ADVENT HOME INSPECTIONS

Fairly well. Dan did a reasonable job of identifying potential issues. He missed some things that the buyer's inspector noticed and downplayed some issues that the buyer's inspector identify as quite serious. He also did a separate 'damaging-insect' inspection that went smoothly (add'l $125).

Dan was very professional and responsive from the outset.  I called his number on his website, Advent Home Inspections, and left a message on a Sunday morning expecting a response by, at least, Monday and I got a call back a couple of hours later.  I was impressed! We scheduled an inspection for the following Wednesday and when we showed up at the home on that date, we found that, not only had he already arrived, he had already inspected the roof!  During the inspection, he was very meticulous and detailed.  He noticed a few issues that were troublesome and was very informative about what the implications would be to the home as well as giving us options we could pursue to correct them.  He was extremely thorough, clear and most importantly, calm in describing any issues that he saw and what they would translate into in terms of fixing/replacing etc. Dan is a PRO and very good at was he does! It is clear that he knows homes and has a talent for seeing the smallest details.  The Inspection report that we received was very polished and clearly written.  Each section of the house was covered in detail with color photos and detailed narrative, it was awesome. I absolutely recommend Dan for your home inspection.  A+++++

We were buying a new home, and before we signed the P&S we were required to get a home inspection to ensure there were no expensive issues that needed attention. As the new home was not nearby and time was of the essence, I found Dan using the state of MA listing of licensed home inspectors, available here: http://license.reg.state.ma.us/public/hi_biz/v_list_hi_order.asp?OrderCrtr=city and then followed up with Angie's list to look at the ratings. Starting with our initial phone conversation, Dan DeStefano of Advent Home inspections stood out from the crowd. He was professional, courteous, and knowledgeable, and gave me clear answers to all my questions.
On the day of the inspection Dan got there before us and quickly got to work setting up the water flow test; when I arrived he explained what he was doing and what the test meant to us. I followed Dan around through a very thorough exploration of every nook and cranny of the structure, inside and out. Being local to the area and therefore familiar with relevant building codes and practices, Dan had a lot of useful insights about the construction of the house, and what we can do to improve it. I learned a lot about the house from following Dan through the inspection. I really appreciated his courteous and thorough answers to all my questions.
We concluded the inspection around 5pm that day, and I was pleasantly surprised when Dan delivered his written report the next day. The  report was clear and easy to read, with lots of pictures to back up his findings. The recommendations were inline with the findings, the key recommendations were summarized. He did find a few issues, nothing really serious, and I am pleased to
say the Sellers agreed to fix them before we signed the P&S to buy the house.
I strongly recommend Dan for your next home inspection.

Dan DeStefano of Advent Home Inspections did what I would consider an outstanding job inspecting a home for me. I'm sure there are many competent Inspectors out there; I can't imagine Dan would be anywhere but at the top of the list.  If you're looking for a Home Inspector who notices every detail, seems to miss nothing, explains everything, can reconstruct the history of a 200 year old house by walking through it, and then produces an incredibly detailed report (complete with photos), you should book Dan.I highly recommend him; for an old home or new construction.  I gave him a B for price because you can find Inspectors for less.  He should have an A++ for VALUE.  If you're investing in a home purchase, paying for Dan makes a lot of sense.Home for sale

Dan was amazing.  He did his research before showing up, on time, to the inspection.  He estimated 2-3 hours time, but it ended up being 3.5 hours because he kept finding things to look at and warn us about.  He was very thorough and took apart items to probe further.  My contractor certainly didn't do that!  Dan was very responsive and continues to be responsive when I have questions pertaining to his report.  His report was exceptionally detailed-even my contractor was impressed.  I would most certainly use Dan in the future.

This was the second home inspection we had Dan perform.  He is punctual, knowledgeable, and professional. He is easy connect with via email and cell phone and sets appointments quickly.  We were able to get him out the next morning for an inspection.   What I really liked is as he walked us through the house he would explain and show what was good or
what he has concerns about,  heating, duct work, pest problems,  flashing,  roofing, and even when we should double check on permits.  His reports are prompt (within 24 hours) and detailed.  His suggestions on the inspection items have been spot on and saved us from one bad investment.

Dan was professional and responsive from the beginning.  We sent an email inquiry on Saturday morning and got a call back a couple of hours later.  You could tell that he had researched the property via MLS listings and satellite/aerial view maps online.  He was easy to schedule with and was pretty easily able to accommodate our schedule.
On the day of the inspection, he arrived early, did a preliminary walk around the outside and despite the bitingly cold wind was smiling and friendly.  Over the course of the inspection, he spotted a few issues (slightly settling of a door frame, blocked damper in a chimney etc) and was very upfront about what that could mean not only in the big picture of the house but to us should we choose to buy it.  He was thorough, clear and most importantly, calm in describing any issues that he saw and what they would translate into in terms of fixing/replacing etc and he reiterated a couple of times that we should feel free to contact him if we got to the point of owning the house and wanting an opinion on repairs etc.   For us as first time home buyers, looking at a 100+ year old house, we were nervous about what could turn up but Dan helped us understand which of his findings were 'usual' for a house of that age and which were cause for concern.
It is clear that he knows homes and has a talent for seeing the smallest details.  The written narrative style report has been a wonderful resource full of photos, details and recommendations that I'm sure we'll continue to reference.

We were referred to Dan by our real estate attorney, who said "Advent is the only inspection service I will ever use." We have a large, new house that needed a thorough combing over, and Dan did just that. The thing I most appreciated was that every element he inspected was a teaching moment, as I followed him around for the 3-hour process. He taught me about the home systems, what to look for, how often to check our well, foundation, heater filter, etc. I am going in to this home purchase feeling knowledgeable and prepared, which is quite a testament to Dan's teaching. If you do hire Advent (which I suggest you do), I also suggest taking advantage of the time with him, and soaking up all the knowledge you can!

Dan was very thorough in the inspection, it took about 3-4 hours. He patiently explained each item and talked to any concerns he had. He put everything into great perspective for prioritizing between different issues the home had, what was serious, what was minor. He explained what items needed fixing right away and what could be deferred. This was helpful in our negotiations on the property and on budgeting fixes for issues. He also documented everything in a very complete helpful report with included color photos and recommendations on repair steps.One item I was very impressed with was Dan's integrity. He has no relationships with realtors, who often have an inspector to recommend. He also does not recommend specific repair contractors. Both these practices keep him very fair and impartial in his evaluation of the condition and needed repairs in a home. The fact that he is very honest and thorough may put him on the bad list of some realtors, but I felt confident he would not sugar coat any aspects of the evaluation. I would not hesitate to use Advent Home Inspection again for another inspection of a home, and would recommend Advent strongly to friends.

He did a very thorough job. He took his time and never rushed making sure that we were as educated as possible. Thankfully he found an issue in the foundation that would have cost us thousands of dollars to fix thus resulting in us not purchasing the home. I will definitely use him again!

Dan was referred to me by several coworkers, who could not stop praising his completeness, professionalism and his helpfullness throughout their home-buying process (and afterwards, as they encountered some problems during remodelling). He actually exceeded my expectations!! He was a pleasure to work with, and his inspection report could not have been better written and organized! I will definitely use him again, and I highly recommend him to anyone who needs a home inspected.

He did a very good job. He did more than inspection and commented on few other things very well. He had a very good review on Angie’s list and that’s why I used him. I recommend him highly. He communicates very well and his report was effectively written. It was user friendly, accessible and also had pictures. He was very organized and effective in communicating.

Dan was great! This is the second time I have used him. When I called him he gave me several times over the next several days when he had availability. He spent 4 hours and found several items that the seller's previous inspection had missed. He is very thorough. He actually goes up on the roof to inspect it, as opposed to most inspectors who just look at the roof through binoculars. His report is excellent, and it includes photos of areas of concern. Dan takes the time to explain everything to you as he goes through the inspection. Not the cheapest, but excellent service.

Dan was wonderful, he spent 6 hours looking over every inch of the house - well worth it - saved us thousands of dollars in repair costs by thoroughly documenting and photographing some damage which convinced the seller to do the repairs. He also recommended having the septic pipe video line inspected which we did and discovered that the septic pipe was leaking raw sewage underneath the addition to the house! Our realtor said that the inspection Dan did for us was the most thorough she had ever seen in her 20 years of experience. He's pricey but well worth it, especially for an older home.

Dan was very good and thorough, and based on his advice we were able to get the previous home owners to perform 10-15 small and medium sized repairs. We received his written report within 24 hours, and it included enough information for us to thoroughly understand all the problem areas, giving us the background to negotiate knowledgeably for their resolution. The pricing was high, but Dan's after inspection advice, service, and responsiveness (in addition to the report) added significant value that we hadn't expected.

Dan DeStefano was recommended to us by our buyer's broker as someone who specializes in historic and antique homes, and has an appreciation for their charms and potential areas of concern. He was familiar with the older radiant heat in our home, and evaluated other unusual features with a practiced eye. We encountered a few difficulties in the process, but were especially impressed with Dan's integrity and professionalism in working through these with us.

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VERY THOROUGH JOB. A GOOD ADVOCATE FOR THE HOME BUYER. NOT THE CHEAPEST BUT WORTH THE MONEY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE BUYING AN OLDER HOUSE.