one left here now is one from a realtor. read more

I was refered to Cornerstone and glad I was. Ron called me back within an hour of leaving a message, and we agreed on an inspection time that had to be done pretty quickly. Kurt showed up on time, with everything needed including a 32 ft ladder needed to inspect the roof. Kurt was very thorough, checked everything that operated, found a few issues that could have been a very big shock to find out after buying the house. One big item was the fact that the downstairs fireplace was incorrectly installed and could have burnt the house down if used ( he should know as hes an off duty fireman) , which in turn got us a newly and corectly installed replacement at the sellers expense. Since using them and owning the house for a while now, nothing has come up that wasnt caught on the very thorough inspection , so I would give these guys 5 stars all the way. read more

Great service! Friendly and efficient! I wasn't sure what I needed to look for, and they were extremely courteous and helpful. Highly recommended. read more

I used Cornerstone for a condo home inspection. They were recommended to us by my realtor. The inspection seemed to go well and was done by a guy named Steve. But after moving in I was made aware of plumbing issues under my kitchen sink during a dishwasher installation. The installer noted that the plumbing under the sink wasn't correct and looked as if it had been done by someone who didn't know what they were doing. He went on to show me water damage at the bottom of the cabinet and corrosion on some of the PVC piping. There was a slow consistent leak causing the water damage on the bottom of the cabinet. None of this was caught in the inspection. Even though the kitchen plumbing was noted as not being problematic. Obviously I was very upset to hear about this after the fact shortly after moving in. I called Cornerstone Inspection and spoke to the owner, Ron. He basically tried to make be feel as it was my fault for not noticing this. He also said inspectors can't move personal belongings to check things out. I can understand that to a certain point. Moving a grand piano to inspect an outlet or something like that is out of the question. But you mean to tell me you can't move a few bottles of cleaners and sponges to properly do your job?! Ron then went on and tried to say the leak was caused by the dishwasher installation even though I watched the installer the whole time and was present when he found the plumbing issues. The inspector Steve, also never mentioned to me or my real estate agent (we were both there for the inspection) that he couldn't move any personal belongs. Nor did he ask me to remove the household items under the sink so he could inspect it properly. Kitchen plumbing is known to have issues and it makes no since they wouldn't inspect it. I also watched the inspector check the bathroom plumbing rather thoroughly. But not the kitchen. Really?! I told Ron that if they didn't do something to rectify the situation because it wasn't disclosed to me prior to the inspection that they can't move personal belongings then I would begin to file complaints with and leave reviews discouraging others from using them. I would even accept a partial refund of the $325 inspection fee. Our conversation ended with him telling me he'd get back to me in a couple of days and that was almost a week ago. I do not recommend this company or anyone who works there. The owner is selfish, stand-offish, and his only concern seems to be robbing would be homeowners of hard earned money while not holding himself or his inspectors responsible for their actions or inaction. My realtor told they go around to real estate offices and do presentations on how they do home inspections. If you are a realtor or manage a real estate office I do not recommend working with these guys. read more

This company performed an inspection of my home and left a mess! They damaged the drywall and paint around the electrical panel, failed to replace the panel properly, left a mess of paint chips and drywall on the floor, and WORST OF ALL- THE POWER DID NOT WORK WHEN THEY LEFT!!! Unfortunately, I wasn't present when the inspection took place, but the electrician who came to fix my electrical panel told me that the damage was likely caused by the panel being replaced improperly and the screws used to hold the panel in place damaging the internal wiring. Because of their carelessness, unprofessionalism, and failure to address complaints, I would not recommend this company. read more