If you are buying a two-flat in Chicago, walk the outside before you fall in love with the kitchen. The exterior is the part of the building that takes the weather, gets cited by the City, and costs real money to fix. Mortar, porches, the roof edge and water at the foundation tell you most of what you need to know. Then verify with records, a home inspector, an engineer where warranted, and your attorney.
We are a contractor, not your inspector or your lawyer. This is what we would look at, in the order we would look at it. For a printable version, use our two-flat exterior inspection checklist. The wider picture for owners and investors is in our landlord and buyer guide.
Why check the outside of a two-flat first?
Because the City holds the owner responsible for it. Under Title 14X, "the exterior of a structure must be maintained in good repair, structurally sound, and sanitary." The unsafe conditions it lists include masonry joints not kept weather resistant or water tight, veneer, cornices and trim that are not properly anchored, and exterior stairs, porches and balconies, including guards and handrails, that are not structurally sound (City of Chicago).
Once you close, those are your problems. A listing photo will not show them. A sunny walk around the building will.
What should you look at on the front of a two-flat?
Stand across the street first, then go close.
- Mortar joints. Mortar you can scrape out with a key, joints that are recessed or cracked, and white staining on the brick all point to water movement. Our tuckpointing guide explains how to read them.
- Brick faces. Faces flaking or popping off a brick are different from a joint problem and cost more to fix.
- Cornice, trim and facings. Is anything pulling away, hanging, or patched with caulk and foam? The code lists unanchored veneer, cornices, belt courses, corbels and trim as unsafe (City of Chicago).
- Lintels over windows and doors. Cracks that run diagonally from the corners of an opening, or a line that sags, deserve a closer look.
- The sidewalk at the front. Loose brick or stone from above lands here, on people.
What should you check on the sides and rear?
The back of a two-flat is usually where the money is.
Porches and stairs. Press on railings. Look at the posts where they meet the deck, the stringers under the stairs and whether the floor feels solid. A permit is always required to repair or replace structural porch parts such as columns, beams, stringers and joists, with plans from an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer. Painting, power washing, and replacing a few non-structural pieces generally need none (City of Chicago). Confirm current rules with the Department of Buildings.
Gangways. Look at the ground along the side wall. Does it slope toward the building? Does a downspout empty at the wall?
Back wall and rear stairs. Check where the porch attaches. Rust stains, gaps and patch jobs tell you someone has dealt with it before.
On two-flats we often see a porch that was built or rebuilt without the owner knowing what permit it carried, and mortar patched with a hard material that does not match the brick. Both are things a seller may not know about. Ask. Then verify.
How is the roof and the water situation?
You can see a lot from the ground.
- Roof edge and parapet. Look for loose or missing coping, stained brick below the roofline and gutters that sag or overflow. If you can safely see the roof, standing water is a flag. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association defines ponding as water that stays on a low-slope roof 48 hours or longer and says it can clog drains and speed up membrane deterioration (ARMA). Ask when the roof was last replaced, and ask for paperwork.
- Grading and downspouts. A one inch rain puts about 1,250 gallons on a 2,000 square foot roof. The University of Minnesota Extension recommends soil sloping away from the foundation at least 1 inch per foot for at least 6 feet, and downspouts that discharge at least 4 feet from the wall (University of Minnesota Extension).
- The basement walls. Some cracking in poured basement walls is normal. A crack that leaks, shows vertical displacement or is wider than about 1/8 inch is the kind that typical builder warranties treat as needing repair (NRMCA). That is not a Chicago rule, and it will not diagnose your building. If you see any of those, get an engineer to look at it.
How do you verify what the seller tells you?
Start with the City's records. The Department of Buildings' Search Building Department Records shows permit, inspection and violation records by address. Check which permits exist for the porch, roof, and any renovation the seller mentions.
But read this before you rely on the search: the City's own violation dataset notice says the data is historical, may not reflect current condition, and should not be relied on for real estate transactions. It tells lenders and title companies to consult the title commitment for outstanding enforcement actions in the Circuit Court of Cook County or the Department of Administrative Hearings (City of Chicago). Your attorney and title company handle that part.
If the records show open violations, read buying a two-flat in Chicago with open violations. If a lien is mentioned, the City says fines and its repair or demolition costs can become a lien on a building declared a public nuisance, ahead of earlier liens except taxes (City of Chicago). That is a question for an attorney, not a contractor.
Also check the contractor, not just the building. If the seller says a contractor did the roof or the porch, you can verify a Chicago general contractor or mason license on the City's contractor license lookup.
Who should you bring in before you make an offer?
Different people answer different questions. Do not ask one to do all of them.
| Who | What they answer |
|---|---|
| Home inspector | The whole building, interior systems, general condition |
| Contractor (us) | What the exterior problems are, what the repair involves, what drives the cost |
| Structural engineer | Any crack that moves, a sagging wall, a porch or lintel you are unsure about |
| Real estate attorney | Contract terms, title, open cases and liens, closing |
We will not put numbers on repairs in a blog post, because they depend on the building. We will walk the property with you and put scope and cost in writing. To plan the money, see what a two-flat exterior repair budget needs to include. A home inspection has its own limits for the outside of the building: home inspection of a two-flat covers what it does and does not cover.
You buy the deferred maintenance. The previous owner's skipped mortar work, patched porch or ponding roof becomes your expense, and a notice from the City goes to the owner of record. We will not put a number on it. What we can say is that the repairs you learn about before closing are repairs you can price into the offer.
Looking at a two-flat to buy? Let us walk it with you.
Akats is a family-operated Chicago contractor, licensed and insured in Illinois, and bilingual in English and Spanish. We handle masonry, tuckpointing, porches, roofing, concrete and violations in-house. Bring us the address before you make an offer, and our violations and repair team will walk the outside with you and tell you what we see. Free estimate.
Common questions
Start with the outside: mortar joints and brick faces, cornice and trim, lintels, rear porches and stairs, the roof edge, and whether the ground and downspouts send water toward the foundation. The City holds the owner responsible for the exterior, so these become your repairs at closing.
Use it as a first look, not as your closing check. The City's dataset notice says the data is historical, may not reflect current condition, and should not be relied on for real estate transactions. Your attorney and title company check the title commitment for open cases.
A home inspector covers the whole building. A contractor tells you what the exterior repair involves and what drives the cost. A structural engineer is the person to call for a crack that is moving, a sagging wall, or a porch or lintel you are unsure about.
For contract terms, title, liens and open cases, yes, talk to a real estate attorney. A contractor can explain what the repairs involve, but legal decisions about the purchase belong with an attorney.
Sources
- City of Chicago Data Portal: Building Violations dataset
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Search Building Department Records
- City of Chicago: Code Modernization Ordinance, including Title 14X Minimum Requirements for Existing Buildings (PDF)
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Porch and Deck Safety
- Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association: Ponding Water Basics
- University of Minnesota Extension: Moisture in Basements: Causes and Solutions
- National Ready Mixed Concrete Association: Concrete in Practice 7: Cracks in Residential Basement Walls (PDF)
- City of Chicago: Title 14A Administrative Provisions, 2019 posted text (PDF)
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Trade Licensing
Facts last checked: October 7, 2026.
This article explains general rules and common situations in Chicago. It is not legal advice, and City rules change. For a specific property, check with the Chicago Department of Buildings or a licensed professional.