Real Chicago jobs
Real jobs on Chicago homes. Each homeowner knew something wasn't right and called us. We inspected it, explained what we found in plain words, and fixed it.
Des Plaines, IL
The problem: Water came in during a heavy storm. The homeowner told us a previous contractor had tuck-pointed the chimney and cracked the skylight without telling her.
What we found: The cracked skylight let storm water in. We took pictures and showed her exactly what we found.
How we fixed it: We replaced the damaged skylight with a new one and showed her the finished work.
Lake View, Chicago
The problem: The HOA president asked us to inspect the drainage system after a PVC pipe broke during the winter.
What we found: The broken pipe let gutter water run toward the inside of the basement wall instead of away from the building, which can push into the foundation and turn into a much bigger problem.
How we fixed it: We re-routed the gutter drainage to the outside of the building so water runs down and away from the foundation instead of behind the basement wall.
Oak Lawn, IL
The problem: The homeowner called because water was seeping into her basement, so we came out to inspect the gutters.
What we found: The gutters were old and too short for the roof, and there were not enough downspouts, so water spilled and ran down against the foundation.
How we fixed it: We installed new gutters, rerouted the runs, and added extra downspouts with ground extensions to take the water away from the foundation.
Lincolnwood, IL
The problem: The homeowner said water dripped behind the gutter when it rained, and the gutters were pulling away from the fascia.
What we found: We inspected the fascia and found the gutter apron was missing. We took pictures, showed the homeowner what we found, explained what it needed, and fixed it.
How we fixed it: We installed the missing gutter apron behind the gutter and secured the gutter back to the fascia so water runs into the gutter instead of behind it.
Jefferson Park, Chicago
The problem: Water came into the basement where the hot water tank connects to the chimney, but only during heavy rain.
What we found: We were called to install a chimney cap, but noticed bricks were missing from the back of the chimney. We ran a water test and found the issue.
How we fixed it: Replaced the missing brick and tuck-pointed the chimney. No more water leaking because of the chimney.
Oak Park, IL
The problem: The previous homeowner had stopped using the fire pit. He called us to inspect the chimney.
What we found: We found a tree, leaves and branches growing inside the flue, and the liner needed replacing.
How we fixed it: We brought the team and installed a new chimney liner, finished before winter so he can use the fire pit again.
Evanston, IL
The problem: The gutters kept clogging. The homeowner is older and can no longer climb ladders to clean them.
What we found: We inspected the house and the gutters and gave him a quote. He said our price was fair and had us do the work.
How we fixed it: We installed gutter guards along the whole run so leaves stay out and he does not have to get up on a ladder to clean them.
Lincoln Park, Chicago
The problem: The homeowner decided to remodel the siding. When we inspected, we found the old siding contained lead, which has to be removed following proper procedures.
What we found: The house sits less than two feet from the neighboring home. Chicago code requires a fire-resistance-rated sheet on that wall to protect both properties.
How we fixed it: We informed the homeowner, followed the proper lead-safe procedures, and installed the fire-rated sheathing the city requires before the new siding goes on — so the job meets Chicago code.
Harwood Heights, IL
The problem: High winds in Chicago lifted the torch-down roof. The homeowner called after getting three quotes, and every contractor said the roof needed to be replaced.
What we found: We inspected the roof and showed what each option would cost, how long each one would last, and what the warranty covers.
How we fixed it: The homeowner chose to repair it. We sealed the lifted sections and the seams, so the roof keeps working instead of being replaced.
Logan Square, Chicago
The problem: The homeowner had many small repairs over the years and called us to look at the roof.
What we found: We inspected the house and checked the attic. The plywood underneath was rotted.
How we fixed it: The homeowner chose to cover it under insurance. We helped: we took good photos and checked the policy first so everything was covered before the carrier could deny it. That saved the homeowner money.
Norridge, IL
The problem: The homeowner had a few leaks and thought it was the chimney flashing. Another contractor had already tried to fix it.
What we found: We inspected the house and checked the attic. A small leak had rotted the plywood decking (OSB). From the outside the roof looked fine, but inside it was bad.
How we fixed it: We gave the options: repair that patch or replace the whole roof. The roof was at the end of its life, so the homeowner chose a full replacement.
Skokie, IL
The problem: The roof was leaking. Shingles near the ridge were loose, mismatched and missing, leaving the underlayment exposed.
What we found: Several earlier patches used the wrong color and a few rows had lifted or blown off.
How we fixed it: We replaced the damaged and mismatched shingles with color-matched shingles and sealed the area to stop the leak.
DuringHumboldt Park, Chicago
The problem: Another roofing company had started tearing off this home's roof and left it uncovered overnight. Then it rained, and water came straight into the house.
What we found: When we got there, the damage was already serious: the attic insulation was soaked all the way through, the ceilings were wet, sagging and at risk of coming down, and water had reached the homeowner's belongings inside, including their TV and other electronics.
How we fixed it: We tarped the entire house, not just the open sections. That sealed the whole roof against more rain and kept the inside dry and protected. The homeowner then had time to deal with the other contractor and their insurance without worrying about the next storm.
Cragin, Chicago
The problem: The homeowner's carbon monoxide detector kept going off.
What we found: The chimney cap was missing, and debris had clogged the flue.
How we fixed it: We cleared the flue and installed a new chimney cap.
Skokie, IL
The problem: This flat roof had been patched over and over in the same spot. All those layers of repairs built up into small ridges, almost like little walls. Instead of draining off the roof, rainwater got trapped behind them and pooled there, leaking slowly into the home.
What we found: Once we tore off the old roof, we found the paper-faced insulation soaked through and the drywall rotted and covered in mold.
How we fixed it: We tore off every old layer and all the built-up patches down to the structure, pulled out the wet insulation and the moldy, rotted drywall, installed a new flat roof with a smooth, even surface, adjusted the gutter slope so water flows to the downspouts, and extended the termination bar and flashing where the brick wall meets the flat roof.
Avondale, Chicago
The problem: A tree fell on the homeowner's house and she called us. The impact damaged the roof in several places, and water was leaking into multiple areas of the house.
How we fixed it: Because the leaks were spread across the house, one tarp wasn't enough. We installed multiple tarps across the roof to cover every damaged area and stop water from getting in anywhere.
Chicago, IL
The problem: The homeowner was ready to replace the old shingle roof and wanted it done right, with no insurance claim involved.
What we found: Once we tore off the old shingles, some of the wood decking underneath was damaged and needed to be replaced before the new roof could go on.
How we fixed it: We tore the roof off down to the deck, replaced the damaged sections with new OSB decking, installed new underlayment across the whole roof, then installed new architectural shingles, ridge caps and a new roof vent for attic ventilation.
Lakeview, Chicago
The problem: The homeowner was seeing signs of humidity around the ceiling of the 2nd-floor unit.
What we found: No transition flashing had been installed before, and the cement on the parapet was coming off.
How we fixed it: We removed everything, applied a chemical treatment for the humidity, tuckpointed the brick, applied a silver-gray liner coat and added flashing.
We'll find the cause and show you photos.
