Today we’d like to introduce you to Tim Wojnar.
Tim, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My decision to become a licensed and certified Home Inspector began with my own home buying experience. I did not have a good inspection experience as there was a structural issue discovered that was not found in during the inspection within a year of moving in. I had to fight the inspector’s insurance for every dollar I could get and ended up settling for about 50% of the $25,000 repair cost. I was interested in inspection before then, but this event gave me a purpose. I didn’t want anyone to have to go through what I had to go through with my inspection and that when I decided to complete my Home Inspector Training and start my own inspection firm Home Inspection Geeks.
I graduated from Marquette University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering (2008) and from University of Illinois Chicago with a Master’s in Energy Engineering (2011). I was a little bit of a nerd growing up and with the technology boom that has taken place over the past decade, being geeky has actually become somewhat trendy so that’s how I came up with my company name. I wanted people to know that I am not your typical home inspector. I have a Master’s Degree and have actually done design work for Nuclear Power Plants. Not too many inspectors have that type of background.
The best part of my job is when I can give my clients peace of mind about probably the largest and most significant purchase they have ever made. I always give my best during every inspection, staying at the property several hours to make sure I find all the important defects. I try to talk to my clients in layman’s terms as well and follow up within a week of sending my report to make sure there are no additional questions. When a client personally thanks me for my thoroughness and helping them understand their future home a lot better, there just isn’t a better feeling than that.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I am still on my way up. Home Inspection is a hard business to break into because you rely either on people finding you on line or other real estate professionals referring you. Most of the time, people only need a home inspector maybe once or twice in their life times and therefore there is not a steady flow of repeat customers. I have spent a lot of money on marketing which if I could do over again I would do differently.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Home Inspection Geeks – what should we know?
Home Inspection Geeks is a premium inspection services company located in Chicago, IL. Most of our business is from pre-mortgage home inspections tied to someone buying a property. We also have done pre-listing inspections as well as single system (roof, siding, electrical, etc.) inspections. A great home inspection is all about three things: the inspector’s knowledge, the time and care the inspector takes during the inspection, and the tools used during the inspection. We use a combination of these three items to deliver a great product and give our clients great peace of mind. We guarantee our clients will have nothing to worry about and if some major defect does pop up after the inspection that we didn’t catch, we will buy back the property from our client at the price they paid for it with the help of InterNACHI. Very few companies provide that level of assurance to their clients.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My wife deserves that most credit. She has stood by me throughout this process. She started her own Interior Design company which in turn inspired me to start my own company. She did this all while giving me an even better gift, my 9 month old son Jake.
Pricing:
- Average inspection cost $500 (This is based off a medium sized house – 3 bed 2 bath – Smaller or Larger properties may be priced differently)
Contact Info:
- Website: homeinspectiongeeks.com
- Phone: 773-242-9358
- Email: tim@homeinspectiongeeks.com
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/home-inspection-geeks-chicago-2
Image Credit:
Tim Wojnar
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
