Harvey/Be Sure Home Inspectors was well worth the money for his services. For $404 you get a 30ish page fully detailed report with full color photographs and proper explanations in plan English. The inclusion of a Radon test (For the $404 total) will help prevent your family from getting lung cancer later down the line and will hold the sellers accountable for making sure a anti-radon venting system is installed.
Harvey has inspected two properties for us; his first inspection revealed gross negligence on the behalf of the first property owner. This person installed electrical incorrectly (no grounding, outdoor outlets without GFI protection), a double-tapping of an electrical panel that was also overloaded (dangerous, illegal), did their own roof job (which resulted in leaking and large damage to trusses) and revealed large amounts of mold damage to the attic in this dwelling. He literally saved us from making a $125,000 mistake. At the same time he was professional and presented things to us in a factual, unbiased manned - he did not insult the sellers or put them down.
Harvey is very detailed. He checks ALL outlets for grounding, removes and inspects the electrical panel for code violations, checks all faucets and pipes, sump pumps, foundation etc. He goes up on the roof and inspects eaves, venting systems and fireplace chimneys. He goes into the attic, crawl spaces and checks anything and everything; in particular he is very adamant about water damage and mold. "Water is the enemy" he said on multiple occasions.
His appliance recall service, which is free of charge with an inspection, will notify you of potential recalls automatically for the life of you owning your home. This is normally $100ish by itself separately.
On the second inspection Harvey showed up early and was on top of things.
It is worth every penny to make sure you have a home inspector to check the property. We would have had to sink probably over 10K in the first property if we bought it. The inspection report gave us the legal right to walk away and the knowledge to the seller that their house was not safe (for a respiratory standpoint) to live in; they now know they must eliminate the mold to sell the property.
The second property inspection also found mold, but the house was in way better shape otherwise. With his thorough, detailed, professional inspection we now have the legal muscle to insist that the seller eliminate the mold and to make the property perfectly safe for us to live in. We will see if they (the sellers) will agree to our terms, but regardless his services kept us safe and saved us from a potential money pit.
In Michigan it is important to note that it is not required by law for an inspector to be certified or have particular licenses or accreditation by the state. You need to choose an inspector that has passed a major home inspector certification course, they have experience in the home renovation/construction field and that they have licensing and insurance.
Harvey is licensed, bonded and insured .He has passed both the American Home INspectors Training and the National Association of Home INspectors certification tests. Not all inspectors have this. Harvey also has well over 10+ years of home repair experience on his belt. You are in good hands with him.
If this deal turns bad I will definitely be hiring him again to inspect a 3rd property. read more
