We had Tim Heise as our inspector. He was very professional and thorough with his inspection of the…read moreproperty we were under contract for. He was honest and spoke to us, not the realtor. His report included both major and minor issues with a comprehensive list of what repair was needed for each issue and by whom. The inspection took around 3 hours and cost was very reasonable for what this was. What I really liked was how the owner, Charlie, talked with us afterwards about each aspect of the report and told us exactly what he would do to fix each issue. He listened patiently to our many questions so we never felt rushed. As a first time home buyer who has had negative experiences with home inspectors in the past, his explanations put me at ease. I highly recommend this company to anyone getting a home inspection. They did an awesome job.

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.

We had a great experience with Real Inspection Services. They were thorough, professional, and took…read morethe time to explain everything clearly. The report was detailed and easy to understand. I would definitely recommend them!

My real estate agent referred me to Real Inspection Services and I'm so glad she did!…read more Brian did a very thorough inspection of my new home and I was very pleased with the level of detail in his report. He documented everything he found with pictures and explanations that made it easy for me to understand. I highly recommend Brian for any home inspection services you may be needing.

I could not have been more happy with Dan Hanaway, who was sent on behalf of Dunsing inspections…read more He was very thorough in both inspections of my home as well as my new purchase with that being said with his report, I was able to get credits on my new purchase to make my new home so much more comfortable. Thank you! Anne P

Dunsing really has its act together as a company. I was able to set up an inspection during the…read moreweekend for a Monday, 9am, inspection! (I only got the okay to set up an inspection on Saturday.) I'd expected only to be able to leave a message and not set up anything until they opened for regular business hours on Monday. Being able to do it over the weekend enabled the inspection to be done at the very beginning of the 5-day period specified in the contract with the seller. As for the report, you couldn't ask for it to be any more complete or any more promptly delivered. The report is long but presented in a way that makes it very easy to go through and understand. The email by which the report was sent had a short video link about tips for maximizing the benefits of the report. Even that had worthwhile info. As for the inspector, Paul LeBeau, what a knowledgeable, experienced, competent and conscientious guy. Over the years I've learned to do a fair number of fix-it things around the house (a little electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc.), so I have some basis for saying what I did about him. I think I've raved long enough, but I meant everything I said.

Had a great experience with Dan, extremely knowledgeable- so detailed about everything. I'll…read moretotally be using him again

Do not use this company. We had them do an inspection and were relying heavily on them since we…read morewere out of state. Unfortunately, they did not catch major problems. One of toilets did not fully flush upon moving in, our roof is leaking due to visible cracks, one room's electrical sockets don't work- etc. Things that should have been caught were not and I am now paying to fix all of these problems myself.

Mike was thorough, and found many items that I never would have thought to inspect. He had the…read morereport to me within 24 hours, and it was extremely detail oriented with multiple pictures for each item that needed repair. I will be using him for all future inspections as he clearly knows exactly what he is doing + what to look for. His reviews live up to the excellent service provided. Highly recommended!

My husband and I have used Hanna Property Inspection for 3 homes over the past 4 years. All of our…read moreinspections have been extremely thorough, detailed, and expertly executed. It is very clear that Mike has a passion for home inspections and the intelligence to ensure a future homeowner knows everything to expect before moving in. In fact, he has saved us from purchasing a home that attempted to expertly hide critical issues within their foundation. On top of his exceptional assessment skills, he provides us with incredibly detailed inspection reports. Each report analyzes the house room by room, which includes photos to depict any and every issue seen. Even our attorney was impressed with the magnitude of our inspection report- he requested Mikes information for his personal use. I have referred all of family and friends to Hanna Property Inspection, as I do not trust anyone else to do the job right! Thank you Mike and Hanna Property Inspection for always taking such great care of us!

Gene with Accu-Spection is knowledgeable, reliable, and professional. His inspections are thorough…read moreand detailed and his expertise helped us make an informed decision. Highly recommend!!!

Great service. Very knowledgeable in this field. Performed a regular home inspection, radon test,…read moreand mold test on the investment property in Chicago that I have recently purchased. Very reasonably priced against competition.

My home inspection was amazing and affordable. Everything was explained to me in simple, step by…read morestep terms. The owner, I believe his name is Garrett?, was amazing, kind and patient. I highly recommend Windy City Home Inspection to anyone buying a home be it a single family, condo, or multi unit.

Windy City has been a trusted vendor for me for over 20 years. Jarrod is fantastic, very thorough…read moreand while he always takes the time to explain his findings & educate my clients, what I truly appreciate is his availability to answer any questions that arise well past the actual inspection. I've had clients call him months and years later. Plus he provides the buyers with a detailed book that has all the pertinent info on the home they are buying, it has the appliance model numbers and recommended maintenance schedule. All super helpful for new homeowners. Scheduling appointments is very easy and if i happen to leave a message, i get a call back almost immediately. Highly highly recommend Jarrod and his team at Windy City!

***Update: as the company is not responding to emails until further notice this feedback will need…read moreto be posted here*** I'm posting this as a matter of professional courtesy regarding the home inspection you conducted for us in late February 2023, prior to our move-in at our current residence. Now that we've undertaken a number of current renovations, it has become apparent that several major deficiencies--many of them visibly obvious and code-related--were not identified in the inspection report. These issues are not subtle or hidden, and they have resulted in unexpected expenses and safety concerns that should have been addressed at the outset. To begin with, the primary water sump pump, a critical system in any home, was not evaluated for functionality. When recently removed, the pump was found to be completely rotted and inoperable, and the backup system, although connected to a battery, had never functioned. These were not subtle failings--they were evident upon basic inspection and now require full replacement. In addition, there are serious code compliance issues in the basement: * All basement windows within the interior finished space fail to meet egress requirements--a key safety standard. * Moreover, at least one window well must be egress-compliant per Vernon Hills code, even in unfinished areas. None of this was called out in your report, despite being standard knowledge in this municipality. There are also concerns with the rear patio staircase, which is improperly built flush against the foundation rather than offset the required 36 inches, and improperly pitched plumbing, which is clearly visible and now contributing to drainage issues. These issues--along with others--are now costing us between $10,000 and $20,000 to address. They are the kinds of problems that a thorough inspection would typically catch and flag for follow-up. At the time of purchase, I was unfamiliar with many of these systems and completely dependent on the guidance of professionals. Like most homebuyers, I placed my trust in the inspection process to identify critical concerns--especially those I lacked the experience to recognize myself. In hindsight, it feels as though the inspection was more focused on keeping the closing process moving forward than on calling out legitimate safety and compliance issues. I also understand that part of your role--particularly when working closely with agents at Baird & Warner--involves maintaining working relationships within the real estate process. Still, I feel it's important to express how this experience has left me concerned about the true objectivity of the inspection we received. Based off my profession and community standing in our HOA, I place a high value on professional accountability. I also take great care in whom I refer or endorse to others in my community. While this message is not meant to be adversarial, it is an honest reflection of the consequences we're now facing and the trust that, unfortunately, was not upheld. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I appreciate your consideration.

If you're looking for someone to help you renegotiate a purchase price, these guys would be great…read more HOWEVER, if you need good, pragmatic advice, look elsewhere. Unfortunately, that wasn't why we needed an inspection. Our insurer (State Farm) suddenly decided to outsource its inspection for apartment buildings over ~25 years old, and the Ousley's (d/b/a Building Specs of Illinois) were among the list of recommended inspectors. Regrettably, we chose them b/c they had availability sooner, and they agreed in advance to limit their written report to State Farm's guidance (paraphrasing from verbal guidance provided to us and the Ousley's): "Critical and potentially catastrophic conditions, especially around safety and other issues likely to result in a near-term, insurance claim." Despite repeated assurances from the Ousleys before-and-after the inspection, the Ousley's produced a report which now will cause us a 2-3x increase in premium or--more likely, switch to another carrier. For context, this is an 8-unit apartment building on the Southside which we gut-rehabbed for over $1mm and built to conform to drawings from a certified architect and enhanced by a structural engineer, all work was performed by licensed and bonded trades in compliance with City Building Codes, and which has been inspected by the City four times (all trades represented) culminating with an unqualifiedCertificate of Occupancy. We've also passed inspections from the CHA and one other major provider of subsidized housing as a condition and prior to their clients' tenancy. AFAIK the Ousley's have no actual construction experience, but IMO certainly have no business performing "verification"/pragmatic inspections.