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What's wrong with my house? The Repair Symptom Finder

Find your symptom, see the likely causes, what to do right now and an honest verdict on whether it is a DIY fix or a call. The finder covers 37 symptoms from real Chicagoland jobsites, with typical repair costs on every page, from a $150 drywall patch to a water-damage rebuild that needs a crew today.

Emergency, including nights and weekends

Active water, a house that will not close, or anything that cannot wait: (224) 551-3643. 24/7 emergency hotline.

Which symptom are you seeing?

Ceiling stain below an upstairs bathroomBathroom · Act today · Urgency 5/5Deck boards feel soft or spongyOutside · Call a pro · Urgency 4/5Soft spot in the kitchen floor near the sinkKitchen · Call a pro · Urgency 4/5Stair railing or banister feels looseWalls & Ceilings · Call a pro · Urgency 4/5Sump pump running constantlyBasement · Call a pro · Urgency 4/5Toilet rocks or moves on the floorBathroom · Call a pro · Urgency 4/5Water line on the basement floor after heavy rainBasement · Call a pro · Urgency 4/5Basement smells mustyBasement · Depends · Urgency 3/5Ceiling water stain but no visible leakWalls & Ceilings · Call a pro · Urgency 3/5Grout cracking in shower cornersBathroom · Call a pro · Urgency 3/5Gutters overflowing in the rainOutside · Depends · Urgency 3/5Vinyl plank floor buckling or liftingFloors · Call a pro · Urgency 3/5Mold spots on the bathroom ceilingBathroom · Depends · Urgency 3/5Outlets dead in half a roomWalls & Ceilings · Depends · Urgency 3/5Paint bubbling on one wallWalls & Ceilings · Call a pro · Urgency 3/5Water heater rumbling or poppingBasement · Call a pro · Urgency 3/5Backsplash tile loose or falling offKitchen · Call a pro · Urgency 2/5Bathroom fan doesn't clear the steamBathroom · Call a pro · Urgency 2/5Brick mortar crumbling or missing (tuckpointing)Outside · Call a pro · Urgency 2/5Caulk peeling or molding around the tubBathroom · DIY · Urgency 2/5Countertop seam separating or liftingKitchen · Call a pro · Urgency 2/5Diagonal crack above a door frameWalls & Ceilings · Depends · Urgency 2/5Fence leaning after a stormOutside · Call a pro · Urgency 2/5Peeling or bubbling paint on the bathroom ceilingWalls & Ceilings · Call a pro · Urgency 2/5Shower drains slowlyBathroom · DIY · Urgency 2/5Holes or soft spots in wood siding or trimOutside · Call a pro · Urgency 2/5Tile floor cracked along a straight lineFloors · Call a pro · Urgency 2/5White powder on basement walls (efflorescence)Basement · Depends · Urgency 2/5Cabinet doors won't close or hang crookedKitchen · DIY · Urgency 1/5Door won't latch (or sticks) in certain seasonsDoors & Windows · DIY · Urgency 1/5Cold draft under an exterior doorDoors & Windows · DIY · Urgency 1/5Floor squeaks in the same spotsFloors · Depends · Urgency 1/5Daylight or drafts around the garage doorOutside · DIY · Urgency 1/5Gaps opening between hardwood boards in winterFloors · DIY · Urgency 1/5Nail pops appearing in walls or ceilingsWalls & Ceilings · DIY · Urgency 1/5Popcorn ceiling stained or damaged in one areaWalls & Ceilings · Call a pro · Urgency 1/5Fog or condensation between window panesDoors & Windows · Call a pro · Urgency 1/5

Written from real Chicagoland jobsites. Ranges are typical repair costs, not quotes, and urgent symptoms always deserve a phone before a webpage.

Rather have insured hands and trained eyes on it? That's literally our job. Free quote · (224) 551-3643

What else do homeowners ask?

Are the costs on these pages quotes?

No. They are typical Chicagoland repair ranges for planning. Every job is priced after we see it, and a free on-site estimate turns the range into a real number.

When should I call instead of reading?

Any symptom marked Act today, and any active water: a leak you cannot stop, a ceiling that is sagging or an outlet that is warm. Call (224) 551-3643 or open the 24/7 hotline first, and read later.

Do you take small repairs?

Yes. Small jobs and punch-list repairs are part of what we do, and no project is too small to ask about.

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