Miller-Hier Enterprises

Used Miller-​Hier (Steve Hier) for an inspection of an older unit in Lincoln Park. Steve was as professional, thorough and explanatory as any property buyer could possibly ask… and more. The inspection conducted was careful and considerate of all pre-​purchase pitfalls, general issues and also items which any buyer should be aware — good and bad. The best aspects of the inspection were Steve’s detailed approach and his ability to explain in easy-​to-​understand language to include common sense solutions for everything, offering estimates of time and money for each. I cannot say enough about Steve’s efforts and his worth to us in our endeavor. Would HIGHLY recommend as he looks after you, the buyer, with a bias only towards your benefit which is exactly what you seek.

Steve inspected my West Town condo. It was my first purchase, a short-​sale, a 120 year old building, and thus, I was all nerves. Steve quickly put my mind at ease. He was immediately able to point out the good, the bad, and the really bad. I could honestly care less about the hand-​written report (seems to be an issue for other Unilocalers). I paid $ 450 for his 40+ years experience as an engineer, contractor, and inspector. He’s seen it ALL and knows exactly what to look for and how/​where to look for it. He took one look at the water heater and said «that’s not up to code… the vent length and width isn’t properly ratio’d and water has condensed in the vent and leaked back into the insulation and corroded it.» I asked if we should open it to make sure and he said, very matter-​of-​factly, «No. It’s corroded. It’s a hazard. I advise you to replace it asap.» I followed his advice and the person who installed the new one and hauled away the old heater told me it was on the brink of total failure! Steve also pointed out the source of water leaks in the brick that was causing massive efflorescence on interior walls. In attorney review I inquired about the issue and found out that it was a major problem that the building had already had inspected by a structural engineer (that was paid multiple thousands of dollars by the HOA) whose assessment was the same as Steve’s! I also found out that Steve has an mechanical engineering degree — not to say that’s a requirement for an inspector — but as an engineer myself, I take comfort in knowing he thinks a certain way. Sure that last statement was a bit blowhardy, but this is Unilocal.
Steve’s the best. Unlike others involved in the process, he doesn’t stand to benefit from a sale. He only benefits from putting you in a safe home that won’t be a money pit. That is exactly what he did.

I had Steve inspect another home that we were interested in. He gave me very important information about the masonry, something that we needed to consider prior to buying. He informed me about concrete block and the roof, big ticket items, although he did point out the smaller items too (he is really patient) but I was more concerned about $ 1000 and up problems, not $ 50 problems. He is good at that. He is not about fluff and he does not present pretty reports on problems that are silly and discuss idiotic items, such as a dirty heater filter. He won’t even mention that, and I don’t really care since a filter is about $ 15. I expect my inspector to point out big-​ticket items that will hurt my pocket book. For that, he is the best. He sees things that other inspectors don’t notice, he sees masonry, he sees roofs, he sees foundations, windows, furnaces, hvac, electrical systems, stuff that really costs money and I appreciate that. When other inspectors have given me these detailed reports with not much except pointing out missing smoke detectors, I’m like, «Really? Thanks, what is your expertise again?» I am very careful on who I hire now. I learned the hard way with other so-​called inspectors (licensing is not rigorous, I learned before). Steve is so so good. Highly recommended.

Now I’m really bummed about hiring Mr. Hier. He advised that the fireplace needed to be cleaned. When I had it cleaned, I asked the chimney cleaner how dirty it was on a scale of 1 — 10. He said a 3 and it didn’t need to be cleaned. Had to charge me because he came out (I get that). Another hundred bucks I’ll never get back.

Steve inspected our soon to be new condo. He was very informative and spoke to me in very understandable layman terms. He found 2 things that he stated that the seller should take care of as well as informed me of smaller things that anyone with a few tools could easily repair, plus gave us advice of simple maintenance. The most important thing he found was that the water heater was not up to city code, the installer had neglected to install a drainpan under it which could be catastrophic if it were to ever leak. I consider myself fairly handy but this was something I wouldn’t have ever thought of. That alone was worth the inspection fee.

I have hired Steve Hier of Miller Hier to inspect two different properties. Both times he was extremely professional, thorough and educational. Even if the you are buying house has zero defects, a walk through with Mr. Hier will be extremely beneficial as he will explain to you how to best maintain the house and all its systems. Mr. Hier recently inspected a house I was considering, and found numerous major flaws a lesser inspector would have passed over. My electrical engineer brother-​in-​law who joined us for the inspection was quite impressed by Mr. Hier’s skills. No nonsense, knowledgeable and thorough. Highest possible recommendation.

Steve did an inspection for our condo building that was having some leaks from the windows. He did an excellent job and pointed out that the leaks were most likely due to the split-​face blocks. He also did a thorough check of the decks, drainage, roof façade etc. He discussed various possibilities as to where the leaks could be coming from, ranking them from most likely to least likely. He recommended sealing the bricks, which we did and we have not seen any leakage since then (although Summer 2012 was dry, this year we have seen enough rain to say that there are no leakages).
Steve is very knowledgeable and also listens very well.

Steve saved me from buying a house that looked good but was headed toward collapse due to water infiltration. Highly recommended — especially for masonry work.

Great experience with the very professional and friendly Steve. He explains problems and their probable costs in understandable terms, helps you determine which are pressing and which can wait, and gives you guidance on the best means of solving them (yourself if you’re handy, high-​rise maintenance crew, outside professional, etc.). Our neighbors have used him several times and we’re so glad they recommended him. Our attorney loves him because he’s very thorough but totally fair. Recommended!

I’ve used Steve to inspect both my condo building and an older home that I’m considering purchasing. In both cases, Steve was very professional in conducting the inspections and is definitely not afraid to get his hands dirty. He also insists on taking the buyer along with him for the inspection which is a huge benefit since you get to take notes and observe his techniques yourself.
Note that since Steve is a hands-​on kind of guy, he usually insists that the buyer of his services look at everything that he does. So don’t be surprised if he asks you to crawl into the attic with him, get into crawlspaces or even get on the roof like I did for my condo building!
I’d highly recommend him.

Steve not only inspected our (hopefully future) condo on less than a day’s notice, by the time we arrived for our 1 p.m. appointment, he’d already been up on the roof and noticed some serious issues. Inside, the condo is a dream, but knowing what we know – thanks to Steve – we’re in a better place in the process of buying our first home.

Steve did a very through job when he inspected the place we were buying and gave a very detailed report. He is very nice and was a real pleasure to work with.

Steve was able to inspect our place on short notice and gave us an honest and thorough report on the spot. He also did not even complain when it turned out we had the wrong lock-​box code due to a change in Realtor and he had to wait around with us for the new code. He even recommended a sewer company when it turned out our building showed that water at some point had gotten in the basement.
All in all, I highly recommend him and am glad my agent gave me his name.

This is actually a 4 ½ star review but we cannot give ½ stars here.
Highly recommended to inspect homes that are made of split-​faced concrete block. We were about to buy a home made with split-​faced concrete. However, during his inspection, he found evidence of water damage that is common to these buildings. Not wanting any part of this, we decided to kill the deal.
He is also a really nice guy and entertaining.
I do have to deduct ½ star for the actual report which is handwritten. I wish that the report was typed up in pdf format or document file
That said, if you are considering buying a home that contains split-​faced concrete, i recommend him highly.