City of Chicago Violations and Architect

[John B.]

I have an architect trying to get a permit for a property. He insists there are violations from before we bought the property even though (1) the closing attorney said we got clear title and there's nothing about violations in the closing documents (2) the realtor said he wasn't aware of any violations from before we bought the house and (3) no violations appear when we checked online on the department of buildings website (this one: https://webapps1.cityofchicago.org/buildingviolati...)

Now, this is an old house so some things are bound to not be up to the current codes. Are we really supposed to be fixing every single thing in the house to make it completely up to code before we can sell it? 

For example, we have stairs to the attic and stairs to the basement that the architect is insisting are not up to code and have to be fixed. He says he's been trying to find out from the city hall exactly what violations we have but it's been weeks. If these are really serious violations that we have to fix, shouldn't the information be easier to find?

It's safe to say I'm losing trust in this architect. Does anybody have a recommendation for an architect in Chicago who does drawings for SFH rehabs? Note we're not trying to do anything fancy, just want to get the house to reasonable move-in condition so we can sell it.

Also, what's the best number to call in the City of Chicago to find out about violations? I tried calling the city hall and kept getting passed from one department to another. It also seems like their system doesn't get updated much.

[Prashanth Mahakali]

Hello everyone,

I am an Architect here in Chicago and we specialize in building violations and also work with several attorneys who used to be with the City of Chicago. With regard to violations, in Chicago,,you buy a property, you buy the violations. We often look at multiple resources to find about violations and we also know what to look within the violations. A quick call to the easy permit desk at the city of Chicago is also helpful. We are also part of the "due diligence team" of several investors. Being an investor myself, I know what to look for and sometimes the violations do NOT require drawings. Please reach out to me if you need assistance and my team is ready to help! 

Prashanth Mahakali, AIA