Chicago condo inspections · Lakeview
Lakeview condo inspections
Lakeview has three very different kinds of condo buildings, and each one hides different problems. Here’s what shows up in my reports, building by building.
From my Lakeview reports
What I find, building by building
I’ve done hundreds of condo inspections across Chicago, a lot of them right here in Lakeview.
The lakefront high-rises
Most of the high-rise units I inspect here went up in the 1960s. The concrete holds up; the original systems inside the unit often don’t. Where I can see the plumbing, I regularly find galvanized water lines, which corrode from the inside until they restrict flow and leak. 60-amp service is common, which is thin for a modern kitchen, and so are original fuse panels and panels installed in the kitchen next to the sink.
Vintage courtyard buildings and walk-ups
Brick buildings from the early 1900s, converted to condos. Beautiful, and wired for a different century. Five circuits for a whole unit is typical, where modern practice gives the kitchen, bathrooms and mechanicals their own. Many unit panels have no single main shut-off, many units have no central air, and the steel lintels over the windows are often rusting with no flashing or weeps to let water out.
Newer mid-rise condos
The masonry buildings from the late 1990s on, with the AC condensers on the roof or balcony. Where the refrigerant lines pass through the roof, the flashing is often improvised instead of a proper boot, which is a common leak point. I also find laundry closets too tight to reach the dryer’s gas shut-off.
Some findings show up in almost every Chicago condo, whatever the building: outlets that aren’t tamper-resistant, ranges without an anti-tip bracket, compression-style shut-offs under the sinks, and furnace condensate lines missing a trap. They’re cheap to fix, and I list every one so nothing surprises you after closing.
Your unit, and the building around it
What a condo inspection covers
Everything in and serving your unit: plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, appliances, and every room’s surfaces and fixtures. On a low-rise building I also walk the accessible exterior. The roof, structure and shared mechanicals belong to the association and fall outside a unit inspection. Where I can’t reach something, the report says so and tells you what to ask for.
Worth asking the association: In a high-rise, ask whether the plumbing risers have been replaced and whether the association allows an electrical service upgrade to your unit.
Who you’re hiring
One inspector, start to finish
I spent 15 years renovating houses, then 13 inspecting them. I do every inspection myself and write every report, the same day. Buyers rate me 4.9 out of 5 across more than 150 Redfin reviews. Condos from $325, with an exact price once you send me the address.
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