HOUSEMASTER HOME INSPECTION

I used Housemaster during my search for a house. A few months after purchase I discovered a huge crack in my furnace heat exchanger.. It took the tech less than 5 minutes to find it and indicated that it appeared to have been cracked/uncleaned for a while. I was shown the crack with a simple flash light. I know the depth of a home inspection is limited but obviousness of the issues the tech showed would give me pause about recommending Housemaster in the future. In addition to the heater issue; I was also estimated the age of the AC compressor at 2-4 years. The unit ended up being 10 years old. It also turned out that the heater was also approximately 5 years older than estimated in the report. Again, I understand inspections are limited in depth but with the Heat/AC being a major point of failure for a home I expected more accuracy/diligence on the report. Finally, given the scale of a home purchase I feel it is fair to hold home inspectors up to a moderate standard. That said I couldn't comfortably recommend them when there are so many other choices.

I had Tom Toner who seemed to inspect everything and took great pictures of every inch of the house. He was prompt and knowledgeable. Prices were reasonable for the inspection, termite, and radon services. Initially, he came out for the inspection and returned for the re-inspection. For the inspection, he came out, went thru the entire house. At that time, he performed both the radon and termite inspection. Once the results were in, he sent me the report 1-3 days. For the re-inspection, he sent the report the same night. The price stated is for all four services.

Very well. The inspector did a thorough job, and explained the report very well. He made suggestions as to how we can address some of the issues. He identified some longer term issues that we are already acting upon. It was very worthwhile.

I was purchasing a home in Cochranville, PA and we hired Housemasters to do the inspection. John did a great job and was extremely knowledgeable. Very professional and provided us with a very detailed Inspection Report. Would highly recommend!

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John Bertone is an excellent inspector. He and I arrived early, and he went right to work. Over the course of the next 2.5 hours, he systematically inspected the condo unit from the top down, identifying structural and leakage problems -- actual and potential -- and tracing them to their sources. He is highly skilled and happy to share his knowledge. In addition to discussing problem areas, he pointed out items that would be useful for me to know if I buy the unit, for example, the location of the inside shutoff valve for an outside faucet. There were many examples of his helpfulness. His report arrived the same day, by e-mail. Highly recommended.

I was referred to John Bertone by a trusted professional who was helping me best position my home to list it for sale. I reached John easily, and was able to get on his schedule quickly. John arrived promptly and explained what he was going to do. He invited me to follow-along. I trailed along for most of the inspection, taking notes, asking some questions. It was a great learning experience and John was helpful and patient with me! [Which I appreciated!] My property is an old one, with an older outbuilding that was likely a carriage house or such, long ago. Being old, there are some things that are different. Metal roof - in good condition! John showed me areas that needed attention, and was clear in this. John was thorough, detailed, and very helpful. The report arrived via email that same day! We opted to remedy a number of the findings prior to going live with our listing. John explained that we can use signage from him, next to the realtor's sign, so that potential buyers will know the property has recently been carefully professional inspected. He suggested we make copies of his report available for Real Estate professionals and their clients. The inspection results are guaranteed. And, best of all, for a reduced rate, John will walk new owners through the property with the inspection report. Again, with John's guarantee on his report. John Bertone is Professional, Knowledgeable, and a great teacher of all things related to homes and best practices in maintenance. I recommend John Bertone!

We've used John twice before which is why we hired him again. He is punctual, knowledgeable and thorough. He's not afraid to point out things that need to be addressed as well as make recommendations about normal upkeep and maintenance that should be done. I'd definitely hire John again. He's a great inspector, and a nice guy.

John Bertone, the inspector, was outstanding. I have used John for two separate home inspections. Each time I met with him, he was dressed professionally, had arrived to the site before I had arrived, and was prepared with all materials. In each home, John discovered things, I would not have thought to look at. I have had experience with other home inspectors, who have been no where near as thorough as John, has been both times, I worked with him. He has saved us way more money, than the cost of the inspection. At the end of the inspection, he provides a comprehensive printout and professional looking folder, which details the entire inspection report. When a reinspection was needed for our new home, he was quick to do the work, charged less than his estimate, and again was early for the work. He is a pleasant person to deal with and has a great sense of humor. I can not say enough good things about him, and would be willing to give a personal recommendation, if ever asked.