Chicago home and condo inspections. Know what you’re buying before you close.

Yes, when there’s adequate access and the roof is safe to walk, and I walk the large majority of the roofs I inspect. When I can’t, I evaluate the roof from the ground with binoculars, through upper-level windows, and from the roof edge with a ladder. Things that keep me off a roof include steep pitches, wet, snowy or icy surfaces, and fragile materials that can be damaged (slate, wood shingles, clay tile). In rare cases, like a multi-story home with a flat roof and no rear deck or balcony for access, a professional roofing contractor may be needed, likely at an additional charge to you.

No. I don’t perform a building inspection. That requires far more time and access at substantially higher cost. The building’s common elements, components and systems are the HOA’s responsibility. Get everything you can from the HOA on the condition of common elements, maintenance schedules, ongoing issues, expected remaining useful lives, reserves, and past board minutes (for example, special assessments). High-rise building exteriors and roofs are excluded because of their complexity and on-site engineering and maintenance staff.

When present, visible and readily accessible, I cover: heating, cooling (when it’s warm enough outside to run it safely), ventilation, plumbing, electrical, structural members and foundation, crawlspace, attic, insulation, exterior siding, exterior trim and flashing, exterior grading, walkways and driveway, roof, gutters and downspouts, porches, decks, patios, balconies, and attached or detached garages. I functionally test plumbing fixtures (sinks, tubs, showers, faucets, toilets) for operation, flow and drainage, and I test appliances, mechanicals, and a representative number of outlets, lights, switches, cabinets, interior doors, windows and blinds to confirm they operate at the time of the inspection. These are limited functional tests that don’t replicate everyday use.

A standard home inspection doesn’t include inspection, testing or evaluation of: EIFS siding, lightning arrestors, timers, remote and radio controls, security systems, intercoms, sound systems, irrigation systems, the health of trees and landscaping, fire suppression systems, exterior gas lines and grills, exterior or temporary heating and cooling systems, solar systems, green building systems, recreational facilities (pools, spas, saunas), play-sets, water quality, water filtration, well systems, septic systems, solid fuel burning appliances, central vacuum systems, safety glazing, and anything inaccessible or disconnected at the time of the inspection. I don’t operate or test alarm devices, but I report the presence or absence of smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors, as Illinois law requires. It also doesn’t test for radon, mold or fungi, asbestos, lead paint, formaldehyde, fire-retardant treatments, toxic or flammable materials, carbon monoxide, indoor air quality, electromagnetic radiation, water or soil contamination, underground storage tanks, or other environmental hazards, nor for rodents, pests, termites or other wood-destroying organisms.

No. A licensed specialist can give you more detailed observations and may find more than a home inspection covers, so I strongly recommend having any noted issues further evaluated before closing. A good resource for general cost estimates is www.homewyse.com. I also don’t make contractor referrals, to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest. Good resources are HomeAdvisor, Angi and Yelp. Any contractor you hire should be properly qualified, licensed, insured, and working to local building requirements.

Yes. I’m fully licensed by the State of Illinois as an individual home inspector (Daniel Murphy #450.010923). I’m also a Certified Professional Inspector® trained by InterNACHI, the world’s largest association of residential and commercial property inspectors. To hold that certification I had to pass an inspector exam, follow a comprehensive Standards of Practice, abide by a strict Code of Ethics, and complete accredited continuing education every year. That’s all well beyond what Illinois requires. I carry general liability and errors & omissions insurance on the inspections I perform, as added protection for both of us. That insurance isn’t a home warranty or a home insurance policy. A home inspection gives you as much information as possible to make an informed decision, but it isn’t designed to eliminate all risk and shouldn’t be treated as a warranty, guarantee or insurance policy of any kind.

No. A home inspection doesn’t predict future conditions or offer any guarantee or warranty. It won’t reveal every problem that exists or could ever exist, only the material defects visible on the day. Defects can be concealed and only surface during renovations, mechanicals that work can fail unexpectedly, and weather can expose issues that weren’t visible or foreseeable (ice damming in a snowstorm, moisture intrusion during a wind-driven rain). Always ask the seller for everything they know about past or ongoing issues, insurance claims, and repairs. The inspection is a snapshot of the property on that date and time. It’s also not a code inspection. Home inspectors aren’t code inspectors. The report may flag conditions that appear to violate building codes, but confirming code compliance or identifying violations is beyond the scope of a home inspection. That has to come from your local building or zoning department. For that, schedule a building code compliance inspection.

No. Illinois law prohibits home inspectors from offering real estate advice. Please send any of those questions to your real estate professional.

A qualified home inspector examines and provides written information about the condition of the structure, systems and components of a property at the time of the inspection. Illinois law requires all home inspectors to be licensed by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. A home inspection is a non-invasive, visual examination of a residential property, performed for a fee, designed to identify observed material defects in the structure, components and systems visible at the time of the inspection. Systems include mechanicals, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. It’s performed to the Standards of Practice set forth by the Illinois Home Inspector License Act. A written summary of the visible conditions of the structure, systems and components at the time of the inspection. It describes and identifies those systems and any material defects observed, and may recommend repairs, replacements, corrections, monitoring or further evaluation by qualified contractors. A material defect is any condition with a significant adverse impact on the value of the property, or that produces an unreasonable risk to people. The fact that a system is near, at, or beyond the end of its expected useful life is not, on its own, a material defect. A home inspection is visually based and not technically exhaustive. I don’t perform engineering, architectural, or any function requiring a separate occupational license such as a licensed plumber or electrician. Home inspectors are generalists, not specialists, and don’t determine adequacy using specialty equipment, measurements, calculations, or analysis that requires specialized knowledge. A specialist with their own training and tools can go deeper and may find issues beyond the scope of a home inspection. That’s why I refer observed issues out for further evaluation.