I hired Ted to inspect a 4000+ sq ft house. His service is well worth the price and already found problems that likely would've been missed by other inspectors. He arrives way before meeting time to inspect the exterior and surroundings of the house. Amongst other problems he found, he was able to detect 2 leaky toilet seals (both without visible signs on the surface) which we've since taken steps to address before more damage is done. He also pointed out potential entry points of rodents/squirrels into the attic. With FLIR infrared camera scanning every room, he was able to detect areas needing insulation.
Being an independent home inspector, I am certain that he does not have a conflict of interest to "get the deal through". The vast majority of home inspectors get their work from realtors' recommendations, hence an inherent conflict of interest. More than a few times did my realtor (who is supposed to be working for my interest) and the sell-side realtor voice out discontent about the detail and length of the inspection (double to triple the average inspection). I am glad that Ted stuck to his detailed routine despite realtor pressure.
As extraordinary as his inspection process was his inspection report (which comes in a sizeable binder) and accompanied PDF & image files. It was amazing how such a detailed report could be compiled within 1 day.
I constantly refer back to the report to find the wisdoms regarding when & how to maintain/service specific parts of the house. As a first time home-owner, this report has already proven indispensable.
I would highly recommend Ted for his House Inspection service and will use him again myself in the future.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $1,300.00
- Company Response
Hi Kim,
Thanks for the detailed overview of my service.
Getting to the inspection an hour prior to everyone else showing up, allows me time to analyze what’s going on with the exterior. When you arrived I was able to show you my discoveries and have some level of intelligent discussion instead of just pointing out bad, bad, bad.
You touched on a differential in my style of doing an inspection and an agent’s expectations of how long and detailed a home inspection “should” be. Agent interference used to be a common occurrence in my beginning yrs but most real estate agents pretty much leave us to our inspection now. I don't doubt that agents take every opportunity when I’m out of earshot to express their displeasure. They just don't realize when they say I'm taking too long, my clients are filled with glee that they are getting more than the average home inspection. Yeah everything negative agents say about me only positively reinforces my clients choice.
Yes you are right; composing a comprehensive and photo detailed custom report takes a great deal of time, I'm a little embarrassed to admit that it actually takes me 10 to 12 hours to compose. It takes time to assemble all the observations into a compelling user-friendly manual of your home. But that's not all: the following day after 6 o'clock we sat down and reviewed the report to your satisfaction. The review process usually takes 1 1/2 to 2 1/2hrs. after which I believe my clients are fully informed and comfortable with the information. The review process is an option, I haven't had many people differ this opportunity. So when you compare the average 3 to 5 hour turnaround industry standard inspection to mine which takes around 20 hours, my fee starts looking like a real bargain. More importantly you were fully involved in the inspection and in the report review. Most other inspectors are running off to their next inspection.Happy trails...
Ted Gilmour