Dokter's Home Inspections

Jim was really great about inspecting our first house. He walked us through every aspect of the home, especially upkeep as he knew we were first time buyers. I wouldn't hesitate a second to hire him again (and plan to next week for our next house!).

Jim was very thorough, highly professional, and incredibly helpful home inspector. The home we were purchasing was through a location company. The relocation company, which in form was purchasing the home from the seller's and selling to us at closing, had conducted their own inspection and shared it with us as a matter of course. Jim uncovered many additional issues that the relocation company's inspector did not find. Jim's thorough and very careful inspection saved us hundreds of dollars in repairs we would have been forced to make if we closed without knowing about them. He saved us his fee and then some. Like all home inspectors, Jim carefully and professionally noted all areas of the home that were not to code. He also helped us understand what code violations were serious and dangerous, and which he was noting as a matter of professional obligation. As young home owners, Jim's honest guidance allowed us to understand what issues were serious faults. Jim was very willing to listen to our questions and concerns as we were walking through the house, as we were debriefing with the inspection report, and he was also available by phone after the inspection for our questions. We were extremely happy hiring Jim and felt like he was severely underpaid for the services he provided. We could not more highly recommend Jim as a home inspector.

James Dokter is the best Home Inspector in the area. He showed up on time. We were buying a very large, 50-year old, well-built home in Holland. He asked that we follow along with him, so that he could show us every detail, and so that he could answer our questions. He prefers NOT to do gigantic homes, because they take a lot more time, but he analyzed our home with a microscope. He found a lot of problems, which we would have never found--but still didn't deter us from buying the home. He is extremely knowledgeable about the building code and standards. He knows the builders, the ages of old furnaces, hot water heaters, and central air conditioners, as well as major kitchen appliances. He is very up front about what he doesn't know or what you might have inspected by a specialist. He can tell you what has been maintained well, versus what has been neglected, and what must be fixed sooner rather than later. He checks under every rug. He is very serious and professional, and he is very agile and athletic. He whipped out his huge ladder and flew onto the roof so fast, to inspect the roof, the chimney, the gutters, the flashing, the stability of the structure, the ventilation of the roof, the caulking, the skylights--everything. He checked all of the plumbing fixtures, all of the GFIs, most of the outlets and switches. He even crawled up into the attic to check for mold and condensation. He checked the foundation for cracks and shifting, all of the windows, the doors. Let's put it this way. Jim Dokter treated us as if we were his own kids, looking out for our safety and our best interest in every way. He is direct and speaks clearly, and when he finished the inspection, he compiled his findings into a detailed report, and went over the report with us the very same day--and provided a second copy for the realtor, if your home purchase is subject to the inspection--aren't they all? We were very fortunate to find such an excellent home inspector. Jim Dokter epitomizes a man of skill and integrity. He charged us only $350.00, and we paid him double--because we felt that he grossly underestimated the value of service he provided, particularly considering the size and age of our home.