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Find the right Inspec service: enclosure inspection, testing, forensic investigation, design and commissioning from our Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis offices.

Start here: which kind of help do you need?

Inspec is a consulting engineering and architecture firm. We inspect, test, investigate, design and advise on building enclosures — roofs, walls, windows and below-grade waterproofing. This page is a directory: pick the group below that matches your situation, then follow the link to the service page that explains the work in detail.

If you are not sure which group applies, the shortest route is to describe the building and the problem to us and let us suggest the scope.

Inspection and condition assessment

Choose these when you need an independent picture of what you own and what condition it is in — for budgeting, due diligence, warranty questions or a capital plan.

Testing and diagnostics

Choose these when a visual walkover cannot answer the question and you need measured evidence — where water enters, how far moisture has travelled, whether an assembly performs as specified.

Forensic investigation

Choose these when something has already failed and the question is why, who or what is responsible, and what must change. Forensic work goes beyond describing conditions to establishing cause.

Design, specifications and construction documents

Choose these when a decision has been made and the repair, replacement or new assembly needs to be drawn, specified and administered. We prepare the documents; a contractor you hire performs the work.

Commissioning and performance modeling

Choose these when the enclosure has to be verified against the design intent, or when an assembly needs to be analysed before it is built.

Ongoing consulting and portfolio management

Choose these when the relationship is continuing rather than project-based — annual inspections, budgeting across many buildings, or advice as questions come up.

What sits outside our scope

We do not install, repair or sell roofing, cladding or waterproofing materials, and we do not take a share of construction work. Our role is to advise the owner. That independence is the reason our findings and our documents can be used to hold construction work to a standard.

Talk to the right office

Our offices are in Chicago, Illinois; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. See our locations or contact us with a short description of the building and the issue, and we will point you to the service that fits.

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Not sure which service you need?

Describe the building and the problem, and we will point you to the right consultant. Our consultants work across Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

Contact Inspec

All services

Building enclosure and civil engineering consulting.

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BEMS

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Common questions

Does Inspec perform the repairs it recommends?
No. Inspec is a consulting engineering and architecture firm. We inspect, test, investigate, design and advise, then observe the contractor's work during construction. Because we never hold the repair contract and do not sell materials, our findings and specifications are not shaped by what a crew or product line needs to sell that season.
Which service should I request if I only know there is a leak?
Start with an investigation rather than a design service. Facade leak investigation, moisture detection and forensic building investigation are all built to answer the question of where water enters and why. Once the source is confirmed, we can scope repair design or testing. If you are unsure, contact us and describe the symptom.
Do you work on new construction as well as existing buildings?
Yes. On new construction, work typically takes the form of enclosure design, drawing and specification review, hygrothermal modeling, mock-up and field testing, and building envelope commissioning. On existing buildings, it more often begins with condition assessment or a forensic investigation, followed by repair or replacement documents.
What areas does Inspec serve?
Inspec works from three offices: Chicago, Illinois; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Project locations relative to those offices affect scheduling and travel, so the practical answer depends on the building. Contact the nearest office with the address and we will tell you what is workable before you commit to anything.
Can more than one service be combined into a single engagement?
Yes. Most projects move through more than one stage: an assessment identifies a problem, testing or investigation confirms the cause, and design documents describe the fix. You do not need to order these separately at the outset. We scope the first stage, report what we find, and recommend whether further work is warranted.
What is the difference between the inspection services and the testing services?
Inspection is observation: we examine the roof, wall or waterproofing and document conditions, usually with limited openings. Testing is measurement: water spray, air pressure, thermal imaging or moisture scanning produce data about how an assembly actually performs. Inspection tells you what a component looks like; testing tells you whether it works.
Do you help owners select a contractor and administer the construction?
Our design services include preparing drawings and specifications that contractors bid, and we can assist owners through bidding and during construction so the installed work matches the documents. Contractors looking for projects we currently have out to bid can check our bidding page for available documents.
When would a building need hygrothermal or WUFI modeling?
Modeling is useful when an assembly is unusual, when insulation or air barriers are being added to an existing wall, or when condensation risk is disputed. It simulates heat and moisture movement through the assembly over time, so the design can be tested analytically before materials are purchased and installed.