Domicile Consulting LLC

At first we were looking at 2-flats and then we moved onto single family homes. Dan came out to inspect the first home (2-flat) we made an offer on in North Center. Dan was thorough, kind, and taught me along the way! Thanks to his inspection we were able to make the decision not to go with that home due to all the work that needed to be done, including major problems with the foundation. He did not offer advise either way, he simply said that it depended on how much money we wanted to put into it. I learned quite a bit from him and was more than happy to go with Domicile again when we looked at a single family house we made a bid on. At the single family home, Mike was our inspector. He was also thorough and kind! I felt completely comfortable with both inspectors and even had wonderful interactions with Ross when I called the office! I highly recommend Domicile and anyone on their team! We felt we were treated extremely well as we learned a lot about the homes without feeling talked down to.

He gave suggestions about the raw space and also provided solutions. He even checked our roof to make sure the HVAC guys did the work properly. He took the time to take pictures and write up full and thorough reports. He has integrity and is great as his job. He is also qualified and competent. He shows up on time and does exactly whate he says he was going to do.

Ross was thorough and patient, and pointed out small additional issues that we hadn't asked him to look at (e.g. peeking in the furnace room, inspecting around exterior fixtures nowhere near the areas of concern). He explained what he was doing and what he found, and answered our many questions in language we could understand. He gave us several suggestions for how to proceed, including recommendations for contractors (one of which we have used so far, and it worked out very well). Although we did not have him do a complete inspection, from his comments we got the impression that he is very sharp and knowledgeable about all aspects of home inspections. At the end we wished we had had him do the original inspection of our home. We have since referred our friends to him for a pre-purchase home inspection, and they were pleased as well. The only aspect he might improve was that he sometimes let our attempts to reach him (e.g. to schedule a follow-up appointment, or to answer questions about his report) go unanswered for longer than expected. Overall, we would not hesitate to use his services again for similar issues.

Firstly, before I get into the detail of my review, let me please explain the delay in the submission of this report lest anyone reading it would feel this reflects negatively on Domicile (because it should not!). I was so impressed with the job that Ross did (as was everyone else involved in my real estate transaction was: both realtors, lawyers, mortgage lender, and appraiser), however I wanted to back up my inexperienced opinion with feedback that I had received from the tradesmen that I called out to investigate the items that had been highlighted in the inspection report. This was delayed because the closing took far longer than anyone anticipated. Having had the house now for a month, we have had a number of tradesmen come out and each and every single one has expressed just how impressed they were with how thorough the inspection report is and how they could not believe a home inspector was so up to date on code, best practices or even would look into so many areas and in such detail. We have had two plumbers out, three chimney companies (wanted multiple estimates), an electrician and an HVAC company. All of them commented that our inspector really did good by us because they pointed out items they had never previously seen a home inspector comment on, let alone have the expertise or training to document. Now, I should mention that all of these tradesmen are from top rated Angie's List companies, so hopefully that adds further weight to their opinions. In summary, my review is not just based on what I thought about the job that Ross did, but my opinion was validated again and again by several professionals....Ross simply knows his stuff. Now...on to my experience with the actual home inspection. Scheduling was a breeze. I simply worked through their website to make my appointment, which was perfect since I was out of town at the time. Within a day, I received a call from Ross to confirm my appointment and was able to give him an overview of the home and some of the unique circumstances around buying it. Ross patiently listened to me and what I had to say. On the day of the inspection, Ross called to let me know he was on his way and arrived promptly. From that point on, he was extremely professional and focused. Although I was able to accompany him throughout and ask questions, he remained on point and focused for the almost 4 hours that he was there. He inspected the home top down...and I really mean top down, taking pictures all along the way and taking the time to point out the issues so I would fully understand what was being documented. He also took the time to comment on best practices and where I could take action to be more energy efficient, etc. When I received the report...my first reaction was simply WOW. Firstly, I received it on Thursday morning (I had the inspection late on Tuesday) so this was a great turn around. The inspection report is 56 pages (in color) analysis, filled with detailed pictures, annotations, recommendations and even detail on what the best practices are (with images). Ross also made himself available via email and answered a number of questions that I had once I was going back and forth with the sellers. I would use this company again in an heartbeat and have recommended them to anyone who asks. Ross was truly professional and a delight to work with.

This inspection went exactly as I had hoped it would. Ross arrived exactly on time and I tagged along for nearly all of the next 3 hours. The inspection was very thorough, with clear & practical explanations along the way. We came away with a very good understanding of what was critical, what was typical for a property of this age, and what could wait a year or two to be addressed. The report gives me a clear & complete summary of the inspection, with many pictures and corresponding text explanations. Having this will make it much easier to talk with the homeowner and potential contractors about the items we found. Ross is also a really nice guy, and he made it easy to ask questions. The service did not stop with the report either. After getting some contractor quotes I had a few additional follow up questions - Ross was very prompt and thorough in his email response. I have worked with a few house inspectors over the years, and this was by far the best experience I have had. I came away feeling it was money well spent. Thanks Ross

Ross is *fantastic* He came within one day of me scheduling an appointment - and did a thorough and excellent job. He pointed out both the little and the larger things i could do to make my home warmer in winter. He showed me which ones i could do myself, and even prioritized them for me in terms of "bang for the buck" (e.g., a DIY caulking near my baseboards way more bang for the buck than insulating my floors - and rebalancing my air system is a must, and less pricey than some other possible fixes). Ross answered all of my questions, explained things to me that i otherwise would not have understood, was kind and patient with my small and incessantly barking pug, and charged me less than I expected. It was, all in all, a great experience -and I now have a clear way forward that will help me keep warm this winter. As a bonus, he found a leaky pipe problem i didn't even know i had (which reminds me, i now must call a plumber) I AM VERY HAPPY

Mike, the inspector arrived early to get a head start on the exterior inspection of the home. When the home buyers arrived, they were promptly greeted and the inspection process was explained. Mike took them through the inside and out of the home and explained everything he was doing while going through his normal inspection. He answered all questions the home buyers had and was able to offer suggestions for contractors to address issues found during the inspection. As a real estate agent, I have used Domicile Consulting many times in the past and will continue to do so as they protect my clients from buying lemons and issues that cannot be seen with the human eye.

A pleasure to work with! They were the first to respond to me when I submitted the request for pricing and consistently got back to me within one day or faster after each email after that. The appointment was on time and Ross was very professional and courteous. He gave me very detailed advice and I received a report with photos and additional information afterwards. Doing the home inspection was definitely a great investment - off course every roofing company will tell you to replace your roof immediately - and I will recommend and use this company again.

We had a fantastic experience with this company. We were able to schedule our inspection promptly, and the service was very professional. The report we received included pictures with arrows pointing to areas of concern and easy-to-understand text explaining all of the issues found (there were a lot!). Best compliment was when our architect told us, "You certainly got your money's worth... this is the most detailed report I have ever seen." I'd recommend Domicile to anyone.

We scheduled the inspection online, where we could see the schedule and the available times in real time, which greatly helped in picking a good time to do the inspection, since we needed to coordinate between so many parties (us, Ross, the seller, two real estate agents). He showed up punctually, and did a thorough job, walking us through every detail of the inspection, telling us what was urgently in need of repair, what was likely to need fixing in the not-too-distant future, and what was not really a problem at all. He also gave us lots of useful tips on what we might want to do to enhance the energy efficiency or just the general fit and finish of the house. The online report was delivered reasonably quickly after the sale, and was quite comprehensive; it allowed us to negotiate a substantial repair credit from the seller.

I sent Ross an email through Angie's list to inquire about his pricing and availability for a house inspection. He responded almost immediately and scheduled the inspection according to my contingency timeline, despite his busy schedule. He spent nearly 3 hours going through the house with me - mind you it was one of the most hot and humid days of the year, and we were not afforded air conditioning. Ross was incredibly thorough, knowledgeable and professional. He took the time to explain to me what the strengths and weaknesses of the house were and his detailed inspection report not only illustrated what we needed to have addressed before closing, but what we should be doing as preventative maintenance down the road. As a result of his detailed inspection, we were able to negotiate some costly repairs with the seller, saving us a money and frustration.

Dan was very through with his inspection. Our real estate agent was also impressed with how comprehensive his report was. He was also able to accommodate us even though his scheduled was very booked. He was willing to spend the time answering any questions I had about the report. I would recommend him. It’s best to contact him via phone then email.

From the call to the consult things went quick and smoothly.

It's no coincidence that "Ross" rhymes with "awesomesauce." Ross arrived a few minutes early for the home inspection and really took his time going over the whole house top to bottom (literally--he started on the roof and finished in the basement). Along the way, he pointed out both issues that should be addressed and features of the house that he liked. He was very patient in answering my questions when I didn't quite understand an issue or why a certain installation method is preferable to another. I took notes and pictures, but I didn't really need to because the next morning he sent the VERY detailed inspection report covering all of the issues he found and recommendations, with tons of pictures. This report went way beyond just the immediate, seller-needs-to-fix type issues and will be our bible after we close on the house and decide what projects we should take on. The online scheduling system is also really convenient (when you're buying a house, you're already playing phone tag with your realtor, lender, lawyer, etc., so this is one less call to field). This company may be priced ever-so-slightly above other inspectors in the area, but the service you will get is so far above what other companies offer (compared to my two prior home inspections on different properties) that it is without a doubt worth the slight extra cost. You can hire them knowing that they will provide you with a complete list of recommendations and a detailed report that you can use well beyond the closing.

Ross served as our inspector when my husband and I purchased our first home. Our work with Ross began when he performed an initial inspection. He spent 3.5 hours in our small home, examining every tiny detail. He moved furniture out of the way, go into tough spaces, ran appliances, and explained everything to us along the way. After carefully reviewing Ross's detailed and well-organized report, we went under contract for the home. For the next five months we were engaged in protracted and stressful negotiations with the seller, basically because the seller agreed to address certain repairs, and then failed to do so, or did a lousy job. Ross stuck with us throughout that whole process, giving us much-needed guidance and support. He made a number of subsequent visits to the home to quality-control the seller's repairs, and refused to accept payment for those visits. Ross brought tremendous rationality and calm to an otherwise very tense situation. We are very happy in our new home and are using Ross's report as our guide in renovating. It's proving to be very helpful in getting estimates and communication with tradespeople.

Mike came out to inspect a 3 bedroom single family home. I have no complaints and would recommend them to all. Very professional and looked at EVERYTHING with a fine tooth comb. I've had 3 other inspectors for other homes in the past, and no one compares to Mike! Thanks again, it was a pleasure to meet you. I will absolutely without a doubt use your services in the future.

They were extremely thorough. My father is a contractor, and he said he's never seen an inspection report this thorough. They were also very professional.

It went great from start to finish. The guy didn't talk constantly like some home inspectors that I've been around but was quick to answer questions, polite and very knowledgeable. I would definitely use them again and preferred these guys over a competitor that I used a month before on another house.

He did exactly what he said he was going to do, and gave me a whole list of other contractors to contact to resolve some issues. When everything was said and done, I was extremely impressed with his professionalism and the thorough job he did for me.

They were thorough, efficient and delivered the report when they said they would. The information conveyed verbally and in the report was descriptive (pictures included), provided a rationale for why it was an issue e.g. poses a safety issue and what should be done instead. The feedback gave us a complete understanding of what we were getting into. It was so helpful! Our real estate agent was so impressed she said she was going to add them to the list she provides her clients and then recommended him to the seller's agent as well. I can't thank them enough for the service and information they provided.

One word to describe Ross and the inspection on our home = amazing! He was completely responsive, from scheduling through to helping us understand the line items in the exquisitely detailed report. To say he was knowledgable is an understatement. His report also helped immensely in negotiating costs with the seller, as there was no way to dispute Ross' analysis. I would highly recommend Domicile, and in fact, have already done so to three different individuals already!

Dan started his inspection on the outside, noticed some "dips" in the roof and noticed some bulging of our masonry walls. He continued his inspection throughout the house and went up to our attic. There he discovered a major structural problem with our roof, due to the way it was originally built--they really cut corners, to put it briefly. This should have been caught years ago in other inspections. Dan gave us the news and told us that this was extremely serious and that we really needed a structural engineer—and he would not charge for the inspection! The next day he contacted us to suggest a general contractor who could give a second evaluation for free --and that might be cheaper than bringing out a structural engineer. The GC came out and looked in the attic and at the walls. He agreed with Dan 's recommendation that we hire a structural engineer. So we hired Ken Karsten (from Angie's List), who was great. Dan offered to come out a second time to accompany the structural engineer, to ensure that the engineer understood Dan's findings.. The engineer confirmed Dan’s assessment. They both were amazed that the roof was still standing. Throughout this process, Dan has been available (even when out of town) and eager to help us. He did not charge us for any of his time. I felt I had an advocate and someone who could translate construction-language into plain English. I am sure we will continue to use Dan as a resource as we navigate through this reconstruction process.

Overall a great experience! Ross explained everything thoroughly and provided a detailed written account of the inspection. He was professional, yet friendly and made sure that I didn't have any unresolved questions before he left. I was nervous about this home due to its age. Having an experienced and knowledgable person review all the issues and provide a range of what certain repairs may cost was exceedingly helpful in putting the purchase of a vintage home in perspective. I would recommend Domicile to anyone considering a home inspection.

We called Ross on the weekend because we heard our offer on a house was accepted. We had 5 days to get the inspection done. Ross went out of his way to see us. His online appointment calendar showed no availability for him for at least 8 days. After we explained that we really needed this done and really wanted him to do it (he had done a previous home inspection for us), he shifted his calendar and drove out of his way to fit our inspection in just two days later. As with the last inspection Ross did, in less than 36 hours he provided uswtih a remarkably detailed report with photos and descriptions of each area that we needed to be aware of or attend to. Also, throughout the entire inspection, which lasted more than 3 hours, Ross called us over to look at what he was seeing that was unusual, against code, outdated, or dangerous. Because he asked about our plans for this house, he also offered input to us about how to make this house best serve our needs for the twenty years or more that we think we may live there. This included comments on energy efficiency improvements, safety steps for keeping our foundation sound, and making the most of the space we have by building some permanent storage structure in our attic. On the day Ross was out the weather was rainy and cool. Even given the rainy weather, Ross still walked our roof and gave us several pieces of resulting important information about leaking chimney caps, overhanging tree branches, inadequate venting installations and more. He also walked the perimeter of the property with me, showing me areas of the deck that needed additional structural supports, part of a patio that had become uneven and was now listing towards the foundation, and commented on the placement of the home on our property relative to the terrain - and steps we could take to ensure that runoff and rain are properly drained away from the house and foundation. Ross also provided us with numerous references and resources so that we could learn more about the items mentioned in his report, and also offered us a contact list for contractors specializing in the various for attention that came up in our report. We highly recommend Ross becuase of his professionalism, experience, responsiveness, his awareness of "best modern building practices" which he referenced throughout his inspection report, his love for his work, and his willingness to tell the truth even when you don't want to hear it (for us, that meant telling us about the mice infestation in the attic).

The experience was great i worked with Dan, and he showed me everything step by step. The problems that Dan did see he was told me what probably needed to be done to correct it. The process was painless i would suggest him to anyone.