Condominiums · Studios to 4 bedrooms
Chicago condo inspections
I inspect everything in your unit and everything that serves it: plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, appliances, and every room’s surfaces and fixtures. I’m Illinois licensed and an InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector®, with more than 3,000 Chicago inspections over 13 years, and your plain-language report lands the same day.
Pricing
Chicago condo inspection pricing
Studios through 4-bedroom units. These are the real ranges. The final price depends on the size and scope of the unit, so send me the address and I’ll give you an exact number. Payment (Cash, Check, Zelle, Venmo) is due when the inspection is done.
| Condo unit | Price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $325 – $375 | 30 – 60 minutes |
| 1 Bedroom | $350 – $425 | 1 – 1.5 hours |
| 2 Bedrooms | $400 – $500 | 1.5 – 2.5 hours |
| 3 Bedrooms | $450 – $550 | 2 – 3 hours |
| 4 Bedrooms | $500 – $650 | 2.5 – 3.5 hours |
What’s covered
What a condo inspection covers
A Chicago condo inspection is a licensed inspection of your unit and every system that serves it. In 2026 it runs $325 to $650, depending on unit size. I check the plumbing from the supply and drain lines to the in-unit water heater, and test the electrical from the panel out to a representative sample of outlets, switches and GFCIs. I run the heating and cooling on the unit’s own controls, run every major kitchen and laundry appliance through a cycle, and check every room’s floors, walls, ceilings, windows and doors for moisture. I also turn on the bath, kitchen and laundry fans, because dead exhaust is the most common condo problem I find. A studio takes 30 – 60 minutes on site, and a 4-bedroom takes up to 3.5 hours. You get a plain-language written report the same day. The building’s common elements belong to the HOA and fall outside a unit inspection.
Everything inside your walls
I check every room’s floors, walls, ceilings, windows and doors for moisture and condensation. In a condo, a window that sweats and a window that leaks look the same, and telling them apart is the job. In the kitchen I go through the fixtures and cabinets and run every major appliance through a cycle. Every bathroom gets its fixtures run for flow and drainage, and the laundry gets the same, washer and dryer included.
The systems that serve your unit
Whatever the heating and cooling is (fan-coil, forced air, radiators or baseboard), I look it over, then run it with the unit’s own controls. Plumbing covers the supply and drain lines, plus the water heater if it’s in the unit. Electrical goes from the panel out to a representative sample of outlets, switches and GFCIs. And I turn the fans on to make sure the kitchen, bath and laundry exhaust actually moves air, because in condos it often doesn’t.
It’s a visual, non-invasive inspection to the Illinois Standards of Practice. I examine what’s visible and accessible in the unit that day, and test what I can. Hidden conditions and specialist testing (radon, mold) aren’t part of it. When something needs a closer look, the report says so plainly and tells you which specialist to call.
Where the building ends and your unit begins
The structure, the roof, high-rise exteriors and shared mechanicals are common elements. The association maintains them, and a full building inspection is a different job that takes far more access and costs far more. What you can do is ask. The HOA’s reserves, maintenance schedule, ongoing issues and recent board minutes tell you most of what a building inspection would. On a low-rise building I also walk the accessible exterior and note what I see.
Every kind of Chicago condo
High-rise, vintage walk-up, or conversion
I cover the same eight systems in every unit. But Chicago condos fail in patterns, and after hundreds of them I know where each building type hides its problems.
High-rises
I run the fan-coil units with the unit’s own controls and look hard at the condensate lines and drain pans. In a high-rise, a clogged line isn’t just your problem. It’s your downstairs neighbor’s ceiling. Balcony door thresholds and window seals are where weather gets in.
Vintage walk-ups
Older buildings mean older everything: galvanized plumbing that drains slow, ungrounded three-prong outlets, radiator or baseboard heat, and windows where condensation looks like a leak. Age alone isn’t a defect. Knowing which old things matter is the job.
Conversions & lofts
Buildings that started life as something else show it in the work: electrical shortcuts from past remodels, exhaust ducts that dead-end in the ceiling, and mechanicals tucked wherever they fit. In a conversion, I look hardest at the panel and the ventilation.
What I actually find in Chicago condos →
By neighborhood
What shows up in my reports, neighborhood by neighborhood:
The clock is part of the deal
Your inspection window is short, so the report is fast
Illinois contracts give you days, not weeks, to inspect and act. That’s why my report lands the same day as the inspection, with plain language, photos and priorities. You still have time to bring in a specialist or put questions to the seller while your options are open. Under contract? Send the address now and I’ll reply with an exact quote.
Good to know
Condo inspection FAQ
How soon will I get the report?
The same day as the inspection. Illinois allows up to two business days. If we finish late in the evening or the home is very large, it may come the next day, and I’ll let you know before I leave.
Can I be there?
Yes. When I finish, I’ll walk you through what I found and answer your questions, so you understand the big picture before you leave.
Is a condo inspection a building inspection?
No. I inspect your unit and what serves it, plus a walk-around of the accessible exterior on low-rise buildings. The building itself belongs to the association, so ask them for reserves, repair plans and board minutes.
More detail
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.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Illinois license #450.010923, InterNACHI certified, with general liability and errors and omissions insurance.
More detail
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.
What condo buyers say
In their own words
If you're in need of a home inspector, please do yourself a favor and contact Dan. We last minute needed someone to do a condo inspection and of the many companies I contacted, Dan was the most responsive, incredibly knowledgeable, and had reasonable rates. He was incredibly detailed, and his final report was very clear with all these tiny nuances I would've never thought would be important. He also took a ton of photographs which I found very helpful later, especially during our attorney review process. We plan on using his services again and have no hesitations about recommending him.
Virtue Inspections were fantastic and very thorough with inspecting my new condo before purchasing it. There was a very detailed report provided at the end, there were no surprises, they were timely communicators, and overall were fantastic to work with in the purchasing process. Well done!
Ready when you are
Under contract on a Chicago condo?
Send me the unit’s address and I’ll get back to you with an exact quote. The report comes the same day as the inspection.
Request a quote →Buying a house instead? Townhome & single-family inspections →
Still weighing whether to inspect at all? Do you need a condo inspection? →
Curious what turns up in units like yours? What I find most in Chicago condos →