TOWNE & COUNTRY BUILDING INSPECTION INC

We had Scot from Towne & Country Building Inspection inspect a home we were to purchase in May of 2017 but, the deal feel through and we lost the house. The first person my wife and I thought of without hesitation for the next home inspection was Scot. Once again, Scots knowledge of home inspection paid off and by him inspecting the home we lost, he was able to help us understand the difference in each home. We have been in our home since June 2017. I am writing this in February 2018, looking back we are enjoying our home and Towne & Country Building Inspection will forever be apart of our home story. Thanks again Scot! Tony W.

The inspection saved me from getting into a never-ending project. Without Scot’s knowledge and ability to point out areas of potential concern, I would have regretted my home purchase. He was so helpful that I hired him again two weeks later on a new home for inspection.

We have used Scot for several properties over the past 4 years and were extremely satisfied each and every time. He is thorough, extremely knowledgeable about many property types and provides additional insight. We always feel confident afterwards knowing exactly what issues we may be looking at both immediately and down the road a few years. He has always been spot on. His pictures and detailed reports are laid out well and completely in a timely manner. We always recommend Scot and appreciate his dedication to this profession.

I have used Scot for many years now and he has saved my bacon on at least a couple occasions. More importantly, he is professional, polite, descriptive and thorough - everything you want in an inspector. His reports are very detailed and include plenty of pictures. As you walk through the house he will take the time to point out his observations and explain them in a very approachable way. If I am in the market for a house and need an inspection, he is my first and only phone call. Thanks Towne and Country Building Inspection and team!

Scot was FABULOUS! If anyone needs a qualified inspector- Scot is the one to use. He was very thorough with his explanations of what were areas of concern, or what was in good shape. He shared his knowledge of items to be mindful of as your home was aging- what you can do to keep a home in its best shape as possible. Scot was very hands on and wanted you as a buyer to be as informed as possible! Scot encouraged questions and made sure you understood all that he presented and was willing to answer any follow up questions we may have. You can't get any better than Scot!!!!

Scot W. McLean of Towne & Country Building Inspection, Inc. had done an excellent job on my home inspection. He took the time to do a walk through of the home with me and pointed out all concerns of the property and provided solutions with references. I was provided with a detailed report of my property I was purchasing. I will use Scot again and do recommend him as well.

My experience was very pleasant and Scot was extremely knowledgeable. Scot went through the entire process with us by his side, I never felt uncomfortable about asking questions, although most of the questions I had were answered as we went through the property. Thanks to scot I have a wonderful home, he was and has been easy to contact and I will definitely refer and reuse the services of Towne and Country again.

As a first time home buyer, Scot and Bonnie came highly recommended and they did not disappoint! Scot was extremely thorough in his inspection of our house and went out of his way to outline important areas to monitor and provided tips and tricks for home maintenance in the future. Scot answered all of my questions, turned his report around in less than 6 hours and followed up with me to make sure I was comfortable with everything the next morning. I could not have been more impressed with the work that was done. I know that we will continue to work with Scott and Bonnie moving forward and would recommend them to anyone, but especially first time home buyers. The peace of mind he created and education he offered was unexpected. I would recommend Towne and Country to anyone, but especially first time home buyers.

Scot was very knowledgeable of all areas of the home. His good nature and disposition made my wife and I feel comfortable to ask him any question we wanted. We left the inspection feeling that we had enough information to help with our decision to purchase the home. I will only use Town and Country Building Inspection Inc for all my home inspection needs! Thanks Scot!!

Excellent. Outstanding service. Thorough, knowledgeable and polite. Visually inspects everything that can't be accessed. Checks everything that can be accessed meticulously. Knows building codes, design, practices and construction. During band afterward, takes the time to explain operation, maintenance and defects, if any.

I've worked with Scot for home inspections on three different occasions.  He has been great to work with during my house buying adventure.  I was walked through step by step of what was being looked for in the various areas of the house.  If issues were found, I was given information on how or who I should contact to perform the fix, information on prevention, and as needed professionals were recommended to be brought in for further inspection.

After the inspection I was sent a very detailed report that included the various areas of the house, what the condition was of that area, recommended steps to cure any problems areas, photos, and maintenance steps that should be taken.

Scott -- is the consumate professional. He is incredibly knowledable about historic homes. and has reccomendations for seevice providers that he trusts. Scott has an excellent reputation among buyers and agents . He truly is a buyers advocate leaving no stone unturned.

This is our second time utilizing his services and we can not be happier with his service. He is absolutley trustworhy - Highly recomend him.
Also - of note - I have refrenced some of the other comments from someone who had used him and was upset because of s roof issue.
Scott always reccomneds that you have the roof checked out by a professional roofer if there is any sign or suspicion of damage.
Because of thai he has saved us countless of dollars.
Any buyer should know that you must reas inspection report and hire a professional to do due diligence on any concerns he has. This has saved us. IF you do not read the report -- and take short cuts to save money by not hiring a a professional to take a peek at the flaws he finds,
It is NOT the inspectors fault. The responsibility falls on you,the buyer. Scott always has out the urmost professionals in his reports for us to call if there is any inclination there may be something faulty with a roof or a heating/electrical system.
Scott is the best home ispector in North Shore hands down.
I would highly reccomend him!

Scot was professional, thorough, and has historical expertise.

Scott was my first inspector for my first home purchase. He was very thorough. Recommended that I get a third-party foundation inspection which thankfully came out clear. For the purchase of my second home, Joy was the inspector. She missed several electrical items in the garage (nothing noted in the report), and since inspectors are not required to peek above drop ceilings due to the chance of damage to the tile or dust falling on flooring, it was not done. The blanket statement "inspect all branch circuits" was added to the report. A "representative sample" of outlets was inspected, which is also allowed by the WAHI Standards of Practice which govern inspectors. The completed report itself was promised the next day, which didn't happen - I had to follow up. With T&C as with all inspectors, be aware of the services that are being performed. They are not required to, nor will they move anything or go out of their way to inspect things that are not immediately visible. In my case, that means maybe $1500 of total electrical work that is required to bring things up to code before I'm able to renovate the basement. If the inspector had moved a tile or two, or if I had been directly encouraged to, the flaws would've been found and could have been negotiated during the purchase process, not months after out of my own pocket. Nothing in my inspection process with Towne and Country was ever deficient according to the WAHI Standards of Practice. The blanket warning statement to have an electrician inspect all branch circuits could have been sufficient if I had heeded the warning - I take responsibility for not following up. However, T&C could've gone "above and beyond" to move a tile or alert me to the high possibility of work needed, instead of boilerplate language. To me, that warrants a solid B or C review.

 I learned a great deal and felt comfortable asking him questions along the process. Additionally, Scot is quite a historian and knows the in's and outs of the homes in the area, development over the years. He made what could have been a daunting, overwhelming process, manageable! SO thankful that he was recommended to us! Thank you Scot! 

A++++!!!! Very professional, very thorough; really has client's intentions in best mind.

I can't say enough good things about Towne and Country. It was a breeze to set up an appointment and tell them that I wanted a radon test. The radon test was all set up and done by the home inspection. I felt the home inspection was through and Scott was great with answering our questions. I could not be happier! We spent a lot of time going over the house and the types of things that we need to take care of and things that were health and safety issues. It was great to be able to go through the house and learn so much.

A++.

I simply could not be more pleased with the home inspection that Scot performed. 
My wife and I are purchasing a 100 year old house to live in and raise our three young children.
Although the house has recently been renovated by the seller, we were still apprehensive about the cost of potential repairs for such an old house.

After searching Angie's List, we hired Scot. He was extremely meticulous and knowledgeable. He took time to explain everything he was doing and why it mattered for our purchase.

At one point in the inspection, Scot got on his ladder and into a rather tight part of the attic. Once there, he found some electrical wiring that was not up to code. This had even been overlooked by the municipal inspectors! Not only is such a condition dangerous, but it would have been costly for us to remedy. 

We will be living in this house for a long time-- so I am glad for Scot's help in catching the potential problems and making simple, budget-conscious recommendations. I wholeheartedly recommend him and will certainly recommend him to my friends. 

Two years ago, Scot McLean inspected our home prior to our purchase. He was thorough and knowledgeable. Since then, he's continued to help us out, free of charge. He's recommended other contractors and vendors we've used, and most recently, he came to our house to give us some guidance on how to proceed with some leaking and rotting wood. When we first met him, he said he'd continue to be a resource for us. I can't say how true that's been! Thank you, Scot.

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Scott was willing to help us out with a last minute appointment request.  His wife, who handles the scheduling, was very friendly, and responding very quickly when we needed her to.  Scott's goal was not just to do a very thorough inspection, but to provide advice and recommendations on how to handle minor issues and take care of the house.  A very detailed report was in my email a few hours after the inspection was done.

Scot McLean is excellent to work with and we were very pleased with the quality of the work.  
Most significantly, Scot discovered that the cement board siding on the exterior of the house was curling on the bottom ever-so-slightly.  This is a potentially significant issue because of the possibility of water damage.  Replacing or repairing siding is expensive, so it was great to know about the condition issue before making the purchase, so we could negotiate a financial arrangement with the previous owner that would allow us to take care of the problem.  
I've had a number of questions after moving in and Scot has been very helpful providing input and advice.  Scot encouraged us to follow up if we had questions after moving in and it is clear it wasn't just lip service.  He has been friendly in attentive in these follow up conversations.  
I'd recommend Towne and Country to anyone in need of home inspection services based on my experience.

First, this company claims many things on their website they clearly do not support.  One, they claim they will send the contract paper work prior to the inspection so you have time to read before signing.  This did not happen.  The first 45 minutes of the limited time inspection were spent going over what they were not responsible/liable for and me attempting to read the fine print.  Because I was surprised by this last minute demand, I did not sign the paper work until the inspection was completed.  I am one who always reads something before signing.  The only reason I reluctantly signed the paper work in the end was because the owner had returned early and was rushing us to leave the property.  I hastily read and signed the forms.  Another claim they make is they always travel with a ladder.  This was also not true.  For the roof inspection, the inspector merely stood in the driveway and took a picture of the roof and noted obvious things like a missing tab shingle and a place where a satellite dish used to be attached.  Mind you, they did not have to climb up to the second floor of the house to inspect the shingles more closely because the garage and shingles over the master bedroom were easily assessable on the first level.  In addition, you can see granule sediment build up in the gutter that is clearly visible from the second floor bathroom.  Continuing, their website also claims they do roof inspections, but when I asked them about this they actually told me I didn't hire them to do a roof inspection.  And finally, the most important claim they make on their website is there will not be a need to hire additional inspectors/specialists, "because that is what

you hire us for".  Because I am a cautious person with finances etc, I was very concerned about buying a quality home, and at the end of the inspection, I asked the inspector if there was anything that would stop them or make them hesitate buying the house and they

said no there was not.   I?m sure they will deny this, but this is what happened.



Inspection report (attached).  After discussing the report with my realtor, she stated it was confusing and difficult to ascertain what problems existed with the house vs. them just covering their backs.  Everything in the inspection needed another inspector - plumbing, electric, and roof.  The realtor continued, why wouldn?t you just hire these separate specialists instead of Town and Country?  Further, the report was inconsistent and confusing (with RED highlights and GREEN highlights) stating the roof condition was:



IN GREEN ? ?Moderate signs of aging. Granule loss, Curling, Shrinkage, Cracking, Missingshingles/tabs. Satellite dish was installed on roof (now removed). These installations are not done by roofers. Monitor for leakage and repair as necessary.?  The cookie cutter recommendation stated:  ?needs MINOR repair/maintenance.  Correct roof deficiencies to prevent damage to structure and finish.  Suggest evaluation by roofing specialist.  Monitor for common maintenance needs.?  In the summary at the bottom of the report it states the roof is TYPICAL to

BELOW.  So what is it?  Moderate and usual signs of aging and consult a roofer to monitor the situation in the future or your house as shingles that will need to be removed and replaced in two years?  By adding the roofing specialist suggestion, they believe this clears them of any negligence in not properly identifying the roof shingles were failing and the shingles were manufacturer defects well -known by other inspectors in the market. 

****?s response is not accurate, so I will once again provide the truth.  After I closed on the house on October 7th, (after my September 19th wedding and honeymoon) my family came down to visit.  Right away my mom made the suggestion that the shingles on the roof looked terrible and I should contact the builder to find out if they were under warranty.  I immediately took her suggestion and called Westridge Builders and unfortunately found out that the 25 year shingles were part of a class action lawsuit because they were defective and would only last a short period of time. 

I then went to the Certainteed webside and called to start a claim.  That week, I contacted Town and Country and talked to ****?s wife.  I did not get much help except to contact a roof inspector and get back to them on the outcome.  I then contacted my Realtor Nancy Meeks and she recommended a roof inspector which I later hired for $150.00.  He verified the shingles were showing extreme deterioration and believed they were defective.  He said he was surprised this wasn?t easily identified in the inspection because the deterioration was so obvious with the consistent curling and granule loss throughout.  I still did not have proof the shingles were Certainteed defects, and because of the time of the year, I had to wait for the winter to pass before he could come out again and take a shingle sample for the claim in order to file for the class action.  Once the issue was confirmed by Certainteed, I called the Town and Country again and relayed the information as requested.  The owner **** was very receptive to my concerns and even stated that ***, the inspector who came out in his place at the last minute due to an emergency surgery **** had, was not good with working with people and the process as a whole; he had heard this from other clients.  In fact, after our conversation, I was under the impression he no longer used *** for inspections, and I was not surprised.  As promised, later that week, he called back and said they didn?t do anything wrong and he never made any comment about ***.  I tried to reiterate my concerns and they didn?t want any of it because they told me to get another inspection.  It was at this point, I felt I did not have any leverage or options except to let the other potential customers know about the situation and warn them about their business practices.  I provided the facts on google review and Angies List.  I also asked my realtor not to recommend this inspector to other clients and she agreed.   



The deck became a bigger concern because we were planning to have our first house party with 45 guests.  From day one, my father in law and others would make statement about the deck and how it would move and sway when someone walked on it.  We did not want anyone at our party to get hurt, so I had some additional supports added to the beams holding the deck up.  Respectfully, Because this was also not properly identified in the inspection, and further evidence of ***?s incompetence, I asked **** to witness the deck before making any changes.  He never got back to me on his determination and I was surprised he wouldn?t want to visit the house and witness the roof and deck himself.  If it were me, I would have at least done this much. 



Unfortunately, I have learned not to trust people as much as I used to.  This was a very expensive error and it will cost me twenty five thousand dollars for a new roof in a year or so.  The class action claim check arrived and was only $1,900.  It would have been decent for **** and the realtor to step up and provide some assistance to this situation.  I wasn?t asking for much, just a gesture to show they had some part of this and it wasn?t all on my shoulders.

We had the opportunity to walk with Scot during our home inspection.  He answered every question we had no matter how relevant they were (we had a few that weren't).  He wasn't rushed and looked at all of the systems in detail.  He was very easy to communicate with and provided answers in terms we could understand.  The inspection was followed up with a detailed written report.
We were very pleased with the process and results of the inspection.  The money was well worth it and I wouldn't hesitate to have him work for us again if/when the time arises.  
I would highly recommend Scot McLean and Town & County Building Inspection, Inc.

Scot was very responsive and punctual for the inspection.  This was my first investment property/home purchase and Scot took the time to show me common maintenance issues and some of the quirks of owning a home built in 1890. He was very thorough in his review. The most significant item noted was the main roof required replacement.  I was able to have the
seller replace the roof prior to close. There were other items he noted in his report that I chose to defer.  Unfortunately for me, Scot is batting 1000 on the issues that have developed over my first year owning the home (porch roof leaked where he said it would, pipes froze where he indicated there was insufficient insulation).  I can’t blame Scot for my own laziness.  Fortunately, I have
fixed the remaining items on his report and am very happy with my purchase and overall experience working with him.