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Spotlight Home Inspection LLC
Complete Home Inspection, Traditional Stucco Install or Completely Replace, Traditional Stucco - Repair or Partially Replace,
About us
We do home inspections and moisture intrusion evaluations typically associated with improperly installed stucco. We are certified Thermographer which means we are trained to do thermal imagining with an infrared camera. This tool can be useful in locating areas of energy loss and moisture intrusion.
Business highlights
20 years of experience
Services we offer
Home inspections, annual property review., mold testing, radon testing, stucco inspection and moisture / leak investigations
Amenities
Free Estimates
Yes
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
Reviews
4.622 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 86% | ||
| 5% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 9% |
Showing 1-22 of 22 reviews
Laura V.
Nov 2020
Second time we used Spotlight, and they really identify and document every issue. Also they were helpful in thinking through remediation costs.
Response from Spotlight Home Inspection LLC
"[Member Name Removed], We are so thankful for customers like you! Bill"
Nick D.
Sep 2018
Jeff - Thanks for the thorough inspection of our new home. We appreciate all of the information that you provided. We were more than pleased with your level of service and the depth of the information that you shared during the inspection. We will no doubt recommend you to friends and family.
Response from Spotlight Home Inspection LLC
"[Member Name Removed], Thank you so much for your feedback!! Please know we are always there for you, even if it is simply a question about your home. Bill Dare Owner"
Bryan M.
Nov 2017
Was very happy to have picked Spotlight to do our inspection. This was our second inspection, the first having been done on another property we decided not to purchase. Having worked with both Jeff and Mikos, I can highly recommend them. Extremely professional and personable, they’ll answer all your questions while doing the inspection and after the fact. They’re thorough and produce detailed reports with photos and clear explanations, and ballpark estimates for repairs. Would not hesitate to use them again.
Susan W.
Nov 2017
I highly recommend Bill Dare and his entire crew. Very professional and prompt, and above all else, they KNOW what they are talking about! Certified in multiple areas (one stop shop in many cases). They are there for my clients years after a home sale, if there are questions down the road. What other company can say that? I've had clients that chose other companies to save a few bucks, and it just broke my heart when I saw the weak inspection report that they were given. For such a large purchase, you want the best, and this company is it!
Sally R.
Sep 2017
Jeff was very patient and walked us through the entire house at our speed. He was very throughout and by the time we were done with the inspection, I felt like I knew it like the back of my hand. Answered all of our questions, and went above and beyond. Would totally work with him again!
Kara H.
Sep 2017
Relo company hired Spotlight Home Inspection to test our stucco on our home. They recommended a full teardown of all stucco. Well, when we tore down the stucco, two full sides had no damage whatsoever - For example, one reading of "40" turned out to be dry and no damage! This continued around all sides of our home. The two side with more "damage" had minimal damage that could have been repaired with spot remediation very easily! Spotlight told me that one coat of elastomeric paint had a rating of 34. When we put on a second coat of paint, the rating dropped to 17. I called the manufacturer of the paint and got a reply from one of their chemical engineers. He stayed that they recommend 2 coats of paint for a rating of 32. Spotlight is telling people COMPLETELY FALSE INFORMATION! They don't even know what they are talking about! If you want the actual respond, please let me know and I will share with you! Then to make matters worse, we tore down all of the stucco and replace it with the complete James Hardie Plank siding system. Spotlight came back out to inspect that system. How does a "stucco specialist" now become a "James Hardie specialist"? I WILL NEVER USE OR RECOMMEND SPOTLIGHT, BILL DARE OR TYLER TO ANYONE!!! Very cocky and they don't know what they are talking about! I fell bad for Tyler as he learned his tricks from hands one days with Bill. Our realtor had a similar situation with Bill and Spotlight. He gave a similar "report" to one of her clients. When the client decided to get a second opinion, our realtor contacted Bill and his reply was, " I thought you wanted me to SCREW the Seller?" Well - at least he is consistent! I would not recommend Spotlight, Bill Dare, or anyone who works for him for any inspections EVER!!!
Response from Spotlight Home Inspection LLC
"[Member Name Removed], I am sorry you feel we did not perform our work to your expectation. We met several times at your home with a representative from the relocation company. You were clearly never required to remove all of your stucco. I stood in your driveway with Ed from the relocation company and he clearly told you that only the areas with damage or moisture needed to be spot repaired. When I arrived after some of the stucco had been removed there was clearly wood rot in those areas. I have numerous pictures of that damage. You made the decision to completely remove all of the stucco and reside with cement board siding to make the home more sellable since stucco has become a difficult sell. The contractor that installed that siding did not install it correctly as per the manufacture. You requested us to inspect that work. When we showed you that it was not installed correctly per the manufactures instructions, you were very upset. Unfortunately, you were upset with me not the contractor that failed to follow the manufacturer's installation instructions. We do 6-8 stucco inspections a day. The vast majority of those inspections are for the current owners in preparation of selling their home. In regard to your comment about my language, I would never speak that way about my customers or agents. In addition, I would never seek to take advantage of the biggest source of my business, sellers. I really do understand your frustration. You did not cause this problem with your home. However, you bore the full cost of it. This is a huge blow to anyone's personal economy. I do not pretend to be smarter than anyone else, I just read the instructions. The manufacturer has spent a considerable amount of time and resources to develop them, and I believe deviating from them is unwise. My sincere desire is that you have successfully moved on to your new home. For those of you who have taken the time to read this response, feel free to contact us to help you understand the importance of what we do. Additionally, Spotlight Home Inspection has a Facebook page with several videos on stucco problems, inspection and repair. [Hyperlink Removed] Bill Dare Owner"
Todd H.
Sep 2017
The inspectors were very thorough and professional. The work was of the highest quality; however, the price was pretty high for what ended up being an hour and a half of work.
Response from Spotlight Home Inspection LLC
"[Member Name Removed], I appreciate you taking the time to post you observations! I am please you were satisfied with the work we performed. Regarding the fee, as with most jobs I believe, the cost is connected to numerous factors. Certainly, the time we spent onsite is the most obvious factor. However, travel time, fuel, supplies, insurance (we provide our employees healthcare as well as workers comp insurance, liability insurance, E&O insurance, vehicle insurance, wow thinking I my need to open an insurance company), equipment, the office staff that makes the appointment, the time it takes to prepare the report and (though not in your case) potential followup conversations are much less obvious. If you truly are dissatisfied with the pricing, please call the office and ask for Erin and she will get you in touch directly with me. Your opinion of Spotlight is far more valuable to me than money. Bill Dare Owner"
Michelina J.
Apr 2017
It went well. The great information gathered and explained fully by the inspector gave us a clear understanding of what we would get into with the new house. We did not purchase the house, which was in our best interest, so I think the inspector saved us trouble down the road because of his view of near and future problems.
Response from Spotlight Home Inspection LLC
"[Member Name Removed], Thank you for your kind words!!!! Bill"
Michael P.
Oct 2016
Making the appointment was easy to do. John arrived promptly and went straight to work. He found some major concerns and recommended an additional inspection (which he does not do). The second inspection was done and this confirmed the damage and the deal fell through. Thus, Spotlight Home Inspections saved me from moving into a house that needed at least $50,000 in repairs (due to poor stucco). After this experience, I used them a second time to look at another house I placed an offer on, and again they found significant issues-nothing like the first, but the seller was not interested in negotiating to have the price adjusted to allow for the repairs, so I let that deal lapse as well. I chose a small firm so I would know who was coming to do the inspection and to be sure the inspector was the person I wanted.
Carol P.
Aug 2016
Our experience was poor. The inspector was nice enough, but he never finished the job we hired him to do. Tests on some areas of the stucco that remediation contractors needed to provide a quote were never done. Spotlight owner, Bill Dare, recommended a complete tear-off of the stucco on our home at a cost of about $166,000. He was clearly irritated at having to explain / justify his recommendation, and implied we should just take his word for it. He sent a few terse e-mails and the names of three stucco contractors readily available on the Internet. He also spoke to us for about 30 minutes by phone and promised several times that he'd send someone back out to do the missing tests. Eventually, he wrote to us saying: "I have spent more time with you on the phone and writing emails than the rest of my clients this week combined." A generous estimate of the total time he spent with us is under an hour. In the same message, he said he thought it would be best to just refund our money than to keep working with us. We did receive the refund and are grateful for that, but we would NOT recommend Spotlight to a friend.
Response from Spotlight Home Inspection LLC
"[Member Name Removed], Sorry you feel this way, after numerous conversations, copious emails, followed by a full refund of you inspection fee you could not be satisfied. If I came across "terse" I apologize. I went back and read through about 20 of our emails toward the end. I don't believe that was the case but that is from my perspective. I hope you have received the help you need and made the necessary repairs. Bill Dare Owner"
Matt H.
Jun 2016
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Matt H.
Apr 2016
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Larry M.
Jan 2016
We worked with Bill Dare and his assistant Ty during the process of buying our first home through multiple properties. Bill is exceptionally honest, knowledgeable, has an awesome eye for even the smallest detail, and a great sense of humor to boot. Bill made the whole process super easy and offered solid advice throughout. Highly recommended.
Julie S.
May 2015
We have used Bill Dare and his assistant, Ty, twice. Both times the inspection has been thorough and professional, with Bill catching things that were obscure and potentially costly. We have used a different home inspector before, so we know that Bill is exceptional. He welcomes questions about the home, and is clear in his findings as to their category and difficulty/cost to fix (e.g., "this is a safety thing and should be done as soon as possible; likely to cost in the range of $1,500-$2,000"). Furthermore, he gives tips for how to maintain the home as he walks you through it. For both inspections, we have received the report within 48 hours. We were so impressed with Bill the first time we used him that his availability factored into our contingency period this time around! I highly recommend him.
Heather D.
May 2015
Jeff did our radon, termite and whole house inspections. He was really thorough and answered all my questions. His report was detailed and easy to understand. Bill did our stucco inspection and he was wonderful.
The inspection found lots of things wrong with the house, water damage, improper wiring, stucco issues, unvented fireplaces, etc. And they saved us from buying a house that wasn't in as good condition as it looked from the outside. We liked them so much we're using them again for our next home inspection-- hopefully this one goes better!
The inspection found lots of things wrong with the house, water damage, improper wiring, stucco issues, unvented fireplaces, etc. And they saved us from buying a house that wasn't in as good condition as it looked from the outside. We liked them so much we're using them again for our next home inspection-- hopefully this one goes better!
Cedric G.
Feb 2015
We are first time home buyers so the process was all new and different. Everyone suggested we join Angieslist to research and find a quality home inspector. I made my calls to about 4 different highly rated home inspectors including spotlight. 3/4 answered the phone and spotlight was a bit cheaper, and had the best customer service out of the three so I was interested. The scheduling and times were flexible and they were able to schedule us with 2 days notice to ensure we made our "agreement" deadline. Does lower prices equal lower quality? No, read on
I received the contract fairly quickly via email, and esigned it right away. Our appointment was on a Friday at 3pm so we aimed to arrive a little early to meet the inspector, Jeff Arms. We arrived about 10 minutes early, van parked and Jeff was already setup and took care of the roof examination (25 degrees outside) so our outdoor time was thankfully reduced. He politely greeted us and we went inside, the radon reader was installed, then where he gave an excellent home inspection 101 lesson and answered all of our questions. Our real estate agent, and sellers agent arrived right at 3pm and so the inspection began. We started outside and examined everything from the sidewalk, driveway, siding, gutter, roofing, propane tanks, deck, to the front door step that was 3 inches too high! The entire process was interactive and he explained the standards, estimated lifespan and anything one would want to know about the inspected item. The cold temperatures did not rush the examination and we eventually made our way into the garage. Jeff continued his inspection and continued to take pictures and describe any items that caught his attention. As we moved through the house he continued the process and never missed a beat and kept the process interactive while crawling, squatting, bending, reaching and squeezing in all the places I would expect a top level inspector to get. After about 2.5 hours, our inspection was complete and Jeff answered our questions on the items noted during his inspection and let us know that the inspection report should be received in the next day or two. We thanked each other and parted ways, and we now have our first memory in our new house. Later that night the home inspection report was completed in great detail, much quicker than expected and provided a great summary of problems found, resolutions and excellent detail. Thanks Jeff to the great job and knocking this out on a Friday night.
a great home inspector might be hard to find but in our honest opinion Spotlight Home Inspection (Jeff Arms in this case) is the best, pricing, services, professionalism, attention to detail and much more. We give our highest recommendation and hope other home owners can relive the experience we went through.
I received the contract fairly quickly via email, and esigned it right away. Our appointment was on a Friday at 3pm so we aimed to arrive a little early to meet the inspector, Jeff Arms. We arrived about 10 minutes early, van parked and Jeff was already setup and took care of the roof examination (25 degrees outside) so our outdoor time was thankfully reduced. He politely greeted us and we went inside, the radon reader was installed, then where he gave an excellent home inspection 101 lesson and answered all of our questions. Our real estate agent, and sellers agent arrived right at 3pm and so the inspection began. We started outside and examined everything from the sidewalk, driveway, siding, gutter, roofing, propane tanks, deck, to the front door step that was 3 inches too high! The entire process was interactive and he explained the standards, estimated lifespan and anything one would want to know about the inspected item. The cold temperatures did not rush the examination and we eventually made our way into the garage. Jeff continued his inspection and continued to take pictures and describe any items that caught his attention. As we moved through the house he continued the process and never missed a beat and kept the process interactive while crawling, squatting, bending, reaching and squeezing in all the places I would expect a top level inspector to get. After about 2.5 hours, our inspection was complete and Jeff answered our questions on the items noted during his inspection and let us know that the inspection report should be received in the next day or two. We thanked each other and parted ways, and we now have our first memory in our new house. Later that night the home inspection report was completed in great detail, much quicker than expected and provided a great summary of problems found, resolutions and excellent detail. Thanks Jeff to the great job and knocking this out on a Friday night.
a great home inspector might be hard to find but in our honest opinion Spotlight Home Inspection (Jeff Arms in this case) is the best, pricing, services, professionalism, attention to detail and much more. We give our highest recommendation and hope other home owners can relive the experience we went through.
Dee G.
Sep 2014
unknown
Donald L.
Jun 2014
unknown
Daniel F.
Jul 2013
unknown
Victor S.
May 2013
The inspection went very well. Bill Dare was informative and thorough. He provided a very detailed report for our records. We took our time reviewing everything and he's great at answering questions from someone who doesn't know much about home ownership. Being a first time home buyer I found the experience to be super-educating.
Bill H.
Apr 2013
He gave us all the information we needed to move forward with the process we were doing. He was great.
Steven P.
Feb 2013
Everything went well, as detailed above. My inspections were performed professionally, promptly, and, the best I can tell, properly. From others with whom I have spoken, Spotlight appears to be one of the top home inspectors in the area, and, from my personal experience having retained Spotlight, lived up to his and quot;top-shelfand quot; reputation that it has firmly established over the years in the community. Bill Dare combines his expertise and professionalism and, importantly, educates the client throughout the process. Bill also seemingly is available night or day and will go out of his way to ensure security in the minds of his client. As a sub specialty, for stucco homeowners, Bill has arguably become the local expert on stucco-related inspections and related issues in light of his years of stucco-related education and experience. I could not more highly endorse Spotlight and Bill Dare.
Licensing
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FAQ
Spotlight Home Inspection LLC is currently rated 4.6 overall out of 5.
Spotlight Home Inspection LLC accepts the following forms of payment: CreditCard
Yes, Spotlight Home Inspection LLC offers free project estimates.
No, Spotlight Home Inspection LLC does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, Spotlight Home Inspection LLC does not offer a senior discount.
No, Spotlight Home Inspection LLC does not offer emergency services.
No, Spotlight Home Inspection LLC does not offer warranties.