Chicago condo inspections · Streeterville
Streeterville condo inspections
Streeterville is high-rise territory. The systems inside these units are different from a house, and they need to be read differently.
From my Streeterville reports
What I find, building by building
I’ve done hundreds of condo inspections across Chicago, a lot of them right here in Streeterville.
High-rise units
Heating and cooling here is usually water-fed fan-coil units tied to the building’s system. I run them with the unit’s own controls and look hard at the condensate drains and supply valves, because a leak here lands in your neighbor’s ceiling. Electrical panels are often in hallway closets or laundry rooms, both locations current standards no longer allow. Dryers often vent into a lint trap box that needs water and regular cleaning to stay safe.
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 when the building last serviced or replaced the fan-coil units and risers, and whether that cost falls on the association or the owner.
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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