Paul Cornell & Associates

Highly recommend Paul and Bill Cornell for your home inspection. They were very thorough and took the time to answer my many questions and walk me through his concerns. Paul was also accessible for follow up questions and provided me with honest answers and opinion. All of my future home inspections will be done by Paul Cornell!

The inspection was extremely thorough. John was up on the roof and under the sun porch. He took numerous pictures and reviewed issues with us as he went through the cellar, the first floor, the second floor, and the attic. The inspection report is extensive and clearly indicates problem areas as well as potential problem areas.

The inspection went very well, and was extremely thorough.

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Paul and Bill are both extremely knowledgable about all aspects of houses: construction, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, radon everything that I can think of and more.  They are also very nice and helpful. They are pleasant during the inspection, and happy to talk after the inspection and answer questions and make recommendations.
This was the third inspection they have performed for me.  They may not be cheap, but the information is priceless.

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We have used Paul Cornell to 'vet out' three homes for us -- but we met him, and started using him, after he came to inspect a home that I owned and was selling.  He was used by the buyer.  I was astounded at the professionalism of the team, his knowledge, and care.  I've passed his name along to friends and family, who use him, frequently.  Everyone has been pleased.  I would never consider using anyone else, and I would never buy a house without one of his inspections.

His electronic 'review', with pics and examples have been excellent bases for negotiating changes in price, and have made us aware of what we were getting into. 

This is the 5th time I used Paul to inspect a house (for me and friends).  He came highly rated 25 yrs ago when I bought my house. I call him every time I need a home inspection done.  He does a great thorough job every time.  He gets there well in advance of the inspection time to scope out things from the outside.  When I get there he already has several things to go over.  He is very personable and explains everything as he goes around  and through the house.  He takes pictures of all problem areas for the report.   He checks every outlet/switch, opens every window.  He is methodical so that he can deduce the source of problems.  He knows building codes and points out everything not done how it should be.  When he is done, I feel confident nothing is missed.
While walking through the house, he explains how systems work for future reference.  He covers how to maintain things.  The report is delivered electronically shortly after and is very detailed.  He is available to answer questions about the report for as long as you own the house.
I will continue to recommend him to anyone who asks.   Most real estate agents want his number to refer him once they see the work he does.

Arrived early, did inspection of about 2200sq foot house we had an offer on.  Paul and his son did the job, both very personable and walked me through every little issue.  They were amazingly thorough and answered all my questions.  Received the official report 48 hours later, a pdf file through an email link, it was exhaustive and included suggestions for how to repair and potential options to address the issues.  The inspection was a little discouraging with so many issues they identified but it was helpful as we went through with the purchase and sale ultimately with our eyes wide open as what we had to tackle now and what would need to be addressed in the next few years. Well worth every penny, I would use them again on a home purchase.

John Gallagher did our inspection and it was the best home inspection experience I've had to date (this was the third I have gone through so far).  John showed up early and walked the roof, and even went under the crawl space of a sun room and porch.  On my arrival he gave me a detailed breakdown of the issues he found and his estimate of the age of the roof (which matched to what the seller had told us) and showed us pictures of any major issues he found.  We then took a thorough inspection of the interior of the house in all taking about 2.5 hours (added to the half hour he spent inspecting the exterior it was a total 3 hours).  He clearly documented all findings and took pictures.  The inspection was so detailed that I can't fit a full list in this review but he checked every square inch of the house including crawl spaces, and above ceilings when possible.  And he took the time to explain everything he found and allowed me to inspect personally when I wanted so I could fully understand the issues that needed to be raised with the sellers. 
The inspection was done in the late afternoon on a Friday and the report came early Saturday morning.  It was electronic, easily accessible through the company website and well organized.  The house was broken out into sections in the report and each one started with a summary of the conditions observed with some quick reference ratings and followed by detailed descriptions with pictures to support any issues found.  This made it very easy for me to then follow that same format when responding to the sellers about the findings and negotiating on the price.  
In all the experience was as good as any home inspection can be and far better by light years of any experience I've had in the past.  Given my past experiences I almost didn't do an inspection because they never seemed to find anything I couldn't see myself or gave no real information behind what they found.  Even my brother, who was there with me and is a licensed contractor, was impressed by John and said "that guy really knows his stuff."  You might think that all inspectors know their stuff but believe me I can say that is not the case from experience.  Inspectors aren't required to have actual experience in the trades so many, in my experience at least, don't really know the building codes or could tell you the potential causes of certain conditions they find.  He knew how everything in that house worked and all the code implications (including electrical).  He found code violations from an extra layer of shingles on a section of the roof to poor grounding of a sub-panel.  If ever I need to do another inspection I would definitely use them again and would recommend them to anyone who needs an inspection.  This is the first time that I've had an inspection where I walked away confident that anything that could have been found was and that type of confidence is important when committing to buying a new home.

Was thorough with the inspection and gave a very detailed report in a timely (within the next 2 days) fashion.

Paul is a wealth of knowledge. He and his son arrived 30 minutes early to start the inspection around the perimeter of the house, and then walked me through what they had already uncovered once I arrived. Paul was extremely thorough. The entire inspection took ~3 hours. He checked very outlet, every window, every crevice. He was extremely willing to explain everything to me and wasn't annoyed that I followed him around like a puppy everywhere. His son is also extremely knowledgeable and took photographs of everything, documenting trouble areas with painstaking detail with arrows in the final report. Honestly, I actually enjoyed the inspection so much, I called up a friend and mused that we should become home inspectors! Highly recommend Paul.

Excellent, this is the third time we have used Cornell & Assoc. Last time they saved us from a potentially really bad situation. This time they pointed out some issues we would not have otherwise noticed and also gave us a good overview of what shape the house was in. They were thorough and clear in their explanations, and let us be very confident going ahead with the purchase process.

Paul and his son arrived at the house a half hour before we were scheduled to meet in order to get a jump start on the inspection. They were friendly and not condescending even though I am a complete moron when it comes to maintaining or inspecting a home. They were very thorough with their inspection, climbing into dark corners, photographing problems and explaining their findings. 
These guys are extremely honest. As they were pointing out potential problems, I asked if they could refer me to tradesmen who could fix them. I was told that  they do not make referrals, so as to remain unbiased in their reporting.
In the end we brought in our own contractors to address the findings and Cornell was dead on in every suggestion. So far none of their suggestions were overly dramatic or complete misses. These guys are trustworthy, honest, accurate and priced very competitively, especially with the report you are given at the end of the day. I would recommend these guys to anyone.

He very thorough.  He was prompt, showed up early, and got the report back to us the next day.

Scott Molander completed the home inspection.  He was prompt, professional and made sure we understood all the different components in the our new house.  He went over the house with a fine tooth comb noting and taking pictures of everything which may need service, repair, or completely overhauled prior to the change in ownership.  My father in-law who was a professional home appraiser also felt Scott was excellent - so it was just a "newbie" home owner that Scott impressed with his attention to detail.   He was good at defining what could be a 'negotiating' item versus what was a critical repair to either the safety of the home or the occupants (my family/the current owners).  I would completely recommend Scott and Paul Cornell Assoc to someone interested in a trustworthy inspection.  The office manager and staff were also extremely quick to respond to questions and easy to get in touch with.
Paul Cornell and Assoc were a little more expensive than their competitors, but well worth it if you are looking to get an inspection on a "antique" home.

The service provider was responsive when we first contacted them, and it was easy to schedule for exactly the day and time we wanted. Scott actually showed up early, to walk around the outside and map out how he would approach the job. Throughout the inspection Scott was detail oriented and thorough. He did not rush, but was systematic and diligent in his approachHe was patient in explaining (and re-explaining) what he was finding, what it meant, and what the implications would be for us as the home owner. When he encountered an issue or potential problem he would keep asking and exploring until he found out the cause.
As a result of all his efforts we feel much more confident in knowing exactly what we'd be getting in to.

Paul and Bill did a home inspection and radon test for a house I was looking to buy.  They were very thorough, went through everything that they could see, feel, or poke, and wrote a very detailed report with pictures that I received only hours later.  
I was very pleased with the quality of the service.

I have nothing but glowing things to say about working with Paul and his son Bill.   The father-son team worked the inspection together, with Paul conducting the majority of the inspecting and Bill taking excellent notes, building our impressive inspection report as they walked us through the house.  Both Paul and Bill were engaging and extremely knowledgeable about homes, pointing out issues, explaining them in layman's terms, and maintaining a very comfortable level of humor with us through the process.
We were scheduled to meet at our potential purchase (a ~1600sq. ft. property) at 9am.  When my wife and I arrived at the home, we found that Paul and Bill had been there for an hour, taking pictures and investigating the outside of the home before making their way to the basement.  We walked into the house and were immediately greeted by Bill who introduced himself, explained how he will be writing down everything Paul says, and how the process worked.  He then told us to head to the basement to meet with Paul, who was busy inspecting for termites.  From there on out, we walked each room of the house together, with Paul and Bill explaining everything they found, why it is an issue now or would be in the future, and all along, building a comprehensive report.
After we finished with the inside of the house, Paul brought my wife and I outside and explained everything he found in the hour prior to our arrival.
I was expecting the inspection report by the evening, but as we were saying our goodbyes, Bill had informed me that he had just emailed me the report.  When I got home, I pulled up a detailed report with corresponding pictures and arrows drawn to the problem areas being discussed.
I cannot express how satisfied I am with Paul Cornell & Associates.  I would highly, highly recommend this company to anyone who is buying or selling a home.  They're exactly what you are looking for when you want to know all of the ins and outs of a home.  Even our realtor was impressed and asked us for their contact information to recommend them.

This was the first time I went through any type of home inspection, so I cannot speak to any past experiences. That being said, I am a very detailed oriented person who expected the same from the home inspector. Scott at Paul Cornell and Associates did not disappoint this expectation, as we went through nearly all areas of the home with a magnifying glass (not literally, but pretty close). I received a 65 page report outlining each area of the home, what was acceptable and what needed to be fixed/improved with pictures and rationale for the proposed fixes/improvements. The report was long not because this house was in complete disrepair, but because all the little things that can help the property be at its best were identified and outlined. For example - the house has updated electrical, roof, siding, plumbing, driveway, etc..some of the fixes outlined include the implementation of an automatic washer valve for the washer machines to prevent rupture and also floor attachments for stoves to prevent tipping. I believe the cost was a little on the high side for inspections of multi-families, but I know a great deal about the property and how we can improve and prevent other issues in the future. I would definitely use Scott at Paul Cornell & Associates again for my next home purchase.

I was more than pleased with Scott from Paul Cornell and Associates. Our home inspection time frame came during a vacation we had planned. They were able to coordinate with the broker to have the radon testing set up while we were away. Scott was on time and well prepared for the inspection. He did a very throurough job and answered all of our questions. We recieved our formal inspection in very timely manner. It was very complete and included color photos of issues. I would absolutely recommend them for anyone looking for a home inspection. 

I hired Scott to come and inspect a 1,851 sq ft house that I have an accepted offer on. Scott is extremely thorough and very personable. It's a long process, he takes his time but, he's a good guy so it's not painful and boring. He was extremely knowledgeable, professional  and informative. I would hire him again in a heartbeat. As you can see my date of inspection was yesterday, I already have the report this morning less then 24 hrs.... When it came to the report it was just everything he said broken down with pictures and descriptions (super easy to follow) you can literally walk around the house with him and not have to worry about writing anything down as the info is all there in his report. He's solid, 2 thumbs way up.

First off - DO NOT DO PAY FOR THEIR WATER AND RADON TESTS!  They are over-priced and take way too long for results.  In fact we never received our water report!  Do it yourself, get tests from a reputable and more reasonable lab, such as www.etrlabs.com/ in Leominster.  We paid PC&A almost as much for the tests as the inspection and didn't have results within a week!
PC&A also are pretty big on CYA, so don't expect too much out of the inspection report.  They were very good one-on-one during the inspection.  Although they pulled the classic 'get there 30 minutes early and do the roof first'.  When you arrive on time they will tell you 'oh, we did the roof first and found this and that', but they won't take you up there.  This is annoying, if you are going to buy a house, and pay for an inspection, and the roof isn't crazy steep or high, then you MUST walk the roof.  Preferably aided by a professional who can walk you through the various issue.  In our case the roof had all sorts of problems.  I didn't get a clear idea what they were based on the inspection and report and therefore had to pay a roofer to come out and walk me through the problems.  So I paid twice!
All the negatives aside, we really did find the remainder of the inspection helpful, both the inspectors were knowledgable and responsive to questions, and brought issues to our attention.  We did not end up purchasing the house, based in part on issues uncovered during the inspection, so it wasn't a total waste of money.  When we did find the right house for us, we had a different inspector and did the water/radon tests ourselves.  In total it came in $450 less than with PC&A and the inspection/report was just as good, plus we had our inspection and tests results emailed to use within 48 hours.