HouseMaster

"Thank you for providing feedback – we welcome it because we always strive to be better. We are sorry to hear that you experienced difficulties. There are a few things that we need to say in response. This is the FIRST time that we have heard anything from you since doing the inspection on December 14, 2011. One of the things that we do that makes the process go smoothly is that we provide our clients with a vast array of ways to reach us; internet, email, call center, and often direct numbers to one of us. Additionally, your realtor could have contacted us as well. Prior to the inspection we send out an email with our contact information, Order Agreement, and Limited Inspection Guarantee. At the inspection we provided an Inspection Resource Guide as well as verbal instructions. You were advised in one or more ways that we provide a 90 day guarantee but that we must be made aware that there is a problem prior to any commencement of work – again, this is our first notification of any problems. We are NOT a pest control company. Robert is a home inspector and a termite inspector – who found and advised you that there were termites. HouseMaster did NOT treat for termites! If you requested a name for treatment we may have provided you with a name or two, but we DID NOT treat your home. It was the Seller of the home who asked us for the name of a pest control company – not you. Additionally, “tenting and spot treating” is a quick fix – it is the cheap way out and the company that we recommend doesn’t tent. If this is the procedure that was chosen, you get what is paid for, a quick fix. Tenting only kills what is in the home at the time – it is like fumigating for flees – it does not stop them from coming back shortly thereafter. There are more permanent prevention treatments available. Additionally, there is NO WAY Robert advised spot treatment as the ENTIRE attic was filled with frass, there was a section of the attic that was screened off and not accessible, there was frass in the back utility room and there were live termites found at the access into the attic – photos were provided in your home inspection report of all these areas – the entire home needed to be treated. We are uncertain as to why you did not receive the lead report – perhaps it went to your SPAM – but one would think that you would have called or wrote to us before now. You still chose to go forward without the report? Your home is 1558’ft. There were two inspectors. They were there an hour - or two man hours. That is an appropriate amount of time for a home of that size. The home was occupied at the time of the inspection and so many of the outlets were not accessible as we will not disconnect or move personal property, but all windows, doors, switches, lights, outlets and fixtures (that were accessible) were inspected. State and association standards of practice state that we are only required to do a sampling, but because we guarantee our work – which no one else does – we are very thorough and test every accessible item. Since you did not contact us about nor specify which counter you are talking about we cannot commit on it. You were advised at the inspection about the guarantee, given a copy of it, and sent one via email. We cannot take care of what we are not made aware of and two years later is too late."

"The Customer was advised at the beginning of this home inspection on October, 13th, 2011 (and the prior home inspection that he had with us), that we at HouseMaster do NOT do termite inspections and that it would be a third party vendor that would be doing it, but that we at HouseMaster arrange for the termite inspection for the convenience of all concerned (buyers, sellers, and realtors). During our home inspection the Customer was advised by HouseMaster that there was evidence of termite damage, and it was also reported in his home inspection report that there is evidence of termite damage (to include photos of the damage). There is also a sticker on the fuse panel (located right in the middle of the interior of the home) showing that the home has been treated for Drywood Termites, as well as having been recently (within a year) The Customer contacted us approximately two months after the home inspection (on 12/12/2011) to notify that he had a pest control company inspect again, and that they recommended treatment and that he wanted HouseMaster to assist with the cost ($830). We advised the Customer that our vender provides a one year guarantee, and that they would be more than willing to look into the claim from the other company and treat if necessary. We then advised that we would contact them to come back out to re-inspect. The Customer responded that he did not want them to come back. We advised the Customer that he would need to talk to them, but that we doubt that they would be willing to pay for treatment from another company if they were not allowed to re-inspect the home. That was the last we heard from the Customer until we were notified by Angie’s List of his comments/complaint. We at HouseMaster (Plant City) provide a 90 day limited inspection guarantee for our home inspection. A termite inspection is NOT a part of a standard home inspection per the state statues and would not fall under our guarantee, BUT it would have been covered by our termite vendor. We are sorry that the Customer is unhappy with the situation, but feel that this is between the Customer and the termite companies and not his home inspector, who did point out that there was evidence of termite damage, both verbally and written."