Ed Lampl - Environmental & Home Inspections

It went as good as it could go. Also see above for more details.

I am giving you this assessment, because (1) First and foremost ... Ed is very very knowledgeable; He shares his knowledge ... some customers may be overwhelmed. I would take his experience and knowledge to the "doctor' level. (2) he is very skilled in what he does; (3) he has all the required testing equipment; (4) he is independent of remediation companies (5) he is, by my account, honest ... straight up ... and does not use needless hyperbole' except in regards to safety; and, (6) he was generous to a fault with me, but maybe we just happened to 'click'. His advice to me ... was to do as much manual cleaning, first, in regular areas, ie, living spaces, appliances, closets. Then if the areas in question, including the basement and possible hidden spaces, were really really bad ... and beyond the yech factor ... then come back to him. But, he strongly advised that much of the real remediation work, because of the chemicals needed is VERY dangerous, even life threatening ... and that it would be ill-advised to attempt to do it myself. He'll do a first assessment, if that is your wish ... then it is up to you to remedied or get remediation contractors. His recommendation, and you might wish to do this, but, use your judgment .. is to have a 'final clean assessment' done, again, by someone like himself ... rather than by the remediation contractor; My own comment would be that self grading is not conducive to honesty; but you need to make that determination upon discussion with the remediation company. Don't talk with real estate agents about this question ... of course ... you don't really want that industry to know that you have mold issues in your house. I add here, that this industry has hyperbole/emotion based upon individual sensitivities and yech tolerance. It is 'costed out' based upon the industries from which it grew, and supports ... the Healthcare and allergy industries ... which have some high overhead. Expect prices in that range for assessors and remediation contractors. Finally, to avoid this issue in the first place .... Don't be a slob ... Be a clean freak ... Keep yourself and your home clean, and live clean enough as if your aged mother or grandmother lived in the space! Use scrubbing bubbles in your bath and kitchen or other chlorine based cleaners every week or more. Once mold/mildew show up, those environmental/green cleaners do not work. You need to Kill the mold. Get rid of newspaper, cardboard, old wood, leather, anything 'cellulose' ... in the basement ... can't do anything about the wood framing though .. but, check these regularly for mold and mildew .. throw them away. You may need to run a dehumidifier in the basement - 60% humidity is the upper allowance; any higher and mold spores will grow. If you don't do these, you could very easily have a several thousand $$ mold remediation and renovations (taking down walls, remediation, sealing, renovating) bill ... and your could home lose value upon sale. But, if you have the problem ... My recommendation is that you talk with Ed first ... and after you talk with other assessors (there are many), talk with him again ... and talk with him again before you decide on doing remediation, and before hiring a contractor. Don't abuse your privilege, though. He's very busy, because he is well known. I think you'll lead you in the right direction.

Mr. Lampl was responsive when I first contacted him. He accommodated my inspection needs, for a property I was considering for purchase, on short notice and at a odd hour. He arrived as promised, called in advanced and even brought coffee for us both. I am neither a stranger to home and infrastructure matters, nor to working with engineers and inspectors and respectfully submit the following: Mr. Lampl's physical inspection of the property was thorough. HIs use of technology exceeded my expectations, he accommodated my questions and even offered explanations to the homeowner, who was present for part of the time. My concerns center around his demeanor and his written report. There are other far less favorable reviews which document the shortcomings of Mr. Lampl's reports, generated by voice recognition technology. Mine follow suit as I found the report confusing, with incoherent sentences. When an email of the report arrived, it was filled with photos taken by Mr. Lampl, unfortunately about half were of another house. Were I not present for the inspection, I would have had difficulty understanding sections of the material. Mr. Lampl's demeanor, in my opinion, was as consistent as the report entries. He had many stories to tell during the inspection, which were not particularly relevant, with credibility issues arising, talking during nearly all of the inspection. He completed the written report on-site before leaving, which was unusual in my experience, consuming considerable time. To reiterate, had I not been with Mr. Lampl during the inspection, I would have had difficulty gleaning what I needed from the written report. Mr. Lampl gets outstanding reviews, his process must work for others.

Ed was on time, and started working right away. He welcomed us to go with him through the house and he had suggestions throughout as to things we could improve/change on our own. He was not in a rush, and addressed any questions we had fully. We had four children, our realtor was there also. He didn't seem to mind that we had a full house. Detailed eval completed with plenty of pics and explanations.

We chose Ed because of his high rating here on Angie's list, and we weren't disappointed. Ed was extremely thorough and checked EVERYTHING in the house and around it. He gave us a lot of tips and recommendations for potential future maintenance issues as well as identifying critical items that need to be addressed by the current homeowners. He gave us a CD with the results immediately and also emailed them to us. My father (who isn't a licensed home inspector but is very handy) had gone through the house with us previously and Ed found all the same issues that my father did and came to the same conclusions about them so I completely trust his work. He explained everything to us in great detail, and answered all of our questions. We were completely satisfied.

Ed inspected a house we are purchasing last week. I have purchased 5 homes in the past and my wife and I have gone through several inspections. This was a different experience, I needed feedback as this is a project. I need to be sure the house will not out cost the expected investment, so I really shopped home inspectors on Angie's list. Ed did not disappoint, by the end of the day I felt that I knew that house inside and out. Between the technology Ed uses and the education he provides, I would highly recommend him! Thanks Ed!

Ed was terrific! I was working on very short notice and Ed was able to accommodate. I was in the process of buying a home and Ed really helped put my mind at ease after the inspection. He was extremely thorough and took the time to explain everything and pointed out items to be addressed and why they needed to be addressed. After several hours reviewing the property with a fine tooth comb, I can enthusiastically recommend Ed Lampl Environmental & Home Inspections to anyone who is looking to have their property inspected. Not only was Ed open and honest, he carries all of the important certifications and endorsements so you can rest assured you are getting top notch service that complies with all housing industry standards. My realtor was blown away at how in-depth and detailed his inspection report was.

Ed is the most detailed professional I've met (other than my own father, and that's saying a lot). He stayed in the home for approximately six hours and checked every nook and cranny, taking hundreds of pictures. His attention to detail is phenomenal and for my husband and I, it was worth every penny. The house we are purchasing is 113 years old and Ed was able to find out all issues (electrical, radon, plumbing, pest, etc.) that needed to be addressed by the sellers before we purchased the home. I cannot recommend him enough. You will receive hundreds of pictures and a very lengthy report and you will not be disappointed. When it comes to inspections, you really must cover your bases. Ed did that and more. He ensured that we didn't lose money in purchasing this house (there were repairs completed that saved us thousands of dollars). If you want someone that gives attention to detail and goes above and beyond, call Ed. I really can't say enough good things about him.

Ed's work was very detailed and thorough. With his service he provided pictures of the house, suggested repairs, suggested ways to maintain the property and identified safety hazards. I would hire this company for another home inspection again.

Ed Lampl is a true professional and is very knowledge. He is also accommodating and willing to work around the customer's schedule, which is extremely rate. Ed is very reliable and takes his time to understand the issues and provide excellent service! A star in my book.

lEd did a thorough job and was friendly and professional. I felt he really took care to tell us what we were getting into with this house and didn't sugar-coat. He also had a lot of tips about how best to do repairs, and offered what seemed like honest recommendations for contractors he's used on his own house. We contacted an electrician on his recommendation, and had a very positive interaction with him so far. Ed is chatty, so don't expect to zip through the inspection, but I would certainly use him again if need be.

From the beginning, Ed was very accommodating, and was able to schedule an inspection on short notice. As someone inheriting a house that needs a lot of work, I was obviously concerned about the predicament I was getting myself into. Ed, however, throughout the entire process was empathetic and understanding of my woes. He reassured me during his five hour inspection that the situation was not as bad as it seemed, and continued to give me invaluable advice that was voiced by years of experience. He was professional, thorough, and overall seemed to care more for our safety and well being than to make a few dollars. Like I said, it was a five hour inspection, and he never once became impatient or annoyed. He even made some phone calls to schedule estimates for me. His report was comprehensive and meticulously detailed. If someone I know is buying a house, I will relentlessly tell them to HIRE ED LAMPL and so should you!!!

My experience with him was okay. The process was pretty good. I did think at the end of it I need more information regardind the hone insurance but I found he did okay. I didn't think that he was bad but I don't think that he was as excellent as shown on Angie's List.

Excellent overall experience and findings. For us first-time home buyers (soon-to-be-owners), Ed couldn't have been better. He took us along as he inspected every inch of the house, all-the-while explaining what he was doing, what he finding, and - most-importantly - offering advice on how to proceed with those findings. He was very patient with us and our several questions - We could tell his consistent assertion that "the inspection is all about you and your family's safety" was not blown smoke. Thanks to Ed's services, we were able to make a confident, informed decision on the house and plan for its future care. Can't wait to move in!

Unfortunately, the poor review comes because he is unprofessional due to these reasons: 1. He did not focus on inspecting our house while he was there - took many phone calls from other individuals and responded to emails 2. The report contains many errors because he uses dictation software 3. When things need to be replaced, he only recommends them to be revaluated not replaced 4. Our seller's agent contacted him and they discussed the inspection without our knowledge 5. Overall attitude and the way he carries himself is extremely unprofessional

My initial call to Ed Lampl was not answered by a voice message...he answered personally! We set up an appointment on the spot and he accommodated our schedule! He not only arrived on time, he was early. He was very personable yet spoke his mind when it came to issues of the home. He checked all of the appliances, moved furniture to view parts of the room and even walked around on the hot roof! He made us feel at ease in someone else's home. He told us that we were investigative partners and to take our time observing our future home. I do not believe that any inspection that takes less than 3 hours time is worth while. We did not feel rushed, while Ed took his time to look at every facet of the residence. The entire process took approximately 5 hours. We were pleased to have been able to view each room multiple times, because each time yielded new findings! He produced a report with pictures on a CD when the process was complete. The report included home-maintenance suggestions that he discussed with us while we were inspecting the home. Overall, his communication skills and dedication to his profession were very impressive. It was an enjoyable experience and we even had some laughs along the way!

Ed arrived before we did to the appointment (and I was 15 minutes early!). He was on the roof when I got there and was snapping away photos. These came in handy when we asked for a reduction in price to fix the ailing roof. He walked the grounds with us pointing out areas of repair and also noting plants that we would want to reconsider. If it was going to have invasive roots he made sure we knew it. He was cautious to point out areas of concern like trip hazards, and also what he feared was exposed asbestos. He ran the hot water tank empty to check it's refill rate. He ran the gas stove to check it's safe running. He ran every appliance to ensure it was running well. All along he snapped photos. We had over 100 to look at when we were done. This photo journal goes well with the notes he recommended we take. He was also very easy to work with in asking questions. He was not intimidating and made us feel like we could ask stupid questions without judgement. The inspection took longer than I had expected, but I am glad it did. He was so thorough that it was worth an extra hour of time. Also, as we went along he would go to his computer and dictate notes to it. By the end of the inspection I had the report on a CD, on a flash drive, and in my email. I was happy to have the full completed report upon leaving. Overall we are very happy with our experience with Ed Lampl. He is quick to respond to our questions beyond the inspection, and was very thorough. I mentioned that I found him on Angie's List, and without asking he applied a coupon that was posted. Classy move.

The first home that Ed Lampl had inspected fell through because the things Ed found were far too much for the sellers to accept, and so the contract was canceled. Thank you Ed. So I called him up to find out about another home I was considering, and again, Ed was punctual and thorough. I met him at the end of his inspection and he had written up a report. Most guys would probably check out, hand you a bill, and tell you just to read things on the report, but not Ed. He took the time to take me through the entire house -- another 30 to 45 minutes -- going over what he felt were the most important things to take away. He is a friendly, thorough, and concerned home inspector who is on your side. His report was clear and easy to understand. Thank you Ed.

I contacted Mr. Lampl to do a home inspection, on a property we are purchasing. His communication before the inspection was very excellent. He showed up at the property on the inspection date ½ hour early. He was very courteous and knowledgeable. He explained everything that he did and also why he was doing it. He made recommendations on repairs that would be needed in the future. He was also very thorough. He did radon and mold testing as well. Once he was done with the inspection he handed us a packet with the completed report (minus mold and radon). As well as emailed us a copy that we received as we were still talking. I would highly recommend Mr. Lampl to anyone buying a home to do your inspection.

Ed was great. He addressed my home inspection with an incredible sense of urgency. He spent over an hour on the phone with that evening addressing multiple questions that I had concerning he inspection process. He replied to my scheduling the inquiry the same evening. He made it a point not just to conduct a thorough home inspector, but he also made it a point to teach me about the house and continuous maintenance that it will require. His reporting was very detailed and sent out immediately. He also worked with both my agent and the sellers agent. His service was one of my very few positive experiences through my first home purchase.

He was efficient, professional and courteous. I would recommend using him, and will use him in the future if we need a home inspection. Hopefully we will not need him for mold again!

It went fine. I called and got his voicemail. He called me back within 5 minutes. He talked to me about radon. We agreed that I would send him an email with the address and some other minor details. He was driving at the time. He responded quickly to my email. We set up an appointment. He came and placed a radon detector in the basement. He was very flexible about when he would pick it up after the required time. He placed door hangers on all entry doors which stated that radon detection was in progress. I thought that was a nice detail that showed his professionalism and compliance. He picked up the radon detector about a week later at about 10AM. He answered my questions and he left for another inspection. Later that afternoon, about 4PM, I received an email from him with a short note and a PDF attachment of the report. It's all I needed. I feel confident that if I would have needed further action such as remediation, Ed would have given me good advice. I'd also like to add - Ed noticed that I needed a vertical pipe attached to the pressure relief valve of the hot water heater. Small detail, but it could present a liability for myself, and injury to my tenant. It was a good catch by Ed.

Few things are as easy as calling Ed Lampl, making an appointment, and then meeting with him to discuss -- in vivid detail -- all the things about your home he found. Ed was able to come within 24 hours of calling him and was punctual. He spent a great deal of time going through the home on his own, turning knobs, flushing water, crawling through spaces barely big enough for a grown man, and taking pictures all along the way. He makes mental notes, puts them down on paper, and when you arrive at the tail end of his inspection, he'll do it ALL OVER AGAIN for your benefit. Short of climbing onto the roof again, Ed did take me outside and he pointed out all the things that were suboptimal with the roof that was supposedly "brand new" as of 3 years ago. Ed offered suggestions on how to remedy some major issues without it costing a great deal of money. He showed a special concern for my young daughter, pointing out things in the home that would be major safety issues, and how to remedy those. This was not my first home inspection in the area, but this is by far the best experience I've had. Ed is truly a professional, a gentleman, and someone who is looking out for you. Don't trust your realtor. Trust Ed.

I contacted Mr. Lampl about doing some work for my company and we talked extensively about what he would and would not do. He gave me his credentials and I must say very impressive and on a personal level if we ever need work done we would use him.

Mr. Lampl was very responsive to my need for a home inspection on short notice. He was punctual and very thorough. He set up his laptop computer so that he could write his report on the spot and did so in stages so that he could capture all the recommended repairs and safety concerns of the area he'd just inspected. He also took photos as he went to corroborate his findings. He explained his findings as we went so that I fully understood why something should be repaired, how and how soon. His inspection lasted a good 4 hours from start to finish but I had my report with all the recommendations for repairs and concerns on cd and flash drive that day. He wasn't the least expensive of the home inspectors on Angie's list but I am glad that I hired him for the job.