PRESTIGE HOME INSPECTIONS

unknown

The inspector preferred I not tag along with him during the inspection but he would review everything with me when he was done. The inspector made a fuss about some cracks in bricks, and told me one of the foundation walls was "wavy." He recommended I hire a structural engineer to check it since something like that could be serious. Other of the things he noted were lack of grounding in some outlets, and the need for some repair grouting to be done in the showers. He did not remove the plate of the breaker box to examine the wiring because a cabinet was built around it. The plate could have been removed but I guess it intimidated him. He also found poor grading on one side of the house and some "moisture" in one corner of the basement. Someone else was supposed to come to place the radon test.
The inspector was a nice enough guy. When I asked which outlets were not grounded, he couldn't tell me. But not all of them were. Now I have to test them myself. He missed a broken window in the basement. He couldn't tell me if the A/C unit was the proper size for the home. The radon person never showed up and took days to get in touch with the sellers to arrange a time to come over. After they finally dropped it off, they took over a week to get it back. I was under the impression it was a 2 day test. They did another test primarily because it was in an outlet that was attached to a light switch. It had been turned off for a second.
I hired a structural engineer who said the cracks were fine and the wall which the inspector was suspicious of was a very solid wall. I was glad for that but wasn't too happy about having spent another $200 because the original inspector wasn't very knowledgeable.
It's been 18 days and I still have not gotten my pest or radon report. I left messages at the office to have the inspector call me. He never did. I called again and he finally called. I had one last question and called the office again, leaving a message. The inspector still hasn't called.
I wish I had hired the structural engineer to do the entire inspection.

unknown

My inspection went very well. Rob got to my house about an hour before the appointment time and started the exterior inspection of the home. He was very friendly and dressed very professionally. Rob took pictures of any areas of concern and at the end of his inspection he downloaded the digital photos to his laptop computer and he went through each one and explained what he saw and his concern with each area. Rob then went back to his office and created a very thorough inspection report that was 32 pages in length with some of the full color pictures pointing out and describing the areas of concern and he listed the how important it was to be fixed immediately or if it could wait. Rob's report was sent to me by e-mail in a PDF format and it also contained links in the area which gave additional information for areas of concern. I was thoroughly impressed with Rob Lawrence and the inspection he performed. I would definitely use him again in the future and I will recommend him to my friends and family. My realtor said she really liked him and will use him again in the future as well. I have other home inspectors which did not compare to Rob, their report did not even come close to being as thorough as this one. I highly recommend that you read your report from front to back because it is full of information and that is what you are paying for.

Rob said I could call the office if I had any questions about my report and he would call me back.

The experience was great. We had Jason do the inspection. He went over everything and made sure i understood what he was saying.  I was very impressed and couldn't be happier. As a new home buyer it was great having a company that did it all and didn't have to contract out the other tests. I will be refering them to anyone buying a home.

We had Rob assist us in inspecting our own home before we sold it and also on our new home.  We would recommend him for his services as he provides a detailed report with hyperlinnks on how to repair yourself and is very good in explaining the urgency of the repair if needed.  He is very detailed in his inspections and can point out any inperfections, minor repairs or major issues so you walk away knowing what is the most important item that needs to be addressed first. He is very prompt and courteous and provides great details with your before you leave and also in his report.

Overall I was very impressed and pleased with the inspection. The inspector was prompt and on time - he arrived an hour or so before the inspection and completed the exterior items by the time we arrived. He took pictures throughout the entire process and included them in his 50+ page report (!). He paused several times to review the inspection with me before moving on to the next phase of the inspection, and made sure I understood anything he thought might be a major issue. The inspector was very thorough and very knowledgeable about current electrical and plumbing code. The report was itemized by area, explained why he thought it was an issue, and detailed the possible repairs. 
There were some slight delays with the office staff getting the report out to me in a timely manor, and the office staff seemed a bit discombobulated the few times that I called. 
That said, I would use them in a heartbeat - the quality of the inspection far outweighs the headaches with the office.

We received a comprehensive review of the home and it's potential repair issues.  When on site, Rob, went through every room and corner of the home.  He went outside and around the perimeter of the home and garage looking at the siding, roof, eves, foundation, water drainage, fence line, all concrete walks and driveways.  He took pictures of every little thing.  He also went inside the garage noting all discrepancies.  Pictures were taken of every noted item as well.  We received a verbal consultation when the inspection was complete and told in detail all of the items in question.  Within a few days, via e-mail, we received the written report with photos of items previously discussed and 2-3 business days later we also received the radon report.
The insect inspector that was brought to review the site was also very efficient, patient and thorough in his findings.  He did take us around the site showing us the findings of his insect/rodent inspection.  We were vary happy with his services.  The details of his report were submitted with the report we received from Prestige Home Inspections.

Prestige identified several problems on our home, which had not been properly maintained over the previous few years. When I had questions about the inspection, Rob personally came by to walk me through the inspection and make sure I understood their findings and recommendations.

The home inspector, Rob, was thorough, although he could have done more.  The weather conditions and other factors made it difficult for him to make a complete inspection.  He took at least 2 hours inside, plus getting there an hour ahead of time to look at the exterior before we even got there.  He reviewed everything with us there and took pictures, then emailed us a 40-page report.  We really appreciated the job he did.  But the reason for the lower grade is the office manager, Sue.  She doesn't answer calls as quickly as I would like.  For instance, I have been waiting to hear back from her for a week now concerning a radon mitigation system.  I also thought she wasn't as professional as she should have been. She was friendly, don't get me wrong!  But she was a bit too chummy.  In her defense, though, she was incredibly helpful in scheduling a last minute inspection and working around the current residents.