R J Frank Home Inspections

I found Bobby a year ago via Unilocal.He did our home inspection and are extremely pleased with his work and his follow up. What I like about Bobby is he clear on who is customer is — you, the home buyer. His focus is on conducting a thorough and honest inspection versus caring about making a real estate agent happy to get referrals. Do not expect high tech software and high res photos in a fancy write up. Bobby is more about providing substance and a great knowledge base. I highly recommend him!

We had Bobby inspect a house we planned on buying last fall and he did a wonderful job. He was very knowledgeable about our home and what went into building it, and our home was built in 1955.
He let us know what were must fix items, problems that could arise in a few years, along with items we should bring up with the seller before buying our home. His radon test and conclusions led us to a seller’s concession that saved us money.
We were also on a very tight schedule for a closing deadline and he was able to work with our schedule and move quickly to meet our needs. It was a great experience and we walked away with a thorough documentation along with notes we wrote while walking around the property with him.
We ended up buying our home with confidence and would recommend Bobby Frank to anyone in the market.

I found Bobby through extensive researching online. He is extremely knowledgeable and was willing to consult with me multiple times over the phone before ever even coming out for an inspection. The man clearly loves what he does. He’s also easy to reach and very responsive.
NOTE: If you’re looking for an inspector who’s going to call it as he sees it, this is the guy. Your realtor/builder/whomever’s interested in just getting the deal done will not like him. This is a good thing. Future you in 5 – 10 years down the road of owning the house will love him. He’s a little more expensive, but brings more value for dollar than other inspectors I’ve worked with. No stone will be left unturned.
I was in the middle of a new construction and needed an independent set of eyes on my builder’s workmanship. Bobby’s first inspection came during the rough-​in phase, and he found a number of issues that weren’t caught. I then had him come out for our final walk-​through inspection, and boy was he thorough. He caught a number of issues that were missed, and multiple times my builder asked where I found such a meticulous home inspector. In the world of homebuilding, any inspector who’s able to impress/​annoy a builder is worth their weight in gold.
I’ve also referred him to others and they’ve been similarly impressed with not only his knowledge but his willing to teach and advocate on their behalf, especially in the face of a pushy realtor. I’ll have him back out to do our end of warranty inspection and could not recommend him any higher.

We are so happy we found Bobby! He did an incredibly thorough inspection, and was able to give us a lot of great advice. He was very friendly, easy to talk to, and even had an assistant to help us keep track of all the things he was noting about the house. I have to say I feel really good moving into our new house knowing that Bobby did such a great job on the inspection. Not only did he educate us on the home issues, but answered all of our questions in detail. He also called us to follow-​up with how things were going with the house. If you are looking for someone that you can trust and have faith in, Bobby is your guy! As a mother of a new baby who is a worrier, I have to say that Bobby really made me feel better about our house! He is super smart, organized, and detail-​oriented. So so happy we found him! You will not be disappointed!
–Marie and Alan Anderson

Bobby did a great job for us and I would recommend him to anyone that wants to know everything about the house they are buying.
He did three inspections for us since the first two uncovered so many things wrong and the sellers were not willing to negotiate down for all the things Bobby uncovered. Although these failed inspections cost me up front, I believe it saved me tons in the long run.
I would highly recommend you stay by his side during the entire inspection so he can teach you about the house as he goes.
In addition he is available to call after the inspection for any follow up questions.

Bobby Frank inspected a 1901 Old West Side home for my partner and me in early September, and we cannot recommend him highly enough. Based on research we had done into the house, we thought that it would be in great shape. Turns out that it was not. Bobby noted well over a dozen code and safety issues, the two most significant of which (visible/​hidden termite damage and knob and tube wiring buried within insulated walls and attic) would have cost us about $ 25-​$ 35K to repair.
Bobby was extraordinarily thorough, as one would expect any good inspector to be. What we think sets him apart, though, is the time and genuine interest he took in us and the house following the initial inspection. Based on his initial inspection and recommendations, we ended up bringing a structural engineer, pest inspector, electricians, basement specialist, and a building contractor to the home. He gave us great recommendations about good people/​companies, and he also provided excellent advice and guidance for us as first-​time homeowners. All in all, we spent at least three hours talking with Bobby on the phone in addition to the 5.5 hours spent on the inspection itself. It’s true that the cost of his inspection was more than with other inspectors ($ 550, at $ 100/​hour), but when you account for a) his thoroughness, b) the additional time he spent helping us out, and c) the fact that he saved us from unknowingly purchasing a house with significant and costly issues, I’d argue that the price was not only reasonable, it was unquestionably worth it.
We ended up not purchasing the home only because the seller wouldn’t lower the sale price to balance out the cost of structural and safety repairs. We’ll be calling Bobby when we make an offer on another home!

Bobby was very thorough, frank, and pleasant. He was happy to answer all the questions I had as I walked through the house with him during the inspection, and during a phone call afterwards. It was clear that he was on our side and knew what he was talking about. I learned so much from the experience!

Mr. Frank did a fantastic job inspecting a home for my family. I was most impressed with the level of detail that he inspected the home. He checked *every* outlet and *every* interior door to ensure they worked properly. He spent a significant amount of time in the attic to ensure adequate insulation and venting were in place. He pointed out a number of issues with a deck on the back of the home, as well, all resulting in me being able to know — walking into the home — what the issues are. I would strongly recommend Bobby to anyone looking for a good, on your side inspection.

Bobby does an amazing job; he is very thorough. Although that increases the cost of the inspection (done on a hourly basis) you will find out about everything (and I mean everything) about the house.
As a home buyer this information can give you a true picture of what a house will cost with repairs needed in the future. There are some problems you can live with and others you can’t; he gives you the information you need to make the decision. The realtor for the home we bought called him a «deal killer», although we bought the house anyway.

Bobby is a super great guy. I just spoke to him for the last 30 minutes about a foreclosure we want to buy and he gave me a lot of advice and steered me around some potential issues. I look forward to making an offer on this home soon so he can come inspect it. :-)