First Choice Building Inspections

Excellent job . Was thorough and honest.

it went well but, a few things were not on the list.

They were professional and thorough. They inspected my subject property at 9:30am and I had a complete detailed report before 5pm on the same day, a Friday at that! They definitely have earned their high rating on Angie's List.

Actually used them for two different homes we were considering. Extremely thorough (to the dismay of one of the home's selling agent) and extremely knowledgeable. Without a doubt the best inspection company I have ever worked with!

Lou was awesome I followed him around and he was very professional and did not mind me asking questions. He showed me things as we went about the home that were of concern to him as well as things that were minor. Arrived on time took about 2-3 hours. He noticed that my roof was new and said I should qualify for a home insurance discount which cost me an additional $85 but he said he would take the pictures and fill out the documents and I could contact an insurance company and see how much discount I could get and then decide if I wanted it. As it turned out I saved $250/year due to that report. I have since referred him to a family member who is also getting a home inspection and I highly recommend him. Cost was $450 + $85 for wind mitigation report

unknown

Lou was very knowledgeable and polite. He took the time to tell me everything as he went along and explained whether it was something to worry about or just an item to watch out for down the road. His inspection ended up saving us a large amount of money for repairs by being able to submit a very detailed and organized request to the seller. I would use him again and I recommend him to everyone.

unknown

He was very polite but he told me all these things were wrong with the house and after a lot of money spent he was not completely accurate.  
** just a note - I do not remember when I used his services because it has been some time so I just picked a date.  That is also true for how much it cost.

They were very good. They were just very professional, thorough and prompt. I have nothing bad to say about them.  

unknown

We have moved many times over the years and this is the BEST and most professional inspector we've ever used.  Lou was punctual, very detailed and found a number of issues with the late 1990's home we are purchasing.  His attention to detail was fantastic; he found a safety issue with the dryer vent / exhaust that many inspectors might have missed (just one example of many things he discovered).  He promptly emailed us an excellent report that outlined all the issues.  We provided the list to the seller for repairs, and Lou even came back out for a courtesy re-inspect at no charge.  I would recommend First Choice Building Inspections to anyone who needs a home inspection done!  There is a reason why the reviews are so good-- this is a top notch company.  Thanks Lou!

unknown

They were excellent. The guy did a really thorough inspection and he was really trustworthy. His name was Lou Brinbi. He took his time and went through everything. He pointed out a lot of things and we were able to have the builder come out and correct a lot of the issues he brought up. He also told us that the home was in really great condition. He was really impressed with the home. He actually gave us a discounted price because it was so nice. He pointed out a lot of stuff that if we hadn't had corrected could have caused some major issues later on down the road.  It was well worth the money. They were really prompt and on time. It was great.

I purchased a new 4300 sq. ft home that had not yet been lived in.  I even pondered whether or not to inspect as I was receiving a builders warranty but, as the saying goes, better safe than sorry.
I booked Lou and the process was very professional (he has an admin so  you don't have to wait for a call back).  As I am relocating, I could also not be present.
Every opportunity was afforded to Lou to say its new, its great and you are good.
While there is some disclosure, suggestions etc, I received a 60 page report, with photos of everything that needs remediation. Small stucco cracks, squeaky floor boards, a window that didn't open properly.
I found Lou on Angie's list (gut says realtors may be a bit nervous to recommend him) and I believe it was absolutely worth the money.
His admin did a nice job, payment was easy, and he was punctual and professional with a DETAILED report in approximately 7 hours post inspection.
I would encourage you to consider this inspector.

Being a first time home buyer, some things about this process can be a bit overwhelming, so it?s nice to work with people who are knowledgeable, professional, and polite. This is exactly what you?ll get with Mr. Prinzi at First Choice Building Inspections. 
He went room by room thoroughly checking all aspects of the home, while educating me on how things should function, what I could do to maintain or fix it and answering any questions I had.  He identified issues that needed immediate attention and items that I needed to keep an eye on.  Later that afternoon, I received a copy of the home inspection report that included detailed information and pictures of all that was discussed.
Also, Mary (I believe that is her name, if not, please forgive me) was polite and helpful whenever I called the office with a question. 
Thank you First Choice Building Inspections!

One time, through, explained everything and made recomendations, and I was emailed the full details of the report that evening.  Very curtious and a true pro.  Lou is the best.

After going through 4 previous inspections on other houses, FCBI did a good job.  | |The inspection report was sent to me later in the day - it way easy to read, comprehensive, with photos that had arrows and circles on the photos.  | |I also liked the suggested maintenance report provided.

First Choice did a standard home inspection and I added a Wood Destroying Organism inspection. To say that the inspection was thorough is an understatement. Lou reported back an issue with a burned on the stove and a problem with the toilet seal but the most significant finding was a dry-rot problem where the stucco installation was not done correctly. This caused me to go back to the seller to have them hire a contractor to fix the dry-rot and re-stucco the section of the exterior. At the end of the day Lou saved me nearly $2,000 in necessary repairs. But wait there is more. When the owner reported that the repairs were done, Lou went back and re-inspected the work and found out that the toilet repair did not fix the problem so there was another service call cost avoided. I then asked Lou if he could perform a wind mitigation inspection which cost an additional $80. This inspection resulted in a savings of nearly $350 per year on homeowners insurance. Customer care after the inspection report was delivered was excellent also. I was out of the State when the inspection was performed. Lou took the time to explain to me in detail the issue with the dry-rot and he provided documentation to describe how the repair should be completed. Lou sends you report as a link in an email. He was very accommodating as after the link expired and I could not find the report of resending the report. Two other important notes: Lou is not an expert in Wood Destroying Organisms but he brings a quality WDO inspector with him and, Lou does not do re-inspections of work that is done through un-licensed contractors..

Chose this business based on reviews here and on other sites.  Chose them over a competitor because they were up-charging for similar services and their ratings were spotty [also, the competitor inspected and signed off on a co-workers home.  They discovered after the sale the house did not have a heating system, AC only, even though the inspector said he tested the system].
Mr. Prinzi was on time along with the recommended WDO Inspector.  I followed Mr. Prinzi as he performed his inspections.  He pointed out areas of concern as we went and answered my questions.  I had some questions that came up during our earlier visits to see the house and he answered all of those.  There we a few items we asked the seller to address and Mr. Prinzi made himself available for the re-inspection, working around the seller's listing agent's vacation.  His electronic report was very thorough.  The IR camera and it's pictures were a nice touch.  I would not hesitate to use his services again.

Mr. Prinzi is the best, very professional, on time and very detail. This is my second time that I work with him. But his customer service crews are terrible. I feel so sorry for him. I called them this morning to schedule my re inspection and I know the policy, so one of the customer service said I need to submit the request online on their website which is I didn't have to do that when I worked with him the previous time for requesting re inspection, I thought this is might be a new thing for his company so I went to their website but there's no such thing about make appointment online. I called them back, one of the other asked me "DO YOU READ THE POLICY"? Basically they just want me to read the policy. So I told her that I used to work with him before I know the requirements for re inspection. Then they told me she will have Mr. Prinzi call me back. I am not sure now if I should referral him to other clients that I'm working with because of the re inspection thing. To make appointment for the home inspection, it is very easy and smooth but to have the re inspection, it is very inconvenient.

Mr. Prinzi's attention to detail and explanation along the way were extremely helpful to me.  Immediately upon meeting Mr. Prinzi,
I knew I had hired the right person!  His professionalism, promptness, and kindness made this process stress free for me!  He didn't mind that I walked with him through the entire inspection which was wonderful because I could ask questions as we went along and get immediate clarification of things I didn't understand.
A couple times, I asked his input for suggestions of some options for me to consider in minor improvements or enhancements for the home, and he was more than happy to offer wonderful ideas.
I appreciated the fact that he took all the time he needed for a thorough inspection.  
I highly recommend First Choice Building Inspections, Inc. and Mr. Prinzi to all customers out there looking for an outstanding Home Inspector!   His rate is reasonable for everything he did.  And, having the peace of mind before we make this major investment is well worth the price.
EVERYONE should hire a Home Inspector prior to a purchase.  It doesn't matter if it's a traditional, short sale, or "As is".  Everyone deserves a proper home inspection.  Call Mr. Prinzi!

BUYER BEWARE!!!

If you are having an inspection done prior to buying a home especially if new to the process as I was, I would like to advise you against using this inspector Lou Prinzi, owner/operator of FCBI Inc. If you read through all the legalese in the standard NE Florida Purchase and Sale Agreement there is a paragraph which talks about buyers right to inspect and states that the buyer is responsible for repairs of all damages resulting from any inspections to return said property to pre-inspection condition. That said let me explain what happened to me and hope no one else has to go through the same thing.
On a Thursday morning of inspection Lou arrived on time at the home meeting both myself, my wife and realtor. My realtor had brought her laptop with her and plugged into an outlet in the dining room and did her work while I walked around the house with the inspector. I have no issue with Lou's inspection technique, tools or demeanor. I found he was friendly and thorough during the inspection. It was what happened during the inspection and how he handled the matter (or didn't) that leads me to write about it here, as it was this website where I found him and decided to hire him based on his "credibility".
When testing outside electrical outlets, he found one in front of the house that will not reset after tripping, tells me and notes it in his report. Later while in the garage he inspects the breaker panel and tests it and lets me know about some single strand aluminum wiring concerns. At some point in his electrical system diagnosis, a circuit gets tripped- one that my realtor is plugged into and her laptop turns off since her battery was not charged/working. She came out to tell Lou and he says everything is back on to his knowledge, but that outlet is still not working so she has to find another outlet to plug into and does so. Meanwhile Lou moves to the kitchen to continue and while there I'm looking at appliances and open refrigerator/freezer doors to see its size and condition. I notice there is no lights on in either side and find that odd mention it to my wife but it was still cold at the time. Long story short, the inspections were finished, we all left went home and later that evening I received and email from Lou with the inspection report. After much contemplation and reviewing the reports we decided not to purchase the home.
Two days later, I get a phone call from my realtor saying she has some bad news- the owners were out of town that week and when they came home on Saturday they found a puddle of water in the kitchen and that the refrigerator's power was off. Owner says he found the breaker in the garage off and when he reset it it came back on, but all his food was spoiled and had to be thrown out. Now the owner will not sign a release of binder form saying that he is going to file a claim to pay for the damages which turns out to be excessive in my opinion and I refuse to pay what he is asking out of my binder money. When Lou is informed by my realtor and broker of the problem he refutes the fact that he caused the power outage to the fridge and refuses to take any responsibility at all in the matter. He suggests that I take it up with the broker and seller because he feels the claim is fraudulent and advises me to seek legal council if necessary. Well I have filed a rebuttal on the amount being claimed with the NE FL RE commission, but until resolved I still do not have my binder money back yet, I do not have a house and Mr. Prinzi has my $435 inspection fee and has not even offered ANYTHING towards the damages, let alone offer a refund for the inspection!
There's a lot more I can tell about this problem but do not want to into any more details than necessary here. I just want somebody else to to know that Mr. Prinzi's attitude and lack of responsiveness to my situation that HE caused is UNPROFESSIONAL! No one else was flipping breakers or testing GFI's in the house so how could it not be his responsibility??? Feel free to email me for more info- [email protected]

This is the second time that we have used First Choice inspection. The appointment was handled very efficiently with the customer service team. The inspection was completed on schedule. The report was very informative and provided an excellent summary along with details & photos of the issues. All in all very useful and very efficient.

It went great.  Low showed up on time and began the inspection.  He allowed me to show him my areas of concern then proceeded with his inspection.  He answered any questions as he went about the inspection.  When completed he told me when to expect the report.The report came the next day via email with a hardcopy arriving within the next week.