TESTIMONIALS

November 20, 2008
We discovered that our condo had a water leak that was likely due to masonry issues. We received numerous quotes that were all across the board in terms of scope and fees. Not being masons ourselves, we were unsure of how to proceed. Our real estate agent suggested that we bring Domicile Consulting in to help us understand the quotes and guide us through the process. That turned out to be the best thing we could've done. They examined our roof and masonry and then reviewed all of the quotes. Fortunately, the least expensive quote was the quote that they said was the most appropriate for our building. All of the other quotes didn't address the problem and would've cost us $5k to $20k more. They also brought their infrared camera and told us that we had a water problem in another corner of our place that needed to get fixed, which sure enough was wet when we tore the drywall out. We have since had our masonry repaired by the company they suggested and we have not noticed a water problem since.

Angies List, 1/14/09
Ross from Domicile conducted a energy audit/home inspection on our property. We live in a 100 year old home and wanted to better understand how we were using energy and where we were losing energy to help us prioritize our home improvement jobs.

Member Comments:
It was amazing! We learned so much about our house. Ross Neag of Domicile could not present himself in a more genuine, honest and professional way. He performed several tests on our house, used sophisticated equipment to see within our walls and was thorough at looking at house. Afterward, Ross sat down with us and explained his findings. He did so in a very positive way and was practical with his advise. We learned: Our appliances eat up much more energy than what new appliance would. We have an entire wall without insulation which is both a place to lose energy and is also a risk of fire spread from the basement to the 2nd floor. Our home after the inspection had little pieces of blue tape everywhere that indicated a place of energy loss. Many were easy fixes. As a result of his findings, we replaced our appliances, filled our empty wall with insulation, took care of the little fixes ourselves. We believe we have done what's necessary to qualify for energy star rated not to mention the piece of mind that comes with doing our little part to save energy. I would suggest to all homeowners that you have an energy audit. You'll learn a ton about your home and how it works. I would further suggest hiring Domicile and Ross Neag to perform the work. You won't find more caring individuals in this industry. I really felt that they had my best interest in mind. The entire engagement was a joy, educational, worth every penny and suggested for anyone that cares about their home and wants to take good care of their investment.

Angie's List, 12/15/08
I wish I had hired (or known about) Dan at the time I bought my place a few years ago. Like many eager first-time buyers, I had enlisted my realtor's home inspection contact, a larger, well-known Chicago operation (that starts with an "I"), which spent less time on inspecting my entire place, charged more than double and identified only very superficial issues. Our condo building was experiencing water leakage in certain spots. I was very impressed with Dan's responsiveness, thoroughness and the value of his work. He walked all three of us condo owners around the building, providing thoughtful comments and suggestions while educating us on roofing and masonry work. It's clear that he's been in the business a long time and knows when he sees quality vs. shoddy workmanship. He's very knowledgable about city standards and the frequent short-cuts condo builders are taking these days. Throughout the entire two hours he spent with us, he carefully took notes and pictures to document problem areas that needed to be addressed. He brought with him, a whole set of tools, including a moisture sensor that highlighted damp areas within walls. Within a week after his visit, we received a highly-detailed report complete with carefully marked color photos, which I was able to pass to candidates for the resulting masonry and roofing work. His report became a quick measure for assessing candidates, and I believe gave us the ability to set expectations with these vendors. What I really appreciate was his bottomless patience for our follow-up questions through phone and email, his courtesy, thoughtfulness and responsiveness as we asked him questions about pricing (how one vendor priced vs. another), product detail, questions to ask vendors, etc. He always told us to never hesitate to contact him to weigh in. In addition, he spoke to our vendors and helped us "translate" technical terminology. We received Dan's name through a masonry company we hired. Many of the vendors we interviewed were familiar with his work. When I receive outstanding and quality service like this--which is hard to come by, I will continue to be a loyal customer. Like any other good service provider for larger investments, trust is important and securing long-term relationships are key. I have recommended Dan to my friends and know when I buy a home next year, there's no question I'll hire him. I highly recommend Dan to home buyers and those in need of major repair. For a reasonable fee, get a sense of security, recommendations for how to apply your dollars on repairs, and better appreciation for craftsmanship of your home. He's probably a builder's nightmare, but gives home owners peace of mind.