PST Engineering

I Contacted PST Engineering to have them look over a duplex I was looking to purchase. I wanted to know what I was getting into due to it being a large investment. I didn't want to buy a place and then find out later it was a money pit. Being a single mom I didn't want to be taken advantage of by contractors out there by telling me that I needed to do work that was unnecessary. I have heard those stories to where work was sold that was totally unnecessary. Frank Comer was he Engineer that was meeting me out at the duplex I was interested in purchasing. He arrived about 10 minutes before our appointment. He met with me and my realtor. He explained to me the entire process of what he would be doing and then said that he would be evaluating the property for awhile. Then at the end he would walk me thru the home and explain his findings. Frank explained That I would receive my report in the next week, he asked me how I would like it. It was convenient he was able to email me the report. I contacted several contractors in the meantime to complete some work that needed to be done. it wasn't a lot of work but enough that I didn't purchase the duplex due to some uncertainties. I am so thankful that I had Frank Comer out to look so that I was able to make a very educated decision on the large purchase that I was getting ready make. It would have been nightmare for me and the kids to have leaky finished basement and leaky windows with the kids having allergies and asthma. It may have been costly to have him come out to look at a home that I may not have purchased but when I think of the 15,000 I would have spent on costly repairs that would have keep the home a healthy home. I know that I made the right choice for my family.

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I called the office and left a message. My call was returned by Robin. I told her what I wanted and she spent a long time on the phone  telling me about foundations, and Frank Comer's (the engineer) background and qualifications.  We set an appointment and she emailed me a confirmation along with a resume of Frank's qualifications.  It was at this point that I realized that Robin was Frank's wife, which explained the unusually long conversation with the glowing report  from our first conversation. All of this was handled very promptly.
Frank arrived at the appointed time and did a walk through of my whole house inside and outside, listening to my concerns and questions and making comments  and suggestions as we went. He did not do any measurements.   We agreed that I would pay for a detailed report, but one without drawings.  He shared his opinions with me about what might need to be done as well as options.  I was satisfied with his visit. He expected payment at the time he was there, but before I had received his report.
He said I should receive his written report within a week, and if I didn't  I should call him.  Everything up until this point had been fine, but my frustrations began here.   The week passed and I eventually called/emailed him and got a message back that he had been in court and was behind, but he would get right on it.  Time continued to pass and I made another contact and this time he told me he hadn't done the report because his son had  emergency surgery .  Again more promises that he would get the report done.  After I contacted him again I received the report- three weeks after the initial appointment.   There wasn't a hurry, but he shouldn't have told me I would have the report within a week.
After reviewing the written report, I was disappointed.  I found the information to be disjointed and somewhat confusing and mostly filled with general engineer's lingo  clearly written into every report, and lots of text absolving the engineering firm from any liability.  I had some questions about the report so  tried to contact Frank via both his personal cell and email and the company phone and email.  I made multiple attempts with no response. Frank did  finally contact me, but was "in the field" and didn't have my report in front of him. I felt as if I was bothering him with my questions to clarify the report, and felt brushed off.
I went ahead and contacted several foundation companies  and provided each of them with his report in advance.
Of the three companies I had, two of them said they found the report to be disjointed compared to the engineers reports they usually had.  I decided to go ahead with some of the work Frank had recommended. The company I chose to do the work had a question about one part of Franks' report and contacted him, but the call was never returned. I also had called Frank Comer's office to let them know a foundation company would be in touch, and they had my OK to speak with them.
I can't say  there was a problem with the quality of the engineer's examination of my home or even the recommendations, but I was definitely disappointed in the report I received and the lack of customer service that was provided after they had my money. This seemed to be a case where they were easy to reach when they were going to get my business, but very unresponsive after they had my business.
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Frank used his laser measuring device to calculate how much my home had settled and where. He noted that my main concern -- cracks in the garage area and settling near the garage -- were not from the house setting further. The driveway rose more from frost heave than additional settling. No great repairs needed.