Condominiums · Studios to 4 bedrooms
Chicago condo inspections
I inspect everything in — and serving — your unit: plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, appliances, and every room’s surfaces and fixtures. Illinois-licensed, InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector®, thousands of inspections across Chicago over 13+ years, and your plain-language report lands the same day.
Transparent pricing
Chicago condo inspection pricing
Studios through 4-bedroom units. Honest, up-front ranges — the final price is based on the size and scope of the unit, so send me the address for an exact price. Payment (Cash, Check, Zelle, Venmo) is due at completion.
| 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 |
Unit-focused scope
What a condo inspection covers
A Chicago condo inspection is a licensed examination of your unit and every system serving the unit. As of 2026 the inspection runs $325 to $650, set by unit size. The scope covers plumbing from the supply and drain lines to the in-unit water heater. Electrical gets tested from the panel to a representative sample of outlets, switches and GFCIs. Heating and cooling get run on the unit’s own controls, every major kitchen and laundry appliance gets run through a cycle, and every room’s floors, walls, ceilings, windows and doors get checked for moisture. Bath, kitchen and laundry exhaust gets tested with the fans on — in practice, dead exhaust is the most common condo failure I find. A studio takes 30 – 60 minutes on site; a 4-bedroom takes up to 3.5 hours. The plain-language written report arrives the same day, from an Illinois-licensed, InterNACHI-certified inspector; building common elements stay with the HOA, outside unit scope.
Everything inside your walls
Every room’s floors, walls, ceilings, windows and doors, checked for moisture and condensation — in a condo, a window that sweats and a window that leaks look alike, and telling them apart is the job. The kitchen gets its fixtures, cabinets and every major appliance run through a cycle; every bathroom gets its fixtures run for flow and drainage; the laundry gets the same, washer and dryer included.
The systems that serve your unit
Heating and cooling — fan-coil, forced air, radiators or baseboard — examined, then run with the unit’s own controls. Plumbing from the supply and drain lines to the water heater where it’s in-unit. Electrical from the panel out to a representative sample of outlets, switches and GFCIs. And ventilation checked with the fans on: kitchen, bath and laundry exhaust that actually moves air, because in condos it often doesn’t.
It’s a visual, non-invasive inspection to the Illinois Standards of Practice — what’s visible and accessible in the unit on the day, tested where I can. Concealed conditions and specialist testing (radon, mold) sit outside it, and where something warrants a closer look the report says so plainly and points you to the right specialist.
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 with far more access and cost. 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.
Every kind of Chicago condo
High-rise, vintage walk-up, or conversion
The scope is the same eight systems in every unit — but Chicago’s condo stock fails in patterns, and after thousands of units I know where each building type hides its problems.
High-rises
Fan-coil units get run with the unit’s own controls, and condensate lines and drain pans get a hard look — 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 the unit’s weather points.
Vintage walk-ups
Older buildings mean older branches of everything: galvanized plumbing that drains slow, ungrounded three-prong outlets, radiator or baseboard heat, and window openings where condensation mimics a leak. Age isn’t a defect — but knowing which age matters is the job.
Conversions & lofts
Buildings that started life as something else tell that story in the work: electrical shortcuts from past remodels, exhaust ducts that dead-end in ceiling cavities, and mechanicals tucked wherever they fit. Conversions get my hardest look at the panel and the ventilation.
The clock is part of the deal
Your inspection window is short — the report keeps up
Illinois contract timelines give you days, not weeks, to inspect and act. That’s why my report lands the same day as the inspection — plain language, photos, priorities — so you still have time to get a specialist in 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
Are you licensed?
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.
Is a Home Inspection a home warranty?
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.
How soon will I get the report?
You’ll have it the same day as the inspection. The only exceptions are an inspection that runs late into the evening or a very large home, where it may come the following day. If that’s going to happen, I’ll tell you on site.
Is a Building Inspection included with a Condo Inspection?
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.
What condo buyers say
Buyers trust Daniel
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 reply with an exact quote, then a licensed, certified inspection and a clear report the same day.
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