This is one of the rare finds where the people love what they do. I will definitely call…read moreChicagoland Home Inspectors before buying a home. If I were a contractor, I would look to get an endorsement from this company. Frank Dattalo was great on-site. The follow-up call with Charles Bellefontaine was very insightful. The combination of the two... 1) saved us additional time and money, 2) gave us confidence to not second guess walking away (we thought we had found a home that we would live in for decades), and 3) was a learning opportunity as we continue house hunting. I would highly recommend Chicagoland Home Inspectors, especially if you are purchasing a home that is 100+ years old. Even more so if the home is for sale by owner. They provide the information that you need to hear before making such a substantial commitment. You may be disappointed but purchasing a 100 year old home without this type of thorough inspection is akin to closing your eyes and taking a leap of faith that the seller wants what's best for you and your family. For context, the home was built in the early 1900s, three-stories, brick, original hardwood floors. The seller presented the home as being fully renovated with a new roof, electric wiring, plumbing, HVAC retrofit, etc. Frank called days a head of the inspection to ask some questions and discuss what services were needed. He removed one of the services, and the extra cost, because it wasn't needed. Frank arrived early and was already scanning the roof (via drone) when I arrived. He was more than happy to answer any questions that I had and he made a point to show me areas of major concern in-person. When I pointed things out Frank was more than happy to take a look and answer my questions. On the follow-up call, Charles took the time to further explain the findings, provide input on priorities and talked us through estimating tools. He also provided a different perspective and opinions. Talking with both Frank and Charles was incredibly valuable. Charles was surprised that our realtor recommended Chicagoland Home Inspectors and was quick to tell us that's a great sign that our realtor has our best interests in mind. If your realtor tries to steer you clear of this firm, definitely inquire why. You have to live with the consequences, not your realtor. Some Inspection Findings: - Licensed contractors didn't perform work properly - Major systems (which are new) were functioning but had potential issues that could shorten lifespan/void warranties - Source of moisture intrusion hadn't been identified/repaired - Attempts to clean up mold - Potential safety hazards Other Details: Inspectors are only required to check one electric outlet per room, this firm checks all of the outlets. They found the one that was incorrectly wired and posed a safety risk. When they tested the water pressure they made sure to turn on multiple faucets not just one at a time, identified a pressure issue. One thing to note, make sure the seller or broker has everything prepared. Any water valves that are shutoff equate to a sink that cannot be inspected. All appliances and systems need to be fully operational to be inspected.

Tim Heise was phenomenal! He checked everything. Even our realtor was beyond impressed with Tim's…read moreattention to detail. He discussed any issues, no matter how small, while he was there so he could answer questions. The written report we received the next day was incredibly thorough. I will recommend Chicagoland Home Inspectors and Tim to everyone I know! Certainly worth the money and have is piece of mind about the home we were purchasing!

Michael (Mike) Schejbal was fantastic! He spent over five hours inspecting a home we were certain…read morewould be ours. Throughout the process, Mike calmly and objectively explained his findings, clearly distinguishing between major expense items and more cosmetic issues. After his thorough review, we followed up with him for additional perspective on several health and safety concerns. Based on his insights, we ultimately decided to walk away from the home--and we have never regretted that decision. I have complete faith and confidence in Mike's expertise and have since recommended Chicagoland Home Inspectors to family and friends. The best value for the money in our home-buying process so far! Thank you so much, Mike and team!

We totally endorse the team at home inspectors. They did a remarkably thorough job of looking at a…read morehome that from the outside looked perfect. Inside they found foundation cracks, excess radon, and a blocked sewer line, among many other problems...enough expensive problems that we walked away from the deal. We will use them again when we find another house we're interested in. The conference call to review the findings was incredibly helpful.

Very detailed inspection, ranging from significant problems that need to be negotiated with the…read moreseller, to what I should monitor and budget for in future. (Super-helpful!) I already knew a fair amount about repairs et al, and Josh was able to answer my questions in detail, so it was clear that he knew what he was talking about. He didn't go beyond what could be fairly asserted, but did ensure that I knew what I should look out for as possible problems in future. I noted their attention to detail - e.g. there were written checks in place to ensure that lights were off, the thermostat was reset, and the door locked behind us. Things like possibly missing or broken screens, lack of outlets in certain areas, a step that was too high were all noted. The cost was very fair and the results were high-quality. I felt that it gave us the information we needed to negotiate fairly with the sellers. Basically, I walked away with a manual that I will refer to in order to ensure that I am checking potential problems and budgeting for future repairs. I could most definitely see asking for a return inspection in a few years to ensure that I was taking care of this very expensive purchase properly! The one VERY picky thing that I would suggest is a table of contents in the writeup, as I wasn't aware that categories of significant findings and advice for future repairs and maintenance were listed at the end of the report.

Pros: Quick response time, professional inspectors (2); thorough inspection & report (88 pps on a…read more100-yr-old two flat); executive summary highlighted key problems that would need immediate attention. The inspection report helped us make an informed decision on whether to buy this investment property. Con (depending on your priorities): Fee was higher than bids by other inspectors, but, for me, I got what I paid for.

Regret using All the Way Home Inspections, regret not being present during the inspection, and…read morebaffled that what is clearly mold stains and related moisture was not mentioned in the report despite it including pictures of what is clearly mold. The report only cited "water related moisture stains". It was very evident during walk-through, but my real estate attorney said we had no recourse outside of breaking contract since we had an inspection report with pictures of mold stains. Day after closing I had to call in a mold remediation service who will have to open up 2 large area of drywall to investigate source of water, remove infested drywall & studs, and repair the wall.

George was amazing to work with. He was very detailed, professional, and open to answering any…read morequestions. He took his time inspecting the house and did his best to address all of your main concerns. His report includes many photos and highlights several issues that I didn't notice or think about.

Worked with Home Inspection Star, more precisely with Costel…read more He was very knowledgeable and thorough with his inspection , answered questions and made pertinent recommendations while explaining all the findings. The report was issued very fast , with another invite to contact for discussion and explanation if things in the report were not clear for the client. Will definitely work again with them should the occasion arise.

Costel was complete, found things I never thought about and looked in places I wouldn't have…read morelooked. With a report that same afternoon, I was pleased and impressed.

Morgan came out to do or condo inspection. Very thorough…read moreand high quality report! Website technology makes it so easy. Thank you!

Incredibly poor service and lack of accountability. We hired this company for a home inspection,…read moreand they completely missed extensive mold on the basement ceiling caused by a leaking steam shower. This oversight ended up costing us $15,000 to remediate and repair. When we confronted them, they came back out to the property and saw the visible mold themselves, yet they still refused to take full responsibility. Instead, they offered a insulting $1,200 settlement. I highly recommend looking elsewhere if you want a thorough and honest inspection. The pictures below show the mold found on the basement ceiling, as well as the mold discovered after we had to rip apart our shower. It's funny Ross says what the public should know.   First the adjacent steam shower unit he talks about is 14' away from the actual shower that was leaking. And was not leaking during inspection.  This was noted that it was fixed years earlier by the previous owner.  The closing of the house was not 90 days after the inspection it was the normal 45 days that is very common. Also the lack of construction experience by CBI.  When first confronted about the leak I was informed in an email that we were told there was caulk issues around the shower. Anyone that has ever put in or been around a walk in shower knows the shower doesn't leak because of the water proofing membrane.  Not caulk.  What this means is the shower should not leak before tile, grout, and caulk are installed.  Once again not experienced with construction practices. All I have to say is watch what you sign when hiring a building inspector. We were denied by there insurance company due to waivers being signed taking all liability away from CBI before they even stepped foot on the property to perform the inspection.  Oh yeah.  I didn't mention the house down the street that they missed the kitchen sink leaking and the wall of mold behind it. Got our family twice they did.

Absolutely outstanding. I just moved into a new construction…read morecustom home in which the build / builder was a disaster. Any concern brought up, I was either gaslit , ignored or the builder didn't follow through either b/c he forgot or didn't care ( who can say ? ). After two agonizing years, i finally moved in yet was brimming with questions that could only be answered by a respected 3rd party expert. I knew there were areas of the house that were not constructed properly yet having been gaslight so many times, I was confused on what all was defective vs. normal. Big thank you to Mark w/ Domicile, who was my Lead Inspector. Mark carries decades of experience in which I found him to be fair, firm, patient and very educative. Shout out to him for answering ALL of my questions (there were many). Mark's report was very thorough in which I can now focus on areas that need to be addressed. To anyone out there building a custom home, don't make the same mistake I did in waiting until after your move in / final occupancy to book Domicile. Very important! Thank you Domicile/ Mark.

Mark (owner) and his team and Domicile are amazing. They are professional and super easy to work…read morewith. Mark is very thorough. He even suggested a day after heavy rain to get the most accurate readings for his water intrusion report. High recommend him and his service!

Mike was an ABSOLUTE DELIGHT to work with for my home inspection. Not only was he prompt,…read moreprofessional, and friendly, but MY GOODNESS what a wealth of information (and quite a sense of humor to boot!). I learned so much during the inspection, not just about the minutiae of all the interesting peccadillos in the 1888 home I'm buying, but also his honest-to-goodness expert opinion on what needs to be addressed NOW vs "put that on the DIY list for later". I felt so much more comfortable and secure with my home buying process because Mike and his colleague Evan were there to explain it all. I also had so much fun??? Who knew that a home inspection could be ENTERTAINING?? Seriously use Mike if you need a home inspection. Absolute pro. Kind, lovely human who clearly knows his stuff and does fantastic work. A real unicorn. 100 stars from me!

Mike is an incredibly thorough and knowledgeable home inspector. He is honest, to the point, and…read morehelpful in identifying problems and helping with solutions. He is responsive, timely, and communicates well. His reports are so detailed and informative. We learned so much from him throughout the process as first time homebuyers. We couldn't recommend him enough!