History and Philosophy of Inspec
Inspec has advised building owners since 1973 as independent engineers and architects with no products to sell and no repair work. Read our vision and values.
An independent consultancy since 1973
Inspec was founded in 1973 as an independent engineering and architectural consulting firm concentrating on the building enclosure — roofs, walls, windows and waterproofing — along with related work such as pavements, outdoor athletic facilities and stormwater management. The firm was built around a simple idea: a building owner is better served by an adviser who has nothing to sell but judgement.
That idea still shapes how we are organized. We inspect, test, investigate, design and advise. We do not manufacture materials, we do not sell products, and we do not carry out the repair or construction work we recommend. When we write a report, the only thing riding on the conclusion is whether it is correct.
What independence means in practice
Independence is easy to claim and harder to structure. For us it comes down to a few working habits that apply to every assignment, whatever its size.
- No allegiance to a product line. We are not affiliated with manufacturers or contractors, so an assembly is evaluated on how it will perform on your building, in your climate, on your budget — not on what a supplier would prefer to ship.
- Findings before solutions. An investigation is allowed to conclude that the problem is smaller, larger or somewhere entirely different from where it was assumed to be. We would rather revise a hypothesis than defend one.
- The owner's interest is the only interest. Because we never bid the resulting work, our recommendations are not shaped by what would be profitable to build.
- Written, evidenced conclusions. Observations, test results and photographs support what we recommend, so an owner, a board or an insurer can follow the reasoning rather than take it on trust.
Vision and core purpose
Vision
To be a firm known within our areas of expertise for work that is free of error, for quality and value measured against what the client actually needed, and for giving our staff room to grow in the careers they have chosen.
Core purpose
To improve the quality of life for our clients, for the public who use the buildings we work on, and for the people who work here. That purpose is carried by our values: ethical, professional and moral integrity; work products that last; a stable and collegial workplace; and fairness between employee, client and firm.
The principles behind the technical work
Design for service life, not for the punch list. A roof or wall assembly is a long-term asset. We would rather resolve a difficult detail on paper — flashing terminations, transitions, drainage, movement — than watch it be resolved badly in the field years later.
Understand the building before prescribing for it. Enclosures fail for reasons that are rarely visible from the ground. Diagnosis comes first; scope comes after.
Sustainability as durability. The most responsible enclosure is usually the one that does not have to be torn off and replaced early. Extending the life of what is already in place, through sound design and planned maintenance, is where most of the environmental and financial value sits.
Listen first. Owners, facility managers and architects arrive with constraints we cannot guess at — occupancy, capital cycles, tenant obligations, phasing. The technically ideal answer is not useful if it cannot be executed on your building.
Inspec also maintains an Affirmative Action plan approved by the State of Minnesota.
Who we work with, and where
Our clients are building owners, facility and property managers, and design professionals who need a technical opinion they can act on. Some come to us with an active leak; others are planning capital work years out, or want a second set of eyes on a design.
We work from offices in Chicago, Illinois; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Wayzata, Minnesota. You can see the office details on our locations page, read more about the breadth of our building enclosure consulting work, or browse the technical papers and case studies in our educational resources. If you would like to discuss a building, get in touch with us.