Chicago condo inspections · Wicker Park & West Town
Wicker Park & West Town condo inspections
Most of what I inspect here is the four- and five-story masonry condo buildings from the 2000s, with rooftop decks and condensers on the roof.
From my Wicker Park & West Town reports
What I find, building by building
I’ve done hundreds of condo inspections across Chicago, a lot of them right here in Wicker Park & West Town.
Masonry mid-rises
The roof is where these buildings get tested. AC condensers often sit directly on the roofing with no pad under them, the insulation on the refrigerant lines is often damaged or missing, and some roof decks have no second way down in an emergency. Stair handrails regularly miss current safe building standards, and the steel lintels over the windows are worth watching for rust.
Smaller buildings
In the two- and three-unit buildings I also find overhead electrical lines too close to the rear deck, and mechanical closets with no combustion air for the furnace and water heater.
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 roof was last replaced, and who owns and maintains the rooftop condensers.
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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