CRITERIUM-TAUSCHER CRONACHER ENGINEERS

Terrible.  I am writing this review almost a year later due to the lengthy issues I've had to repair.  I understand not every home inspector will catch everything but they should have at the very least caught certain things that now require repair.  They are also extremely overpriced.

We selected Tauscher, Cronacher because we wanted the benefit and expertise of a licensed engineer as opposed to a certified home inspector. While Anthony, our engineer, was certainly knowledgeable, we were very disappointed with the home inspection.
Here's why:
The inspection was too brief:  The engineer, Anthony, went through the sizable (four bedroom + a full basement) house in under 50 minutes. That's way too quick to do a thorough inspection.

The inspector never said a word to us:  From the moment my wife and I walked in, Anthony did not speak a single unsolicited word to us. We had to follow him around like a puppy dog, and I had to prod him about what he was looking for, any red flags, etc. We were in the dark the whole time. 
The findings were inconclusive:  After the inspection, Anthony invited my wife and I to speak with him near his car for five minutes. He asked if I had any questions, which of course, I didn't since he didn't provide me with any information during the inspection. He also rattled off a list of three or four "major" items that "may or may not" have been issues. The subsequent report was similarly vague. 
Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions a person can make, and a home inspection is supposed to provide clarity. However, the inspection only served to raise one glaring question: "What did I waste $500 on?"
 

This company came recommended by CDCLI and failed me. I was a new home buyer that knew nothing about homes. I was hoping for guidance and not just a company looking to cash my check and give me a generic report that looks like it was tailored for anyone.

The inspector Anthony came to my prospective house early and claimed he started the inspection before we got there. Then he starts to complain about the price that he agreed on at the CDCLI first time home buyer seminar in Freeport, LI. Now I am annoyed because I took a half day of from work to meet this gentleman and now he wants to argue with me about money when we already had a set price. Then he starts to complain that he was there early and that he was hoping we (the prospective buyers) would have gotten there early also. I wish he had NOT arrived early so I would have be able to look over his shoulder while hopefully he would point out matters I should be concerned with. By him arriving early he robbed me of an opportunity to ask questions about issues that he previously inspected.

There were tell-tale signs that the basement in this house had water/flooding issues like cat litter sprinkled in the wash room and boiler room to absorb water/moisture. Some of the walls and sheet rock had water marks which he remarked was probably just a one-time flood. It wasnt unitl after moving in and examining the ENTIRE basement myself that I noticied there where several water lines in various heights which meant the basement had flooded several times. I later discovered this was because my gutters were clogged and the perimeter of my house was not graded correctly causing water to pool near the houses foundation. HOW DOES AN INSPECTOR MISS THIS?! A ladder to peruse the gutters would have told the inspector that the gutters were full -- about 2 to 3 inches deep with leaves and twigs, etc.

In addition, because of water pooling, fresh mold and mildew was in my basement which the seller tried to hide by spraying the walls with bleach and changing some doors and door jams. There was old mold and mildew which Anthony said was an old issue (What a load of bull). The areas with mold and mildew in the basement were right below the foundation outside the houses where water would pool due to the clogged gutters and incorrect grading around my perimeter.

The washer and dryer also did not work. Anthony did not turn them on. We learned the hard way that the washer was broken when it flooded the wash room during its spin cycle. The dryer did not dry and made very loud noises. The hot water pipe for the dishwasher in the kitchen was frozen/locked. He did not turn on the dishwasher.

There are basic things to look for I now realize when looking to purchase a home which I have learned from reputable contractors that I have hired right here from Angie's List. Simple things like bringing a portable electronic humidity tester with you to check for elevated humidity levels in each room was not done.

I could go on about other things this company missed or overlooked in there report but I will not bore you with the details. Find another company or hire a GC to inspect your house. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. They just want to take your money and give you a generic report. It is truly disturbing to know they are still in business.

They are very professional. They have come down in price since I used the last year. They give really good reports because they are engineers.

They are professional. He explains everything and summarizes in a official report. Punctual, on time and very nice to talk to.