Domicile Consulting LLC

Domicile Consulting charges $595 for an inspection report of a 4-bedroom single family home. For this price - perhaps a bit more than one might spend with other service providers - they do as thorough an inspection as can be imagined. Their standard is a home in perfect condition and they will provide assessments and suggest appropriate remedies for every aspect of a home's interior and exterior that falls short of that standard. The relatively few additional dollars you will spend with Domicile buys an unparalleled attention to detail and thus peace of mind. I am not sure why anyone would choose to save a relatively small amount of money on such an important service. And any question as to their integrity should be answered by this short personal anecdote: After the former potential buyer of the home we intend to purchase dropped out, our offer was accepted and we contacted DC online to set up an inspection. We received a friendly phone call to confirm the appointment and to clear up the confusion we had created when we accidentally signed up for two different inspection times. I called two other times within 24 hours for clarification on various issues and each time received a quick call back. On my third call, I spoke to owner Dan Cullen who had a surprising knowledge of the home we wanted inspected. As it turned out, the previous buyer had contracted him to do his inspection of the same home earlier that week. He provided as much general information about the home as he could and offered - totally without prompting - to contact his client (the previous buyer) to have the detailed inspection report released to me. As fate would have it, the client agreed. So Domicile provided me with the report and has worked with me to discuss the issues that arise therein over the phone - all at no charge! "Why duplicate the inspection unnecessarily?" Most businesses h***-bent on the bottom line would have had at least 595 reasons to duplicate the inspection. But then there's Domicile Consulting. If you're looking for home inspection services, choose them and don't give it a second thought. Top-notch service, peace of mind, and just good people: you can't beat that!

I am the homeowner. The home inspection of my unit was completed by Domicile Consulting on 6/18/2012. In the bold print you will see the response from Domicile Consulting relative to my email to the co-founder. My husband and I expressed our concern because DC caused damage to our unit while performing an inspection. The inspector also, admittedly, allowed the client to do his work for him. We are more than happy, as duly noted, that the prospective buyer did not purchase our unit. We had a bad feeling about him from the beginning. We are thrilled to be free of him. However, what you will find in the convo above is my letter to the co-founder. The bold print is his reply. Seriously unprofessional at best. To follow up on my first report on Domicile Consulting LLC, here is the most recent email I received from the co-founder Dan Cullen: Forget it. The offer is rescinded. Your personal issues preclude me from any contact with you. You are obviously a troubled woman. I wish you the best in the sale of your concrete block condo and in your future. Good-bye. Dan(sent to me last night 6/19/2012 @ 7:49 pm) Thanks for posting your scurrilous and frivolous reviews on Yelp and Angies List. It actually works in our favor when prospective clients read the reviews of p***** off realtors, builders, and sellers like you. They are smart enough to see that you are just a whacked out and disgruntled seller whose poorly built home was 'fronted out' by our top notch inspector, Andrew Danner. When prospective clients read your foolish complaints and then compare your review to the hundreds of reviews from happy people who we have saved from buying dumps like yours it gives them an object lesson regarding our services. We refuse to kow-tow to bullies like you who are trying to exact a pound of flesh after their dumpy home has been give a pass by one of our grateful clients. Thanks Jill. Just keep your fingers crossed that the next inspector who looks over your condo doesn't have Andrew's deep construction experience and dogged powers of observation. They are out there! Dan Cullen (sent to me today 6/20/2012 @ 10:34)

Ross was very professional and provided a very thorough report. Domicile's prices are a bit higher than other home inspection services, but you definitely get what you pay for. I ended up not purchasing the place that Ross inspected. I recently went under contract for a different place and had an inspection done using a different inspector (price was lower). In the end, I wished that I had used Domicile and Ross instead. I gave them a B for responsiveness because Ross was extremely busy with multiple clients so it took him a few days to get a report to me. I highly recommend Domicile and Ross!

Our short sale condo contract only gave us 3 days to have an inspection done, and I knew I wanted to use Domicile because of all their rave reviews. Because of the scary state of our condo (it had been on the market for over 400 days for a reason!) I knew it had to be an inspector I could trust. I called and emailed every team member from Domicile, and all of them called and emailed back, saying they were already booked, but that between them, they would try to find a way to squeeze us in. Two days later, 2 inspectors called saying they found a way. Mike had a cancellation, so he was able to inspect our house for us. Even before the inspection took place, I was so impressed with their amazing Mid-Western kindness and willingness to help. They treated me like a friend that owed me a favor!. The inspection happened, report came the next day (which was a Sunday!), complete with detailed photos and descriptions. I would highly recommend these guys based on human interaction and quality of work.

I dealt with Andrew Danner. He was prompt, courteous, and professional. His report was thorough, complete with pictures and recommendations. He thankfully discovered a racoon in the attic which we were able to promptly take care of.

Ross is the man. He was on time and extremely thorough. My wife and I are first-time home buyers so the entire process was new to us. Ross walked us through what he was looking at and explained important things that we should know as future homeowners. He caught an AC leak in the attic which was causing water damage in a bedroom that had otherwise gone unnoticed by us, real estate agents and homeowners! His report was extremely detailed and will be beneficial both for further negotiating with the sellers as well as creating a honey-do list when we take ownership. Report was turned around in less than 48-hours which was impressive given the detail that went into it (which was loaded with great pictures too). Overall price may have been higher than I could have paid elsewhere but I think this was the best way to spend money because I knew I was getting good quality work (and I did!).

The on-line scheduling and also obtaining the reports was very simple. The quick ability to schedule the inspection only took a two days and Mike was very gracious in changing our appointment date (due to conflict). Both my husband and I felt the experience was very good. We would certainly recommend Domicile Consulting specifically Mike again.

Made an appointment online with Andrew. He was right on time for the scheduled time. This was probably the most thorough inspection I've ever seen - detailed, really checked everything. Got the report - it clearly delineated important issues from less important. Was extremely helpful in our negotiations on the purchase of our home. I would most definitely recommend this company, and Andrew, again.

Mike was great. Very prompt, efficient and concise in how he answered our questions. At the end of the inspection he gave me a solid recap of the major things that he had seen and we had a nice conversation about the home. He was very helpful. And the report arrived in our inbox at 7am the next morning. These guys move fast and are extremely thorough. Highly recommend.

Domicile's work was extremely thorough and professional and gave me the confidence to make a big home purchase in a new city (my family and I had moved to Chicago only a few months earlier). They look at energy efficiency as well. My real estate agent told me that sellers hate it when buyers hire Domicile because they leave no stone left unturned, which is all you really need to know. Also, after the close, they have been helpful when I've had construction-related questions on the home, and have been able to point me towards the right tradesmen to get the problems fixed. A great resource for the Chicago homebuyer and homeowner.

Ross Neag took me through the inspection process from start to finish. The work was performed on Thursday, April 19, and I received a very detailed report [with photos] the very next day. The entire experience----from the intial phone call to reading the report---was EXCELLENT. Aside from clearing knowing every aspect of building construction and codes, Ross is exremely personable and took the time to make sure I knew exactly what was going on. The report itself covered everything in specific detail and made valuable recommendations. Even though I had forgotten my coupon for the discount offered through Angie's List, Ross made the adjustment just with my mentioning it. Thanks, Ross! It is wthout hesitation that I highly recommend Domicile Consulting to anyone seeking the comfort in knowing that nothing was missed in the home inspection. ~~~Jeff Bryant Hinsdale, IL

Mike did a fantastic job. From the time we spoke on the phone to the time he packed up his truck, he was nothing but courteous and ready and willing to answer questions. I told him at the time we spoke on the phone, that the home I was buying was a foreclosure and there were a good number of known defects. I was clear with him that I needed to know whether the home was structurally sound, since many foreclosures come with a certain number of inherent problems due to previous owner neglect and just lack of personal pride in how they are left. He noted the obvious things like missing appliances and light fixtures in his report but spent the vast majority of his onsite time talking to me about specific major issues that would need to be accounted for if I were to buy the home. In the end we discussed and he was clear that while issues were present, the home was structurally sound and all items were considered cosmetic. This is my 4th home purchase due to relocation so home inspectors are an item I've become fairly familiar with. Domicile is by far the best I've used over the years and I would highly recommend them to others. Their prices are a little on the high side, but this is an example of where you get what you pay for.

He was absolutely wonderful and incredibly detailed. He found numerous areas where we had air leaks and he found a couple of water leaks I didn't even know he existed. He provided a bunch of recommendations as well as some recommendations of resources. He was a pleasure to do business with.

Booking an inspection with Domicile is simple through their online booking system. Immediate confirmation of the appointment was received along with a reminder the day before the inspection. Mike from Domicile showed up early to our first inspection. He started by completing a very thorough review of the exterior of the home including an inspection of the roof. He pointed out several items that were included in the report, as well as items that were not inspection issues, but rather items that were good to know as a first time home buyer. The inspection moved to the interior of the home and was just as thorough. No space in the home was left unviewed or untouched. Even the smallest things were examined. Mike explained everything he was doing and noted issues with me as the inspection proceeded. The invaluable portion of the inspection came when Mike discovered that structural repairs had been done to the home within the attic. Based on the type and quality of the repairs, Mike noted that they may be causing issues with the second floor of the home (sloped floors / cracks in ceiling), and recommended a structural engineer inspect the property. Long story short, based on Mike's thorough inspection, we decided not to purchase the home, and saved ourselves costly repairs. The inspection lasted about 4.5 hours on a 5 bedroom / 2800 sq ft home. Based on how satisfied we were with Mike's first inspection, we contracted him to perform an inspection when we found another home to purchase. Once again Mike was there early. Despite the weather being poor, Mike once again did a very complete inspection of the interior including the roof. I was able to follow him around and he took the time to answer all of my questions and point out many items that were good to know as a buyer of the home. The inspection was valuable not only for finding issues which we would ask the seller to repair, but it also gave me a lot of information about the home, what items were not issues now, but may need attention a few years down the road, and gave a great overview of how many of the systems in the home functioned. The quality of the inspection will save me money in the future as Mike gave me tips on what potential issues I could tackle in the future and which are better left to the professionals. All things considered, the process with Domicile was smooth from start to finish. I cannot thank them enough from enlightening us on the issues of the first home we tried to purchase and giving us peace of mind in knowing that the home we did end purchasing was of quality construction and had been well taken care of by the previous owners. Without hesitation, I would recommend their services and use them again.

As first time home-buyers, my husband and I have nothing to compare this service to. But what a great experience we had. Mike was very professional and so patient with our never ending questions and actually gave us permission to contact him after we move in with any future questions about repairs and maintenance. He did a 3 hour inspection and have a very detailed, 50 page report with pictures to us by the end of the next day. It's expensive, pretty much double what our agent was estimating for the inspection, but totally worth every penny. This kind of information and knowledge is priceless when it comes to buying your first home!

It went very well from first contact to final inspection.

I have my third inspection Scheduled on this Monday with Domicile. I looked all over Angieslist to find a solid company that didn't cost too much. Well ultimately after reading EVERY review possible for every firm, I went with the most expensive option, and it has paid off. You truly get what you pay for in life, and I figured a property inspection was a pretty important step. I first made an offer on a three flat in mid-January. The offer really was too good to be true, as I soon found out. After having our offer accepted, I called and talked to Ross directly on the phone, and he directed me to the website to schedule a time with an inspector. I was initially disappointed when I could not get Ross for my inspection (he stays pretty busy). Mainly because of all the glowing reviews on Angie's List, I convinced myself that he had to be the one. However under a time deadline (standard 5 day attorney review) I still signed up, and met Dan Cullen on site (he was there waiting for me when I showed up, already hard at work) Dan was very straightforward and had my best interest in hand the whole inspection. His experience was immense and I could not have been happier with him. He is a retired fireman that knows a ton about construction. The seller was being very nosy and Dan made it very clear to her that it is best for all of us if he deals with me (the client) directly, and not her. He found major major problems very soon, and did some very thorough investigation work to confirm suspicions that these initial problems were not just aesthetic. Dan presented enough information to me to back out of the offer. It wasn't even worth countering to fix the flaws. The seller tried to hide the lack of building knowledge with fancy aesthetic upgrade & finishes. I have to admit that I was quite upset that the idea of owning this place did not work out, but also am so so glad it didn't. However, what impressed me the mos,t was how much Dan cared. He was getting visibly upset for me, and for the neighborhood, that someone would try to pass this work off as a re-hab. He clearly put his clients first and take great pride in his work. Dan came off as a very direct guy to me, and I really appreciated his 'old school' persona, especially in this situation. Three weeks later I put an offer on a Single Family home, and ended up booking Ross. (i actually tried to get Dan again but he was out of town). Ross lived up to his reviews and than some. He is very professional, and very helpful, and impressed me multiple times with his approach to finding possible problems. Ross even noticed a small gas leak on the outdoor gas meter, that had probably been unnoticed for months. By the time the inspection was over, People's Gas had already come and fixed the problem (due to his diligence). The property was another 'gut-rehab'. It turned out to have a few major problems, but was fixable. We knew we were not offering a new home price, but there was more work than we expected to be done. In Ross' words, he felt that we may end up re-habbing a rehab. Ross pointed out some major issues with the roof, and a ton of small details, which I felt were to be expected. When the homeowner wouldn't budge on the major issues though, I knew it was time to back out, yet again. The icing on the cake was when Ross found, through really hard investigative work, what looked to be termite damage covered up by a previous owner. The next step would be for me to pay for a certified termite inspector in before I would commit to purchasing. If the homeowner was not going to budge now, I certainly was not going to spend more money to investigate a larger issue at hand....We were now, 0 for 2 on offers, but got our escrow money back in both cases..... We have our third inspection this Monday on a single family home. Ross will be the inspector again and I am hoping the saying is correct of third time being a charm. I am way more confident in this home, mainly because Ross and Dan shared so much valuable information with me while doing their inspections. I Learned how to spot many red flags in the other homes I was touring with my realtor. I even ended up doing a little investigative work myself around this house before putting an offer on the table, something I woudl haev never had the know-how to do before. For example I new to look for proper return vents in HVAC and that were in proper locations, proper tuck pointing, and tons of other small things that to me are invaluable... Now time for the real deal inspection... I am actually excited to just learn a little more on Monday too! If you are in doubt on who to pick, you can not go wrong with Domicile. I obviously have no experience with the other members of their team, but my guess is you can not go wrong if they are coworkers of Dan and Ross.

We were able to get an appointment very quickly. Mike showed up on time, and despite the fact that his ladder was too short to reach our roof, was willing to review photos we had of the work in progress. Based on the photos and our explanation of the work being done, Mike was able to make a quick assessment that everything was A-OK. Very courteous, professional, and helpful!

I can't say enough about these guys and the value they bring to the home inspection process. I highly recommend them for inspection or energy audit needs and would most definitely use them again.

He was extremely professional, very thorough and knowledgeable. So knowledgeable about the home that he had actually knew the previous owners of the home, and did work on the home. He did not tell me this when I hired him and that was very unsettling with me. He did try to be very transparent once it was discovered that he had a relationship with the previous owners. He called them after the inspection was over and put them on speaker phone so I could hear the conversation. Overall I feel that he did a very thorough job. I don't think that I was cheated in any kind of way. He was professional when he was walking through but I feel him not revealing to me that he knew the previous owners and did work on the home was unethical. That is the reason the grade I gave him on professionalism was low.

Ross performed an energy audit at out home. he was so informative and thorough. when he was done his report followed with in 2 days- we couldn't believe that such a detailed report came back so quickly! the report was easy to follow and he listed action steps in order of what we should do first to make the largest difference. also- the list of contractors to call to perform the work was comprehensive and we have already called the ones we need. the contractors we called were also very responsive and have already come out for quotes- amazing if you have ever dealt with contractors! A huge THANK YOU to Ross for going above and beyond!

We had Dan as our Consultant and we are glad we did. Dan seems to specialize in old South Side houses and he picked up a lot of things we didn't even think to look at when originally viewing the property. We knew it was an old house and that there would need to be some work done, but Dan gave us a priority list for our improvements. Dan also gave us a recommendation for some services and one of his recs turned out to be really good and we are using him for other items now too. For the value, Dan and Domicile were absolutely worth the price. If you want a great inspection, ask for Dan.

He was excellent and did a great job. He came in and took a look at the exterior and foundation of a property that we were thinking about purchasing. He immediately found significant defects in the property which led him to conclude it was not really worth doing a full thorough inspection. So instead of charging the full rate for doing a complete inspection, he charged us partial amount, which was a great thing. We really appreciate that. He came out, saw the problem and kind of stopped it right there instead of going through the rest of it. The reports that he makes are high quality, very detailed, with lot of pictures and great explanations. I had seen other home inspector's reports and I think the work that he did was significantly better than any other reports I have seen so I will definitely use his services again in the future.

He is EXTREMELY thorough. What I like best about Dan is he's very detailed, notes everything that's wrong but isn't an alarmist. He tells you what's wrong and how much it will cost to fix. I'm always confident he will give an unbiased and accurate report.

I couldn't recommend Ross and Domicile any more enthusiastically. The entire process was flawless. Scheduling the inspection could not have been easier using Domicile's online appointment system. The inspection itself was incredibly informative. Ross spent over 3.5 hours walking me through every part of the home--pointing out potential issues along the way and also giving very helpful tips regarding different projects I could undertake (and some I shouldn't) to improve the home's longevity and energy efficiency. I would have paid the $475 just for that experience alone. But then I received the 57 page inspection report (you could actually call it a book) and was floored. It was incredibly detailed--packed with photos, concise but thorough descriptions of issues found, and tips for maintenance / repairs. The report could effectively serve as an instruction manual for maintaining your house. And if that wasn't enough, Ross also went above and beyond in providing me with several terrific referrals to architects and contractors for the renovation work that I'm planning on the home. Overall, I could not be more pleased with my experience using Ross and Domicile. Thanks, Ross!