HOLMES INSPECTION CO

"AFTER READING THIS MEMBERS COMMENTS WE PULLED HIS RECORD, WORK ORDER AND REPORTS TO REVIEW. AFTER REVIEWING THE ABOVE FILES, WE AGREE WITH HIM ON 1 VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF HIS COMMENTS. THAT PART IS WE WOULD NOT WORK FOR HIM OR WITH HIM AGAIN. TO REITERATE A FEW BASIC FACTS: THE INSPECTION WAS DONE 6 MONTHS AGO. HE SET UP AN INSPECTION 4 DAYS IN ADVANCE - NOT 1 TO 2 WEEKS. HE REQUESTED HOME, TERMITE, RADON AND MOLD INSPECTIONS. WE QUOTED HIM A FEE, WHICH HE AGREED TO. AT THE SITE WE ENDED UP GIVING HIM A DISCOUNT ON THE FEE WE HAD ORIGINALLY QUOTED, BECAUSE HE HAD ORDERED SO MANY SERVICES AND SEEMED A LITTLE NEEDY. IF YOU GO TO THE DENTIST'S OFFICE TO GET A ROOT CANAL ITS GONNA COST MORE THAN IF YOU TRY IT YOURSELF. THE MEMBER'S COMMENTS ABOUT BUYING SELF TEST KITS WAS INSULTING - IF HE WANTED THAT WHY DIDN'T HE DO IT. HE WAS AT THE SITE WITH US. THE ROOF, GROUND, DRIVE, ETC WERE SNOW COVERED - MOSTLY NOT VISIBLE AND THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE LOW TEENS. THE HOUSE WAS A HUD, VA OR OTHER FORECLOSURE/REPO I BELIEVE. THE HOUSE WAS VACANT AND WATER WAS OFF. NOTHING THAT WORKED WITH WATER COULD BE CHECKED. NO PLUMBING, WATER HEATER, BATHTUBS, TOILETS, APPLIANCES COULD BE CHECKED FOR OPERATION, DRAINAGE, FLOW, LEAKS, ETC. WE RECOMMENDED HAVING THE WATER TURNED ON AND HAVING A LICENSED PLUMBER CHECK FIXTURES, APPLIANCES, ETC. WE FOUND MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ISSUES - ENOUGH THAT WE DIDN'T JUST SAY FIX THIS OR THAT - BUT RECOMMENDED HAVING A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN READ OUR REPORT THEN REVIEW THE WHOLE SYSTEM AND REPAIR ALL DEFECTS. WE FOUND UNDISCLOSED TERMITE DAMAGE AND RECOMMENDED TREATMENT AND REPAIRS. WE FOUND UNUSUAL COUNTS OF MOLD AND RECOMMENDED SERVICE OF PROFESSIONAL MOLD CONTRACTORS. WE FOUND FOUNDATION MOVEMENTS, PREVIOUS REPAIRS, WATER LEAKAGE INTO THE HOUSE AND WE RECOMMENDED HAVING A 2ND OPINION ON THE CAUSE AND CURE ON THE CONDITION FROM A COMPETENT FOUNDATION CONTRACTOR. WE RECOMMENDED THAT HE CHECK MUNICIPAL BUILDING RECORDS FOR PERMITS, ETC BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE A ROOM HAD BEEN ADDED AFTER ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION. AT LEAST HALF THE ROOF WAS NOT VISIBLE DUE TO SNOW. IT WAS TOO COLD TO OPERATE THE A/C. THE FURNACE WAS WORKING BUT MAKING FUNNY NOISES AND WE RECOMMENDED GETTING IT CHECKED. SOME OF THE KITCHEN APPLIANCES HAD PROBLEMS OR WERE NOT OPERATING. THE FIREPLACE HAD LOOSE AND CRACKED BRICKS AND ABOUT 4" - 5" OF ASHES COVERING THE FIREBOX FLOOR. A CHIMNEY SWEEP WAS RECOMMENDED. THE WATER HEATER WAS "RED TAGGED" BY THE CITY OR UTILITY COMPANY. WE HAD WATER LEAKAGE FROM VARIOUS SOURCES IN THE HOUSE AND PROBLEMS WITH DOORS, WINDOWS, GARAGE DOORS, ETC. THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH ABOUT EVERY COMPONENT OR SYSTEM. HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS GETTING A GOOD DEAL ON THE HOUSE AND EVEN AS ROUGH AS IT WAS HE WAS GONNA REHAB IT AND BE IN GOOD SHAPE. THE YOUNG MAN, CALLED ME IN LATE MARCH, TOLD ME HE HAD THE HOUSE STRIPPED DOWN AND HE THOUGHT HIS CONTRACTOR(S) MIGHT BE RIPPING HIM OFF OR HE WASN'T SURE IF THEY WERE DOING THINGS RIGHT. HE WANTED TO HIRE US TO OVERSEE THE SUBS. WE WERE STARTING A MONTH OF OUT OF STATE SEMINARS AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME. I'VE NEVER HEARD FROM HIM AGAIN UNTIL NOW. SOMETHING ABOUT HIS COMMENTS SOUNDED REALLY OUT IN LEFT FIELD TO ME. SO I CALLED A FEW OF THE OTHER PARTIES IN THE TRANSACTION AND HAVE BEEN TOLD, HE GOT IN OVER HIS HEAD IN TRYING TO REHAB THE HOUSE. AND THAT HE MAY HAVE UNDERESTIMATED THE COSTS INVOLVED - AND THAT HE OVERESTIMATED HIS OWN CAPABILITIES. I'M TOLD HE'S TRYING TO SELL THE HOUSE AND GET OUT FROM UNDER IT. AT THIS POINT, THEY SAY HE'S MAD AT EVERYBODY. I FEEL SORRY FOR HIM, BUT... HOW DO WE OVERCHARGE SOMEONE IF WE GIVE THEM A DISCOUNT AND CHARGE LESS THAN WE TOLD HIM? HOW HAVE WE MISSED MAJOR PLUMBING DEFECTS, IF THE PLUMBING IS OFF? I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY, EXCEPT IF YOU'RE THIS KIND OF CUSTOMER AND THINKING OF USING US - DO US BOTH A FAVOR AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE."

"THE MEMBER IS CORRECT ON THE TIME COMMENT. WE HAVE SET TIMES FOR APPOINTMENTS. ON 3 DAYS OUT OF THE WEEK THERE IS NO FLEXIBILITY AT ALL BECAUSE OF OTHER PERSONAL OR FAMILY COMMITMENTS. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE NO HARD FEELINGS - HERE ARE MY AVAILABLE TIME SLOTS. IF THAT DOESN'T WORK FOR YOU, HAVE A NICE DAY AND MAYBE WE CAN WORK WITH YOU ANOTHER TIME. OUR SCHEDULING CENTER HAD A NEW LADY, SHE LET THESE FOLKS SCHEDULE A TIME THAT'S NOT AVAILABLE (SHE SET THEM UP 1 HOUR EARLIER THAN OUR EARLIEST TIME SLOT). SHE DID THAT 3 MORE TIMES TO ME, AND COULD NOT SEEM TO GRASP THAT SHE COULD NOT JUST LET PEOPLE SCHEDULE WHENEVER THEY WANTED TO - SO WE TERMINATED HER. BEING USED TO A CERTAIN ESTABLISHED TIME SLOT, BOTH MYSELF AND THE OTHER INSPECTOR OVERLOOKED THE FACT IT WAS EARLIER THAN USUAL AND EVEN DRIVING LIKE CRAZY, WE WERE EACH ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES LATE. HE WAS COMING FROM DROPPING KIDS IN LIBERTY TO MID-TOWN AND I WAS COMING FROM A HEART REHAB CLASS IN LAWRENCE. (2) WE TELL FOLKS THEY'LL HAVE THE REPORT IN 24-48 HOURS (1-2 WORKING DAYS) AFTER THE INSPECTION. MOST FOLKS HEAR THAT AND SEEM TO OVERLOOK THAT WE DON'T DO THESE ON SAT OR SUN. I PULLED OUR WEB SERVERS FILES. WE DID THE INSPECTION SATURDAY APRIL 26TH. IT WAS UPLOADED TO THE WEB SERVER ON MONDAY NIGHT APRIL 28TH AT 8:38 PM. THE SERVER SENT THE MEMBER AND THE REAL ESTATE AGENT AN EMAIL NOTICE THE REPORT WAS READY AT 9:05 PM APRIL 28TH (MONDAY). THE MEMBER AND AGENT OPENED THEIR RESPECTIVE EMAILS AND VIEWED THE REPORT ON TUESDAY APRIL 29TH. IT WAS THERE MONDAY, BUT THE BUYER DIDN'T READ IT TILL TUESDAY."

"THE MEMBER CALLED US SEVERAL TIMES OVER A MONTH. WE TALKED IN DETAIL ABOUT OUR SERVICES. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT ON THIS TYPE OF INSPECTION (WHICH INVOLVES DRILLING HOLES IN THE STUCCO TO DO INTRUSIVE TESTING), WE REQUIRE A SIGNED AGREEMENT IN ADVANCE. I'VE HAD WAY TOO MANY TIMES WHERE WE'VE BLOCKED OUT OUR TIME, DRIVEN 30-45 MILES TO GET SOMEWHERE AND HAVE SOMEBODY CHANGE THEIR MIND AT THE DOORSTEP. A SIGNED INSPECTION AGREEMENT IN ADVANCE IS NOT OPTIONAL WITH US, ITS A REQUIREMENT FOR THIS TYPE OF INSPECTION. HE KNEW THAT IN ADVANCE. SEVERAL TIMES HE CALLED LATE PM ON 1 DAY AND WANTED US OUT THE NEXT DAY. I EXPLAINED WE ARE OFTEN BOOKED A WEEK OUT AND COULDN'T DO THAT. HE APPEARED MIFFED. WHEN HE DID CALL TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT THE SCHEDULER STATES SHE PROVIDED HIM AN INSPECTION AGREEMENT AND EXPLAINED TO HIM WE NEEDED IT BACK ASAP AND WE ONLY HOLD A TIME SLOT FOR 24 HOURS - AT THAT TIME IF WE DON'T HAVE A SIGNED INSPECTION BACK TO US (BY FAX OR EMAIL)WE OPEN THAT TIME SLOT AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE UP FOR OTHER CUSTOMERS. THE DAY BEFORE THE INSPECTION WE HAD NOT RECEIVED THE SIGNED CONTRACT BACK. WE CALLED HIM TO REMIND HIM THAT WE NEEDED THIS. WE DID NOT GET IT. SOMEONE SENT US AN EMAIL SAYING HE'D SIGN WHEN WE ARRIVED. WE HAD OTHER CUSTOMERS WANTING THAT TIME - SO AS HE WAS TOLD UPFRONT, WE CANCELLED HIS APPOINTMENT THE DAY BEFORE AND BOOKED ANOTHER CUSTOMER. THERES REALLY NOTHING ELSE TO SAY. DAN BOWERS"

"I WAITED ABOUT 2 WEEKS AFTER BEING PROVIDED WITH THE MEMBER'S COMMENTS TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THIS AND DISCUSS IT FAIRLY. WHEN DOING INSPECTIONS ON LARGER HOMES (OVER 3,000 SF) WE HAVE 2 INSPECTORS. MOST PEOPLE LIKE THIS AS THEY GET DONE QUICKER AND ARE NOT JUST SITTING AROUND WATCHING SOMEONE UNDO SCREWS, OPEN WINDOWS, FLUSH TOILETS, ETC. FOR 3-4 HOURS. MANY OF OUR OTHER CUSTOMER RESPONSES ON THIS SITE REFLECT THAT VERY THING AND SEEM TO LIKE IT. HE APPARENTLY DID NOT. OUR FILE SHOWS WE HAD 2 INSPECTORS ON SITE FOR 2.5 HOURS (OVER 4 HOURS IF USING 1 MAN). THE FEE WAS EXACTLY WHAT WE QUOTED HIM UPFRONT A WEEK BEFORE WE DID THE JOB. I BLOCKED OUT HIS NAME & ADDRESS AND GAVE HIS REPORT TO A FRIENDS 20 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER; ASKED HER TO READ IT; THEN TELL ME IF SHE HAD QUESTIONS OR DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE REPORT TO SEE IF A KID THOUGHT IT WAS VAGUE. SHE INDICATED IT SEEMED STRAIGHT FORWARD TO HER, AND HER ONLY REAL QUESTIONS WERE: (1) WHICH PROBLEMS COULD SHE ASK THE SELLER TO FIX (A REALTOR NORMALLY HELPS WITH THAT PART OF THE NEGOTIATION AND HE WAS WORKING WITHOUT HIS OWN REALTOR AND BUYING THE HOUSE AS IS - GOT A BIG DISCOUNT ON THE SALES PRICE I UNDERSTAND); (2) SINCE WE DON'T REPAIR THESE THINGS HOW COULD SHE FIND OUT WHAT THEY COST TO FIX (CALL A REPAIR CONTRACTOR). IN SHORT SHE DIDN'T SEEM TO FIND THE REPORT VAGUE, AND MANY OF THE COMMENTS ON THIS WEB SITE INDICATE HOW THOROUGH OUR REPORT WAS. BOTTOM LINE - WE CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE."