MACDONALD PROPERTY INSPECTIONS

An inspection report was provided and based on the inspection the home was purchased.  The inspection noted many surface issues with the home, that was built in 1947, that we accepted.  Beginning with the first part of the report; Eaves, Sofit and Fascia were reported Inspected or Acceptable; this is of particular interest once you read further.  The first notable is Exterior Outlets need to be upgraded to GFCI and need to be repaired, in fact all the Outlets were noted with this; a fact we took into account when buying the home.
MacDonald noted issues with Deck and Vegetation, all  issues we accepted and factored into our price. The Roof and Attic were passed as Inspected or Acceptable Except for Debris on Roof.  Visible Electric Wiring was specifically Inspected and Acceptable.
The Garage was inspected and had a deficiency regarding the infra-red sensor; something MacDonald notes is required by current code standards and identifies current codes standards were understood.  Same with self closing doors and GFCI upgrades; Notable here is that Mr. MacDonald's own picture when reviewed by a licensed Electrician and County Building Inspector identified Unsafe Wiring not mentioned in the report.  This wiring should have caused major concern to a competent home inspector as it identified visually that there were serious issues with the entire electrical system.  
The Chimney was inspected and Accepted. 
The Main Entry and Hallways were inspected next.  Notable here is that most of the electrical systems on the main floor were visible from the basement inspection as was the plumbing and a clear view into the foundation area where the wood construction meet up with the concrete.  
Once again, electrical outlets were noted as needing replacement.  
Living Room - Accepted except for a broken window and outlets.  
Family Room - All accepted.  This room had visual access from both below and above in the garage and attic.  A door was mentioned as were the outlets.  
Sun Room - Similar to Family Room.
Kitchen - Similar to Family Room and a stuck window. Notable; Plumbing Drain, Waste and Vent Systems Inspected or Acceptable.  This is notable.
Laundry - According to this inspection report, this electrical system passed inspection, notable.  There were issues with Dryer Vent and Laundry Sink having a crack.  Also noted was hosing needed to be upgraded. 
Hall Bathroom - Window Stuck. Plumbing Drain, Waste and Vent Systems: Inspected and Acceptable; Notable.  It was noted that the toilet was loose and the outlets needed to be replaced.  Also noted was that there was no fan.  
There is a disclaimer after section 11.8.A about the Plumbing Inspection.  We had no issue with this disclaimer and our displeasure has nothing to do with anything listed in the Disclaimer.  
Basement Bathroom - noted window issue and a crack in the grout.  The Plumbing Drain, Waste and Vent System were Inspected and Acceptable; this is notable.  Outlets needed to be replaced and there was not an exhaust fan.  
Master Bedroom - Window noted and Outlets.  Same with Guest Bedrooms.  
Basement - Outlets and an open box were the only things noted, notable.  Plumbing Inspected and Acceptable.  Stairs were noted as needing a Baluster.  Heating passed. A/C passed.  
Plumbing Components:  Plumbing Drain, Waste and Vent Systems were inspected and acceptable per the inspection; notable.  There were a number of noted issues with plumbing that we accepted.  The hot water heater and many of the fitting were identified.  The Gas System was also passed.  
Electrical System - most noted early is that the Wiring was BX-Metallic sheathed, this was not the case; we actually had Cloth Wrapped Wiring.  The electrical system was inspected and accepted; notable.  
Foundation and Structure - All inspected and Acceptable; Notable.  
Here is what the house really was like, once we began repairing what MacDonald noted as needing work:
1.  The entire electrical system was not to code, in fact it was a severe safety hazard.  The wire was predominantly Cotton Wrapped and this fact was notable upon review from the basement.  There were actual non-shielded  wires hot to fixtures that were not noted and there was power to grounds.  
2.  The entire plumbing system had to be replaced.  The house had no Venting in most of the house.  There were cracked pipes that had obvious leakage that were not noted.  
3.  There was extensive mold and ant infestation in one corner of the home. Both of these issues were visible upon inspection from the Attic, Outside Corner and Basement.  The mold was of such potency that two family members were treated in the hospital for violent reaction to the mold.  The mold and bugs had eaten away 40% of the wall and support structure of almost 20% of the main floor.  
I sent a letter to MacDonald that was notice that we were seeking legal advice, his reply came from an attorney in Philadelphia 
that was a dissertation on how MacDonald would never be responsible for anything, even if he was negligent.  
Anyone who can make a statement that they are not responsible even if they caused an issue, should not be allowed to be licensed in any profession.  The report was canned, the disclaimers canned and the inspection was in hindsight no professional.  This provider uses legal ease and aggressive  lawyers to hide the fact he made mistakes.  
We have not retained an attorney yet, but are still reviewing the extent of damages caused, we are still not able to live in our home as of today.   We do not in any way think this inspector is responsible for anything he specifically or even generally noted.  However, this inspector had a fiduciary and moral responsibility to mention the visible issues noted by other professionals.  

Pre-Inspection: I read others reviews of Andrew and his services and decided to give him a call to inspect a new home that we recently went under contract for.  Upon the first call he took all my information, provided his availability, gave me an estimate,  and was very professional during the dealings.  He followed up on items in the agreed upon time frame and was very pleasant every time we spoke.
Inspection Day:  Andrew arrived to the property early and was already starting to get his equipment unloaded prior to my arrival (I'm a big fan of punctuality!!)  He gave me an overview of all the things that he would be going over and encouraged that I follow him around during the inspection if I so chose.  Over the course of the inspection he pointed out things on the property that I would probably not have noticed and took the time to answer any questions that I had along the way.  He was very methodical in his approach and left no stone un-turned, this included finding things like a light bulb for the microwave being burned out/missing, a possible recall on the dishwasher, and a host of other things no matter how small to make me aware of.  The inspection took ~3hrs to complete.
Post-Inspection:  Andrew stated that he would have the inspection reports ready for my review later that evening and he delivered on his commitment.  The report is able to be downloaded for my keeping and he also stores the reports on his website for 5 years if I were to lose the file.  I feel much more comfortable in my purchasing of this property and will be using the information to either get most of the items addressed by the seller or provide a credit at closing.  Overall this was a good experience and would recommend his services to anyone looking to purchase a new home.

Called on Friday afternoon to schedule a Monday morning full 3 story Home Inspection; no problem in scheduling on short notice !!  Andrew was not only on time, but spent more time than I anticipated going through items with me in person; pointing out things that were very important, and even things I should just keep an eye on.  By the time I drove back to my original home in the afternoon, his Home Inspection Report was sitting in my Email box for me to read !!!  Now that is what I call FAST SERVICE.  I chose MacDonald Property Inspections because of the reviews on Angie's List, he offered me a discount as a Angie's List Member, and because MacDonald Property Inspections also offers the usage of infrared for scanning and inspecting in areas that have been covered, or hidden by remodeling.  I was especially concerned about possible hidden water damage, mold, etc.  I will most definitely use Mr. MacDonald again for our next Home Inspection needs; and I recommended him to my Realtor to add to her list of referral contacts. If you want a thorough and complete inspection done by someone with extensive knowledge; Andrew MacDonald is your guy to call !!

Our realtor highly recommended Andrew MacDonald when we started getting to the point in our house hunt that we were serious about buying. Initially I was worried about taking a recommendation from a realtor because I've heard horror stories about realtor's recommended inspectors passing a house with problems so they could make the sale. After having worked with our realtor as long as we have now, doing some independent research, and having seen other reviews on AL, I felt confident that was not the case here and chose to move forward with hiring MacDonald. 
The property was winterized and owned by the government, so scheduling the inspection turned out to be a bit of a nightmare, but he was never anything but cordial and professional, and he was great about moving the time more than once so that we could fit everything in and get the report back before the inspection period expired. 
Day of the inspection he arrived early and started looking around the outside of the property before I or my realtor got there. Even though it was common and/or the HOA's responsibility, he took a look at the outside features and fixtures, to point out anything that we should be aware of or need to follow up with the HOA about. 
Inside, he was very thorough, and worked quickly through each room, each fixture. When we discovered that there was a water leak, he spent a lot of time trying to figure out what was wrong, and used the infrared camera to get a better idea of what was going on in the walls. He had a lot of specialized tools for testing, and was very knowledgable about their use, building codes, etc. 
We received a very complete and informative report before the end of the same day. This was the second property we'd had inspected, (the first being done by another company) and the report was on par with what we've seen in the past. 
When we were informed that the contractors hired by Fannie Mae had completed the plumbing repairs, he came back with literally just hours notice and re-inspected for $89. 
I feel that this review's a little incomplete, simply because we haven't lived in the house yet to know if there was anything missed. I'll report back if my opinion changes.

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I was 100% satisfied with the service. Andrew was extremely professional and led me through the house in great detail, taking the time to answer my questions. I recommend MacDonald Property Inspections without hesitation.

From start to finish, Andrew was extremely professional and thorough. He spent some time on the phone with me prior to his on-site visit to understand the issues we were having and to understand a bit about the construction of the building. During the inspection, Andrew explained what he was seeing and how the infrared camera detects water. He did not dismiss any possibility, rather used the camera to rule out possible points of water leakage. I would highly recommend Andrew to others.

extremely thorough and professional with great follow up. iwould highly recommend

They have a small gadget they can point to the ceiling or wall and tell if there is any leak or damage. It is really cool and that is why I call them. Their equipment is transparent and can tell the areas of heat as well as the cold. They covered all the spaces they needed to and explained everything. They took photographs and sent us all the digital photos with explanations mentioned under each photo. They are very friendly, informative and helpful. Their inspections are thorough and excellent. Even though I haven't called since, they send out a newsletter through E-mail explaining what things to do to keep my house in shape during spring cleaning. They also inform me of anything to be recalled or any things that need to be taken care of. They also did the home inspection for the house my daughter wanted.