Professional Home Inspection Service
About us
Services: General Home Inspections, Radon Testing, Radon Mitigation, Mold, Lead and Asbestos (Sampling, Inspections and Assessment), Well Testing and Water Quality, Septic Testing, Wood Destroying Insect Inspections Three full time NYS licensed home inspectors, Keith Oberg, George Schambach, Fred Lawrence, are certified members of the American Society of Home Inspectors. All required licenses, certifications, insurances maintained. Serving the southern tier of NY and northeast PA.
Business highlights
37 years of experience
Services we offer
& lead, Home inspection, also radon mitigation systems., asbestos, environmental testing, including mold, radon testing, septic dye testing, water quality tests, well flow testing, wood destroying insect report
Amenities
Free Estimates
Yes
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
Reviews
4.815 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 87% | ||
| 7% | ||
| 7% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 0% |
Showing 1-15 of 15 reviews
Bradford F.
Nov 2015
unknown
Margaret K.
May 2015
The staff was very responsive to my request to evaluate my home for the presence of radon. I explained the readings I had gotten with kits from NYS and Bonnie sent George out within a few days. He looked at my situation with a finished basement and limited areas where the system could be installed. I also mentioned to him that I was concerned about damage, dust, dirt and he assured me the work would be done to my satisfaction. Indeed it was. The two installers came, knew just what they had to do and went to work. Within 4 hours, all was done, cleaned up etc. Follow-up radon reading showed the system did just what it was suppesed to do. I couldn't be more pleased with this company.
Russell F.
Sep 2014
unknown
Sue G.
Jun 2014
Keith, and his co-worker, arrived on time, explained what they were going to do and started their inspection. We followed along, watching Keith take many pictures, writing comments on what looked like an iPad. He spent a good amount of time walking though each room, testing the electric, looking in the attic and basement, climbing on the roof, etc... I was very impressed. In a day or two, the final report was put on a portal, so I could access it from my own computer. I would recommend Professional Home Inspection to anyone who needs a licensed inspector.
Response from Professional Home Inspection Service
"Thank you for taking the time to post a review of our services on Angie's List. Please let us know if we can be of further service in the future as you enjoy your new home."
Robert L.
Dec 2012
I was going to buy a house for the first time and reached out to locals and angies list to find the most thorough home inspector. All referals lead to Keith and Professional home inspection service. Keith arrived on time and started pointing out things I wouldn't have thought to look for. He was very thorough, took pictures, gave explanations and provided estimates for repairs when I requested them. I received all the reports within a few days. The sellers dropped their price approximately $6,000 but I still wasn't satisified once I knew all the work that needed to be done to make it right. Although the house didn't live up to my expectations the inspection service did and I will definitely use it again.
Response from Professional Home Inspection Service
"Thank you for providing the review of our services. We look forward to working with you again as you move forward."
Brittany T.
Nov 2012
The man who cam and did the inspection was very friendly and seemed knowledgeable and helpful. He gave us an estimated life of 10-15 years on the roof of the house we were to buy. However, when our appraiser asked us to get a 2nd opinion on the state of the roof two separate roofers said that the roof needed immediate replacing and was currently leaking. At this point we had already spend over $1000 in fees for the mortgage, realtor, and lawyer. Given the high cost of repair (as the roof needed a total tear-off), we were forced to forfeit this money and leave our contract on the home. Overall, given our experience I would never recommend this service.
Response from Professional Home Inspection Service
"We are sorry that you received information from others that contradicted our report. However, we stand by our report and the professional opinion that we expressed. Determining the remaining life of a roof is a judgment that often varies from one professional to another. More importantly, because we are not in the business of installing roofing, we can be a totally unbiased in our evaluation. This helps ensure that our opinion is honest and accurate. We urge any of our clients who receive an opinion from a repair contractor that is different from our own to contact us immediately. We want the truth to prevail. If we are in error, we will be the first to admit it. However, if we are correct in our assessment, our clients should have the benefit of that knowledge, so they can make a properly informed decision regarding their prospective home purchase."
Brian K.
Oct 2012
I was well pleased. I called them in the morning and they came out that afternoon. They did their initial testing to find the levels. They talked to me immediately there after. We discussed price and I agreed to it and they did the work the next day. They were very efficient and very convenient. They did a good job. Quality of work was excellent.
Margaret A.
Jul 2012
This is the third time that I have hired Jim Salmon. He is incredibly thorough and professional. He gives a complete written report immediately after finishing his inspection. He is fair, and I know that he has my best interests at heart. Incredible expertise.
Alisha F.
Apr 2012
My husband and I are first time home buyers and after entering into a contract, we hired this company based on good ratings from colleagues and positive reviews on Angie's List. I called and spoke with a secretary (Bonnie?) who was very friendly. The appointment was quick and easy to set up. My father and I were present during the home inspection simply because he knows quite a bit about houses and I really don't. George was friendly and definitely answered all of our questions. Our inspection lasted approximately 2 hours. Due to the pitch of the roof, George did not actually get on the roof to inspect it. He just used a ladder to look at the roof. My biggest complaint is that George verbally told us things that seemed to be quite severe/important to fix and yet when we looked over the written report, the urgency of these items were not conveyed in the inspection. This was an issue when we were using the inspection to renegotiate the terms of our contract. I am not sure if this is their company policy just so they can cover their own butt, or if it's because they use an inspection program that has pre-programmed verbiage to choose from or...there is some other reason?
Some examples: There were several layers of shingles on the roof (at least 4), no ventilation in the attic and several large patches of moss growth because of the shady location. There was also no water and ice barrier or sheathing on the porch roofs where it attached to the house. All of these factors meant that the roof was in BAD condition. Not to mention that there was rotting clapboard siding where the porch roofs attached to the house (front porch and back addition). Obviously these rotting boards needed to be replaced and the whole roof needed a complete tear off, new plywood underneath, ventilation added and new shingles. However, in the report it basically said that there was no water and ice barrier or ventilation and that there were multiple layers on the roof. It also said that in good conditions the roof should be fine for 3-5 more years. I wouldn't call the current condition of the roof and quot;goodand quot;, so the statement of it lasting 3-5 more years was a joke, in my opinion. I also thought that it was pretty crappy that the report just kind of hinted at rotting wood on the house and simply said that and quot;regular maintenanceand quot; was required to help keep wood siding in good condition. Again, in my opinion, rotting wood on a house is B-A-D! There is no maintenance....it simply needs to be replaced.
These are just some of the examples from our inspection. While I appreciate that George was honest with us in person, the severity of the issues was not duly noted in the written report and therefore when we went back to the seller with these issues (we chose to share the report with them), they didn't see the urgency in the issues we brought up.
We have now entered into contract on another house and this time we are choosing to go with another inspection company. While the report was delivered in a timely fashion (about 2 days after the inspection), we feel their price was a bit higher than competitors and we would like to see how another company does the job.
Some examples: There were several layers of shingles on the roof (at least 4), no ventilation in the attic and several large patches of moss growth because of the shady location. There was also no water and ice barrier or sheathing on the porch roofs where it attached to the house. All of these factors meant that the roof was in BAD condition. Not to mention that there was rotting clapboard siding where the porch roofs attached to the house (front porch and back addition). Obviously these rotting boards needed to be replaced and the whole roof needed a complete tear off, new plywood underneath, ventilation added and new shingles. However, in the report it basically said that there was no water and ice barrier or ventilation and that there were multiple layers on the roof. It also said that in good conditions the roof should be fine for 3-5 more years. I wouldn't call the current condition of the roof and quot;goodand quot;, so the statement of it lasting 3-5 more years was a joke, in my opinion. I also thought that it was pretty crappy that the report just kind of hinted at rotting wood on the house and simply said that and quot;regular maintenanceand quot; was required to help keep wood siding in good condition. Again, in my opinion, rotting wood on a house is B-A-D! There is no maintenance....it simply needs to be replaced.
These are just some of the examples from our inspection. While I appreciate that George was honest with us in person, the severity of the issues was not duly noted in the written report and therefore when we went back to the seller with these issues (we chose to share the report with them), they didn't see the urgency in the issues we brought up.
We have now entered into contract on another house and this time we are choosing to go with another inspection company. While the report was delivered in a timely fashion (about 2 days after the inspection), we feel their price was a bit higher than competitors and we would like to see how another company does the job.
Response from Professional Home Inspection Service
"Thank you for posting a response to our service. You raise very interesting and important considerations. Our role as inspectors requires us to be neutral observers of the condition of a property and to convey those professional observations in an unbiased manner to the prospective purchaser. Our opinions regarding the importance or severity of any given issue is based on years of experience and thousands of inspections. However as a potential purchaser, you have your own quite legitimate concerns and judgments that are unique and appropriate to you and your circumstances. If our report language does not match your own judgment, we need to know immediately, so we can help you to either understand why we described a condition in a particular way, to change the language in our report if appropriate, or to assist you in communicating your concerns to the seller, if the issue or level of concern is being misinterpreted by the seller. We are your information resource, but ultimately, as the potential owner, it is your comfort level with the home that matters the most. We want to help our clients as they work through their concerns regarding a potential purchase, but can only do so if we are made aware of any issues, and are brought into the process in a supporting role"
Rosanne M.
Apr 2012
I was very pleased with the information they provided, their follow-through on promises, their professionalism, workmanship, warranty, and most of all the reduction in the radon reading.
Response from Professional Home Inspection Service
"Thankyou for posting your experience regarding our radon mitigation service. Please know that we will be happy to follow up promptly and professionally if you have any questions or should your system ever need any future service."
Marcia G.
Aug 2011
George was very professional. He explained what he was doing and answered all our questions as he went through the house. He also encouraged us to call if we needed more information. After we received the report and reviewed it, we called with additional questions and he was very quick to answer them and to help us understand the report. We were extremely pleased with the whole process.
Response from Professional Home Inspection Service
"Thank you for your kind words regarding our services. We enjoyed working with you and remain available to help again at any time."
Sean P.
Dec 2010
The home inspection was fantastic. George was early and met with the homeowner to start the inspection before we arrived. George was very knowledgable and showed us the good and bad points of the house that we were looking at. He wasn't afraid to get dirty in the process and went over a very thorough checklist on the house. The reporting system that he uses was great and the reports were very quick to come back. The reports appear to remain online for quite a while but we are unsure of how long they do remain up.
Frank U.
Oct 2009
The owner Keith Olberg came to do the test. He was very prompt and professional. He inspected the house thoroughly and explained everything he was concerned about and why. He wanted me along with him for the entire inspection so he could show me things and explain if something was just a concern or a problem. He wrote a thorough report and encouraged me to call him at any time if I had any further questions or concerns. After all defective items were fixed I called the inspector back to reinspect those items for a charge of $75. I was extremely satisfied with the work done and personality of Mr. Olberg.
Response from Professional Home Inspection Service
"Thank you for submitting your evaluation of our services. We are proud of our service and confident in the value that we provide. We hope that everything continues to go well for you. Please be aware that we are always available for free phone consultations regarding your home if the need should ever arise."
Jonathan M.
Apr 2009
We are in the process of buying a new home. We were looking for a reputable home inspection service. An acquaintance, who recently purchased a new home, recommended this company. I also saw a positive review on Angie's List for the company. I called and scheduled an appointment. We were on our way to our potential new house when Derek called to say he would be about 5 to 10 minutes late, which wasn't big deal because we were running late also. When we arrived he was there waiting. He greeted us very cordially and was very professional in his manner. When we went into the house, after he had set down his paper work and testing supplies, he explained all the paper work and testing was going to do. He was very thorough. I was very curious about the inspection and the tests, so I was with him most of the time. Whenever I had a question about anything, he took the time to answer my question. He was very professional and polite. He seemed happy to answer all my questions and never gave me the impression that I was bothering him. He was, in my opinion, very thorough with the inspection and explanations of what he was doing. The whole inspection was about three hours. When he was done he told me the full report would be available for me to view online and could be printed out in about two to three business days, which it was. I was very pleased overall with the company and with Derek, in particular and would not hesitate to recommend to anyone this company and Derek.
Response from Professional Home Inspection Service
"Thank you for your confidence in us. We look forward to serving you again, should you relocate in the area."
Katja K.
Apr 2009
The home inspector showed up 5 on time, fully prepared. He was courteous toward both home owner and the client (me). As a first-time home-buyer without construction experience or major home improvement skills (and a woman), I had been nervous about this part of the process. The home inspector encouraged me form the beginning to ask questions and answered any and all of the questions I had. Inspection itself appeared to be thorough, lots of pictures. The inspector was able to give me additional background on the house, style, common problems and an honest assessment of the quality of the property. Various possible fixes for minor issues were suggested but the home inspector refrained from recommending any particular contractor and instead directed me to the Better Business Bureau. I had asked about contractors to see whether he would push certain companies/individuals and he didn't, which put me at ease. The actual report - a detailed 20-some page booklet - was provided as PDF the next day and in hardcopy via mail within a few days. After the inspection, I had a number of follow-up questions and requests for additional paperwork that my lender required - the home inspector was very responsive, called back promptly and provided answers and papers right away and with no additional charge. Very positive experience, would definitely recommend this company.
Response from Professional Home Inspection Service
"Thank you for providing a report on our services to Angie's List. We are are proud of our services and delighted that Angie's List now serves the Binghamton area. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance."
Licensing
State Contractor License Requirements
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FAQ
Professional Home Inspection Service is currently rated 4.8 overall out of 5.
Professional Home Inspection Service accepts the following forms of payment: CreditCard
Yes, Professional Home Inspection Service offers free project estimates.
No, Professional Home Inspection Service does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, Professional Home Inspection Service does not offer a senior discount.
No, Professional Home Inspection Service does not offer emergency services.
No, Professional Home Inspection Service does not offer warranties.