Robert and Edie Sherwood at Area Wide Inspectors are hands down THE BEST INSPECTORS we have ever used! Three times in the past few years, we have had TERRIBLE inspectors who have ultimately cost us a fortune in repairs for things they missed. The worst was when buying my mom's house. We used the inspector our realtor recommended, only to learn later that the realtor got a kick-back for the referral (as he did with the awful home warranty company he convinced us to choose). The inspector he sent was too old, too overweight, and frankly, too lazy to go into the attic or under the house, and because of that, he missed so many major issues he should have warned us about. COSTLY issues. So for our next purchase, we did our research. I found Area Wide Inspectors though Angie's List, and when I first met Edie and Robert (at a property we wound up not buying), I realized they are in a class by themselves. Robert did the bulk of the work (I believe he is/was a city inspector?), and the man knows his stuff. He suited up and went under the crawl space of a 1940s pier and beam house, he climbed into the attic, he examined every inch that home, inside out. Edie was on hand to do much of the other work and assist with taking photos and documenting their findings. They both answered all of my (numerous) questions and helped me to understand the pros and cons of the property. Their report was SO DETAILED, complete with photos of every flaw they found, and was turned around and in my inbox the very next day. It was IMPRESSIVE. Cut to a year later when we were nearing completion on a new build with a top builder in town. We had become concerned about the increasing number of cracks in the foundation, so we reached out to Edie just before the floors were installed and asked if they would be able to take a look. She and Robert raced over that morning to examine the foundation. They called us immediately and agreed that the cracks were beyond excessive, raising a major red flag. Robert recommended we contact the top structural engineer in town. We did, and he also raced over. Thank goodness. After much unnecessary drama from the builder (who refused to repair the house despite the impending failure of the foundation), Area Wide and the engineer they recommended saved us from making a catastrophic purchase. Cut to one year later (aka, last week!) when our new build from another builder in town was almost complete. We had been so busy, we almost forgot to set up the inspection. We called at the last minute, and Edie and Robert squeezed us in the very next morning. Their report was every bit as thorough as the first time and was sent to us the same day they visited the property, complete with photos and detailed notes. We cannot rave enough about them. It's rare to find people you trust so much to have your best interest at heart. Area Wide do such thorough and quality work. And they are a dream to deal with!!! If you need a home inspector in the Lubbock area --- please call Robert and Edie today. They are OUTSTANDING in every way. Thank you both so much for saving us last year!!! We can never express how much we appreciate your honesty, your skill, and your generous hustle to make sure that we, as homebuyers, are safe and protected in making the most informed decision possible when going into such an important purchase. Thank you, thank you, thank you! read more
