I've been using AA-MSA (Joe) for years now. He is by far the best in the business! He is very professional and makes the whole process painless. 1) Answers his phone! (Also answers texts) 2) Always schedules the inspections right away and shows up on time. 3) Very thorough inspections, he has saved me thousands of dollars by finding everything thing wrong, broken, or even things that will need attention in the future at properties which I then used to negotiate with the owner to have them fixed or money taken off to fix them myself. He's even given me ideas of how much it may cost to fix. 4) His inspection reports are spot on. They are very detailed, which makes them way easier to understand every problem he's talking about. They also include recommendations and helpful tips. 5) He has every certification known to man! He's been in the business for years and really knows his stuff. He has performed Phase 3 environmental inspections for me as well as residential inspections. Why trust someone just starting out when you could have the master! read more

AA-MSA Inspections - Home Inspectors Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

I was not happy with his inspection. he missed the fact that the furnace needing replacing. he missed the mouse droppings in the crawl space. He didn't climb onto the roof to check for soft spots and just buy looking at the roof he said it was only 10-11 years old. I had a licensed roofer come out and said the roof had soft spots and 25 years old! I had already purchased the home at this point. he submitted a basic report. i was not happy with his inspection whatsoever. I could've asked for a reduction in the purchase price and due to his lack of findings, I could not. read more

Joe Raffone did the inspection for the buyers for a condo I am selling. He wrote that one of the thermostats was "broken and would not turn off." I knew that it was fine, so I immediately went over to look at it. It's a dial that turns clockwise from "off" to 90 degrees. There is a small "stopper" inside the thermostat that prevents the dial from turning past 90 degrees. He had forced it past the stopper so that it was now stuck between 90 and "off" but of course at this point he couldn't continue to turn clockwise to "off" but neither could he turn counter-clockwise back below 90 without forcing it. So he left the thermostat above 90 where it sat for 6 days in July. Then he put in his report that it was "broken and required an electrician to fix". By removing the thermostat cover, I was able to turn the dial counterclockwise back past the stopper where he had forced it, and then turned it to off. It's now back to the way it was before he manhandled it. If he had actually broken it, I would have sued him. As it is, I paid for electricity for 6 days of roasting my condo. Attached are photos of 1) what Joe did to it and 2) what it's supposed to look like (and did look like after I put it back). You'd have to be a moron 1) to do this in the first place 2) not to know how to put it back the right way 3) leave the heat on at 90+ degrees and walk away. read more

AA-MSA Inspections - The way Joe left the thermostat after he forced it past 90 and then couldn't turn it further or turn it back. - Home Inspectors Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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I have to say that even though this inspection company has many years of experience in the business, I was quite disappointed with their service. I could not attend the inspection that day but I placed all my confidence on this company. The inspector barely took 25 minutes to go through his inspection of a house. He rushed through the inspection and missed important leaks in the ceiling and laundry room. This cost me additional expensive plumbing and contractor costs that could of been avoided. If the inspector would of properly flashed his flashlight on the ceiling, he would of definitely seen the wet spots on the areas of the ceiling and the bulge in the sheetrock. When I contacted him he ignored me for 2.5 weeks and then wrote me a email denying any responsibility. So unprofessional. He was quick to collect his payment in full before his actual inspection... What a disappointment! read more

As a property manager, I'm always looking for quality contractors to work with and to refer. We had an especially sensitive situation that we were working with the health department on. We needed a very specific type of test as we were working to narrow down the cause of the issue. We gave very specific instructions on the type of test that we needed. We informed the tester of the sensitive situation and to be sure to follow the instructions precisely. The lady at the office assured us that the man doing the testing had years of experience, knew how to handle sensitive situations, and the instructions would be handled precisely. Instead, the tester did what he felt like doing and further did things and tests that we specifically instructed not to do. He then intentionally created a scenario that he could file a report with the health department. The letter he wrote to the health department was worded in a way so as to put us in a bad light and to position himself as a hero for going against our instructions. What he failed to remember was that we were already in contact with the health department and were miles ahead of him in remediating the situation that we later found the tenant had caused. The fact that he couldn't have even a little faith, and attempted to deliberately stick a knife in the back of his customer is why this business is getting 1 star. We cannot recommend this contractor and are further considering contacting the Department of Consumer Protection to report him. read more

Let me first say that the actual home inspection itself was great. John came out early in the morning (8am) and was a true professional. He went over all the nooks and crannies thoroughly, he followed all COVID-related precautions (mask, gloves, booties), and he explained any problem areas to me so that I understood what needed to happen. It was a great experience. But I'm only giving a 3-star review based on their customer service after the initial inspection. We paid a couple hundred extra to have AA-MSA retrieve the Radon test and process it in their lab in order to expedite the process (rather than send it out to a lab, which would take longer). However, when it came time to pick up the test from the property, they told us they were unable to do so and that our agent would have to get it for them or we 'd have to send it out to a lab. That's not what we paid extra money for! I also had questions about how much it would cost (a ballpark number) to fix some of the items they flagged in the inspection report, in order to get an adequate amount of money from the seller to cover the cost of doing it ourselves (rather than the seller fixing prior to close). Although they claim to offer this service free of charge, multiple email requests for an estimate were never returned. read more

Joe was a true professional and explained everything when buying our new home. Will Highly recommend. Very detailed, great customer service and professionalism. Fast delivery of scheduling and reports read more

I am writing this review 8 months after my home was inspected by AA MSA. I dissuade everyone from hiring this company. I have come to find that the chimney on my house needs to be replaced. I had two masons come over to get more than one opinion on this matter. If this was a small issue that normally would not be found during inspection I would let it pass and would understand that it could not have been found at inspection. But since this is a major repair that needs to be done and this is no where in the inspection report, i strongly discourage anyone from hiring this company. No point in hiring an inspector that would miss such a major needs for repair or replacement. read more

Buyers Beware! You get what you pay for. When we received the report we had questions and felt the information he discussed with us was either missing and/or did not go into detail. Several emails and phone calls were sent to see where in the report it was, however, we were ignored by Joe and Vita. When he finally did respond, this was his rely " We are not equipped to Shepherd and inexperienced person nor a homeowner through the process of fully understanding the nature of a defect. I recommend asking the seller to hire a professional to look at it evaluated and make the repairs " I thought Joe provided a service for his clients... if I need to hire a professional to be able to u defeat and the report, there is a problem. Just go ahead and hire a professional from the beginning who will write detailed reports and answer questions you have with the report. read more

HORRENDOUS CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE - AVOID AT ALL COSTS! WE ARE CURRENTLY BEING HARASSED & THREATENED WITH LEGAL ACTION BY JOE RAFFONE AT AA-MSA, DESPITE REPEATEDLY SHOWING PROOF OF PAYMENT. We scheduled with AA-MSA for a home inspection, with Vita over the phone. There were red flags right away, because after scheduling we received REPETITIVE phone calls and texts messages (numerous over a span of a few hours) - about scheduling; which we had already completed. When I gave this response via text, Joe Raffone confirmed that we were already scheduled and he would "update the system". Looking back, the staff at AA-MSA was obviously disorganized and struggled with their own technology from the start. Less than hour before our inspection, we received a phone call from Vita that she was having an issue with our credit card; claiming it was "declined". We immediately checked the card online and saw that the charge was already pending. She was not able to understand this, and simply wanted "a new card". Because we were rushing to get to the actual inspection, we told her we would contact her afterwards. In the days that followed, we were harassed by Vita and Joe Raffone. They basically kept claiming that the card was declined, but we repeatedly provided screenshots that the charge showed as pending. We contacted our credit card company (Citi) who confirmed that the ACTION WAS SITTING WITH AA-MSA to simply close out the the transaction. However, Joe and Vita never acknowledged the pending charge or offered a solution - they simply kept harassing us to "re-run the card" or "provide a new card". When we asked them what they would do about the pending charge (again, showing screen shots) they repeatedly ignored this point. At one point, Joe stated "I personally have cancelled the charge" but, when I asked for confirmation he would not and could not provide - this obviously left us very uncomfortable and feeling unsafe as customers. Overall, this staff clearly struggles with modern technology and it seems like an error user in their system prompted them to harass us to "provide a new charge" or "give the current charge", without offering any solution of what would happen with the current pending charge. After ignoring these questions multiple times, Joe Raffone threatened us with a "small action claims suit" due to our "unwillingness to pay" - which is hilarious since we provided multiple screenshots showing the pending charge. I would suggest AA-MSA join the 21st century and provide online payment options for their customers; since Joe & Vita are clearly unable to handle credit card transactions successfully. read more

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First and foremost Vita was great to work with! She was in constant communication up to my inspection, even calling me to inform me my inspectors were running late so I wasn't hanging around. John and Steve were both great for the price! When asked about some white stuff on the outside AC unit they told us they "didn't know" what it was, when I showed my fiance he let me know it was corrosion, why John and Steve were unsure of what it was I don't know. Again, the inspection was good for the price. We received the report next day, and there was nothing in the report that was not explained to us in person during the inspection. read more

On time, professional & thorough. Answered all our questions and explained everything he was doing so we understood the condition of the house we are looking to purchase. read more

I hired AA-MSA to inspect my home and it was an unbelievable experience. I am sure not a lot of people are going to read my very long review - to summarize please stay far away from this company!!!! I originally spoke to Vita in the office who was very nice (until I had an issue of course) booked my inspection and was very excited. The day of the inspection Joe pulled up, got out of his car, and didn't even bother introducing himself. He just stood there till I asked him who he was. He then asked me if I would like to walk with him or wait until he is done, being a first time home buyer with lots of questions I wanted to walk with him. I asked him to hold on for one minute while I called my mom who should have been about 2 blocks away - that was when I received my first eye roll from Joe. My mom said go ahead she will be there in 2 minutes so we started. His first comment was in regards to the roof, saying it was 12 years old. I explained how I was told my several people that a roof had to be brand new for solar panels to be installed and these were installed about a year ago (trying to get his thoughts on the statement) he just looks at me and tells me "well it looks 12 years old". Next item he pointed out was a crack on the chimney. I turned over to my realtor and I was talking to her about it and asking her if she thinks it would be a huge issue since the fire place was converted to gas etc. Moving on we begin to walk towards the back of the house walking past these two trees that are growing right on the house - I was told by a family member to make sure he inspects behind them since they are blocking the sun and could have mold or attract termites etc - so I stopped him and explained that to him and asked him if he could please check behind them. You would think I made an outrageous request because he turns around and begins to explain how he has inspected over 10,000 homes and has been doing this for 20 years and so on. I am standing there looking at him and the sun was in my eyes so I was squinting, apparently he thought me squinting was an issue because the next thing out of his mouth was "why are you looking at me like that" I explained that I was just looking at him because he was speaking and I was listening to what he was saying. At this point my real estate agent steps in and explains to him that I have never done this before, I have a lot of questions and if he has a certain way that he would like the inspection to go to simply explain it and we don't have a problem with it. So he turns to her and asks her "why are you talking to me like that?" My real estate agent is one of the most soft spoken people you could meet. I then told him she was just explaining the situation to you what do you mean how is she speaking to you? He then said that he doesn't think he should do our inspection and walked away, got in his car and left. I called the office and explained what happened to Vita and she insisted that I must be lying. I wasn't trying to get a refund, I wasn't trying to get a free inspection by complaining AFTER the inspection was done, I was simply trying to get my home inspected so I can move forward with the process. I have no reason to lie. He said he was going to refund me when he walked away but I have yet to check my credit card statement so we will see. Either way it was a blessing in disguise because the other inspector that I had cancelled for this horrible company was there in 30 minutes and I thank God Joe decided to be horribly unprofessional and left. I saw another review where they had an issue with a female home buyer so I am assuming he isn't a fan of women asking questions and being involved in anything outside of a kitchen. read more

Do not use AA-MSA for your home inspection. I have never written a review before, but my experience was so bad, that I am writing one now. The home inspection was poor - he missed multiple things, he didn't even inspect everything the contract said he would and the state requires, customer service is poor, and they are over priced. Two days before I had to make my final offer I came to realize he had missed asbestos in the basement, he hadn't even inspected the attic (though the report said he did), he hadn't inspected the windows (though the report said he did), he hadn't checked outlets around the house, and more. He breezed through an inspection for a 1750 square foot home in 45 minutes. When I emailed him and then called him the day before I had to make an offer to voice my concerns, tell him the tight deadline I was under, and see if there was any way he could come and take a thorough look and do what his contract said he would do, or at least speak to my concerns he replied..."I will check my email on Monday-take care". In essence he heard my concern and said - I am not going to do anything about it. Joe didn't do his job. A home inspection should give a buyer peace of mind when making a big purchase that will impact them and their family. This did the complete opposite. I do not want anyone else to go through this. Read below for more details: (1) Low Quality Home Inspection - This was my first home and first inspection. I was just trying to keep up. Here is the list of things that he did wrong, at least the ones that I have realized so far: a. He missed two piles of old insulation with asbestos on the floor that was lying a few feet away from the boiler he had noticed had asbestos. If a contractor hadn't discovered this, I might have moved into the home with traces of asbestos in my basement which would not have been good for my young kids. It was in plain sight and he walked right by it, within a couple feet. b. The report said that the attic was serviceable, meaning he had looked at it and it was fine. He never looked at the attic. I know because I had to go myself the day I had to make my final offer and do it myself. There was a crawl space accessible through a closet. He never bothered to look. c. He said the windows were serviceable. He wouldn't have known that because he never checked. d. He didn't check a representative amount of outlets and light switches - The irony is that in the report by state law he has to list what the state requires a home inspector to do. As I read through what the law said, I was able to find more and more what he never did, but claimed to do. (2) Poor customer service - a. Over the phone I was told that I could have the inspection for $600 because I didn't want the lead water test. Later that night, they went back on it and said that it was back to the original price of $735 because the lead test was "free" and that I had an hour confirm my slot. I had already told another inspector with a lower price that I was going with someone else because I thought that a verbal agreement would mean something. I wasn't going to be able to get another inspector in time so I swallowed my pride and agreed. b. As mentioned earlier when I finally realized what a bad job they did I reached out by email and phone. They could have sent someone to take a look at the house or at least spoken to my concerns. Instead the VP of the company and main inspector Joe, told me that he wouldn't check his email until the day after I had to make a final offer and to "take care". That seemed very unprofessional, cold, and heartless. (3) AA-MSA is over priced They throw in all of these "free" services that aren't really services and not really free. For example he does a "lead inspection". A real lead inspection takes samples or uses an XFR gun. Joe is simply looking for flaking paint which is what every other home inspector does without charging you more. Also they have this "price match guarantee" which they do not honor. Twice I brought quotes from respected companies and they wouldn't match it. They use the free services they offer as proof they are offering a different service and therefore you're not comparing "apples to apples". On one hand if you don't want their "free" service it won't reduce your price because it is free. On the other hand if another company gives you a quote for lower without including the same free service then that price isn't valid as a comparison because their price would be higher if they offered the same "free" service. This is twisted logic and they are basically having it both ways so that they can never match someone else's price. In conclusion, do not use this company. You will pay over $100 more for a half completed home inspection that misses important items. You will not be treated well, but left to pick up the pieces that Joe leaves with his negligence. Home buying is stressful enough - do not add this. read more

Joe the Inspector and his worker were extremely professional, diligent, and attentive to details while evaluating and inspecting our new home. He's extremely knowledgeable, soft and well spoken and yet delivered every detail information to us. His report back to us afterwards was well written, precise and honest. His price was reasonable. So far he's the best in the field in our book. We highly recommend him and his company. Bill and Sara read more

Top notch service from each person involved in the process. Joe took the time to explain what to expect, in detail, the day of the inspection, Vita was friendly and accommodating in scheduling the service, and Randy did an excellent job performing the inspection and returning the results in record time. Highly recommend. read more

Inspector Raffone attempted to bill for $250 of additional services (see other similar reviews) not contracted or agreed to in any way, and refused a refund after being confronted with this dishonesty, which required a credit card charge dispute to resolve. Mr Raffone was aggressively rude to myself and my real estate agent, dismissive of customer concerns, and berated his assistant from start to finish. Inspectors also left tools and trash on the premises after departing as quickly as possible from a whirlwind, shoddy inspection (see photos). Stay away from Mr. Raffone and the untrustworthy AA-MSA at all costs. read more

AA-MSA Inspections - Home Inspectors Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Joe was great and very knowledgeable! He was on time, quick, and pointed out things that were very important! He also explained things to me and answered all my questions.The communication between the office and myself was also great, and the report was sent very quickly (within a day). Everything was great! Would highly recommend! read more

I was referred to AA-MSA from a neighbor who had a seamless experience with Joe Raffone. I contacted him to scheduled my home inspection and even though I was in a rush because we were closing on our home soon, he was able to fit me into his schedule on short notice. He arrived on time and was VERY thorough in his work. He mailed us a copy of all his findings which included pictures and detailed explanations in a bound home-owners copy. His rates were fair and we are very pleased with his service. I highly recommend!! read more

PLEASE READ BEFORE CONTACTING FOR SERVICES! We hired, and more importantly trusted, this company to complete a comprehensive/professional home inspection at a significant cost. We walked the property on the first day of ownership and noted a large visible hole in plain sight in the foundation (approximately 1 square foot with wood exposed). Additionally, we saw crumbling concrete at the top of the chimney brick and some of the material had actually fallen off of the roof into the yard below (potential safety concern if someone had been standing underneath that area). The inspector arrived early and, in my opinion, did not complete a thorough inspection as he had mentioned he had to get to another appointment. These items were not addressed in the inspection report. The report noted the "foundation was in serviceable condition". The report also noted the "chimney is Brick. Exterior chimney structure appeared to be in serviceable condition.". Had these items been addressed in the inspection report we would have negotiated a remedy with the former homeowner. They were not included in the report and as a result we incurred a significant additional expense immediately after closing. We are very dissatisfied with the overall completeness of the inspection, especially since I was clearly able to see these issues with my unprofessional/untrained eyes so easily. We contacted the inspector seeking a refund and received the following response: "The items you wrote about are beyond the scope of our home inspection. As the contract, CT Standards and inspection report all explain, a home inspection is a visual assessment to determine the major structural and mechanical defects. It will reduce but not eliminate the possibility of some defects.". In my opinion, I do not understand how a lay person can visualize these major structural defects, but the licensed professional failed to include them in the inspection report. The inspector also recommended mold testing at an additional cost of $250. We were provided an "official" lab report that "confirmed" the findings (mold per the inspector). We were provided an immediate quote from the inspector (who supposedly holds multiple CT Licenses) to perform the mold abatement. We then had two very well known (one local/one national franchise) environmental clean-up/restoration companies come in to assess the mold issue and provide quotes to remedy the issue (mold abatement and future prevention). Both of these companies indicated there was no mold in the house/basement. One of the servicemen also proceeded to comment on the potential lack of authenticity of the original test itself and laboratory used for the "official" report, implying that we may have been "scammed". read more

I recently joined my son and his girl friend for their home inspection. Joe Raffone did a very thorough inspection, as well as offering much insightful and valuable advise. He was punctual and easy to contact. I felt that they were in good hands all the way. I would certainly recommend Joe for your home inspection needs. Joseph, Fairfield read more

I have work with Joe and Vita twice during my first time home buying process and they are amazing. Joe is very knowledgeable and is very detailed. The price was awesome too! Definitely Recommend! read more

Very professional. Highly recommended. I called Joe and he came out with less than 24 hours' notice and provided a very thorough inspection. He was very informative and provided great recommendations. I really appreciated this as a first time home buyer. They also offer "healthy home checkups," which I plan on using in the future. Could not be happier with this service. read more

Joe was great. Very professional and thorough. He took the time to explain everything to me. From the first phone call for a quote to the inspection everyone was great and extremely helpful. read more

I had a very good experience with AA-MAS Inc. Vita was incredibly helpful and accommodating with scheduling . Joe arrived on time and prepared for the inspection. I found Joe to be highly knowledgeable and patient with me as a first time home buyer. He took the time to ask if I had any questions after each segment of my inspection and gave helpful information and responses to any I did have. He is incredibly thorough and really knows his stuff. His reports were detailed and sent out promptly. I will definitely recommend him to anyone I know looking for an inspector in the future. read more

Came and did the inspection- rushed through everything- guy was nice that did inspection- sent report and it was 30 pages but the index said u could find the report for this room on page 37 and this on page 32 and this on page 35 - it was 30 pages so how would I find things on pages above 30??? Also said they found evidence of termites in a side door - then said there was evidence of carpenter ants in garage- first there is no garage- and second first it was termites and second they said if you want us to take care of carpenter ants that were found in the garage- no garage and which is it termites or ants?? When I called to ask about these points no response - I texted and asked to the number they texted me on before the inspection and was told to email my issues and someone would get back to me. - that was over a week ago and still no response either by email or phone or text - no communication- they were hired by me and now I found out they did work for the people selling the house for something that was on the report - that is a big time breach if ethics and just shows this company can not be trusted and you should stay away from this company- find some company that is more trustworthy- straight up do not use!! read more

Joe provided quick and quality service on our condo inspection. His responses were timely, his work was very thorough and his report was detailed. He really helped ease this oft times nerve-wracking process and helped calm any of our uncertainties and nerves. read more

The home buying process can be daunting especially to us first timers. Inspections are one of the first steps to homeownership and understanding the house and it's "flaws" allows greater understanding of your purchase and potential home. This is where I found most value of Joe. He was kind and patient and again, as a first time home buyer, answered all of our questions. The report was timely and easy to follow including recommendations and estimate costs of repair. I also appreciated the follow up since the inspection. Thank you Joe! read more

Our experience with this company and inspection process was definitely not ok. AA-MSA was the cheapest inspection I could find and they also did the cheapest job I have experienced with inspectors we've worked with. They came unprepared with dead tools that needed batteries, they left with the heat on at 90 degrees, and left out information or wrote inaccurate information on the inspection report. They check one outlet and 2 or 3 windows and give you an overview of the house based on that. They don't go on a roof they just look at it with binoculars even if they tell you on the phone they'll go on it. Some of the stuff I asked for on the phone didn't even get inspected because it was an "add on" and they chose to ignore it and then told me I never asked for it to be checked. And when you ask about the final report they'll tell you it's a comprehensive test set to CT standards, which maybe it is, but it definitely wasn't the most thorough or detailed inspection, it was the bare minimum. When you want details on the report they ignore the emails. They are the most cost effective, but know it's a pretty mediocre inspection, and if they miss things or forget to check things they won't take ownership they'll just ignore it and continue to say they are amazing and/or won't email you back at all. Also, if you go with them, I would tell you to get a lot of other professionals out as well to view your potential house so you have a full picture before buying (but don't do it while they are there or they'll use other people as an excuse for doing a poor inspection). My advice: save the headache and spend a little more with someone else. You'll have more confidence in buying. read more

Not happy. Tried to charge me for additional services not wanted. Delayed appt multiple times.

Good/reasonable quotes & pricing, timely and efficient. The office manager "Vita" was very personable and helpful.

I've bought and sold six houses in the past twenty years. I can't speak to the quality of the inspection yet as that often takes some time to shake out, but I can say that I've never had a worse experience with an inspector. I called him to let him know that he had missed the HVAC comments in the detailed report and I got the defensive answer "the realtors only look at the summary". When I told him I would like it in the detailed part of the report he told me to email him with that request and he would deal with it on Tuesday when he got back to the office. I never got it. I then emailed him that we had access to the property the following Thursday to pick up the radon test, giving him 48 hours of notice. He replied two days later saying that would not work for him. Additionally, he said the septic inspection was free and on the day of the service he said he could not do it because no one was there to open the cover to the tank. I asked him who was supposed to open the cover to which he responded 'they' should do it. I asked who 'they' was and got no answer. I ended up hiring a separate company at almost half the cost of Joe's inspection to get the septic done. There was access to the attic during the inspection but Joe did not even take a look at it. I also asked him via email what the foundation of the roof was and three days later he replied that he did not know. Just to demonstrate to how objectionable this man is, I witnessed all the traffic on the street grind to a halt with horns blaring when Joe came by to pick up the radon test because he missed the turn and was backing up in on the main road, forcing the other people behind him to also back up. If that doesn't say it all I don't know what does. The icing on the cake is the hammering you get with the constant upsell of all his other services. Total jack of all trades and master of god only knows what. Do yourself a favor and find another company. read more