Chicago condo inspections · Logan Square & Bucktown
Logan Square & Bucktown condo inspections
Most condos I inspect here are newer masonry buildings, with a few conversions of much older ones.
From my Logan Square & Bucktown reports
What I find, building by building
I’ve done hundreds of condo inspections across Chicago, a lot of them right here in Logan Square & Bucktown.
Newer mid-rises
On the roof I find exhaust flues installed too close to fresh-air intakes. Inside, I find balcony guardrails that don’t meet current safe building standards, light fixtures over tubs that aren’t rated for wet locations, and cracked floor tile.
Older conversions
Older buildings converted to condos follow the vintage pattern: few circuits for the unit, older panels, and exterior masonry the association maintains.
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: Ask how the association handles the exterior masonry and roof, and whether there are reserves set aside for them.
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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