You truly do get what you pay for--Benchmark Home Services is worth every penny. I, like many, have heard horror stories about home inspectors doing poor jobs. Indeed, when you ask people for recommendations, more often than not you get a list of who not to use, and a blank stare/ sad shrug about who can be trusted. Needless to say, I was petrified when it came to this portion of the home buying process. Thank goodness we came across Benchmark Hone Services. Mark Bishton is a godsend when it comes to home inspections. He is amazingly thorough in his investigation, takes his time to do a complete job and communicative throughout the entire process. We not only received an inspection which saved me tens of thousands of dollars in future repairs to the foundation, masonry, chimney caps, etc--we also received an education in what to look for when initially viewing a home. After reviewing each section/ space, Mark would pause to share his findings with me, narrating as he flipped through the newly procured pictures. At times, he would ask us what we saw and if we noticed anything amiss, helping us develop our own skills in detection. Indeed, I not only know what to look for in terms of landscape grading, but also repairs/ damage to exterior masonry and interior walls, and how to read the serial code on an AC and water heater to determine its production year and remaining lifespan. He would explain the different types of wiring we could see, noting what year a cloth-wrapped wire would have been used and what its presence says about the building. And he took his time, even though the inspection ran longer than expected. He wants to make sure his clients receive the best service and, more importantly, are fully aware of what they may be walking into. And then there's his inspection report! It was soooo thorough, including pictures of all discussed sections (good and bad) and explaining in detail the issues, the severity of the problems, and making recommendations on how to address them. He even color-codes the report. In other words, he does everything in his power to make his report thorough and legible to the average person. My report, was roughly 37pgs long (with pictures) and I managed to read through it all without any problem. Mark clearly loves his job--which is hard to say of many service providers. He mourns the crappy service home inspectors are notorious for providing, and even took the time to explain the process of becoming a home inspector (which makes me even more leery of using other providers). Perhaps more importantly, Mark was a contractor in his former life, and built many houses in his day. So he knows firsthand how things should be done, what the shortcuts are, and what the life expectancy of these shortcuts will be. I don't write reviews generally (unless the provider has thoroughly enraged me). But Benchmark Home Inspection Services is worth so much more than the bit of time it took to write this one. I cannot recommend him highly enough and will certainly use him again in the future. read more

I am SO glad that I decided to go with Mark for the inspection of my first home. He was highly recommended by several people and for good reason!! He was extremely thorough and spent several hours (5 to be exact!) inspecting the home from rooftop to crawlspace. It felt like Mark was a family member because of the genuine care that he took in doing a proper inspection and the time that he invested in educating me as a first-time home buyer. He stopped after each section inspected and would show me photos of his findings and explain in great depth what that meant, how/if it could be fixed, and how it should be properly maintained in the future. The inspection report was sent very quickly and was extremely detailed. Not only did he help me with the inspection, but he also told me that he would be happy to answer any questions that may come up in the future. He gave me his card and told me to call if I ever needed him. He has already proven himself true to his word, as he recently helped me with some questions about home repairs that were requested and completed. He has given me piece of mind and I feel equipped with the knowledge that I need to care for my new home as a first time homeowner. Mark truly has helped me with this big milestone in my life by helping me go in to the home purchase very well informed! I'll keep his card on my fridge in my new home and I absolutely recommend him to everyone I know!! Thank you, Mark! You are amazing at what you do! read more

There is a reason Mark has perfect reviews on essentially every review website - he is an exceptional inspector. I 100% recommend him without any concerns whatsoever. In an industry where no one in the transaction is really "on your team" as a buyer, it was incredibly refreshing to work with someone like Mark. He truly feels that the buyer is his client, and does everything to help protect the buyer. He goes above and beyond in many ways. For instance, he writes excellent and thorough reports. I was so impressed that I shared his reports with my family members (who happen to include two realtors), and everyone agreed it was the most thorough and well documented report they have seen. He was also willing to walk through the entire house with me and provide recommendations on things to watch out for going into the future and potential ways to improve the house. Overall, I highly highly recommend Mark (Benchmark Home Services), as I said before, as the buyer, it was extremely refreshing to have someone on our side whose incentives are not aligned with the seller, and who truly feels that their duty is to the buyer. read more

When asking my realtor for recommendations for inspectors, he mentioned Mark at Benchmark Home Services, and said he is "very good but very expensive." Because a home is such a big investment, I wanted the best, so I hired Mark. At inspection, Mark walked the house with me, pointing out the issues he noticed and explained in detail what I should do to address these issues and maintain the house over time. While any good inspector would point out the fact that there were water stains on the ceiling, Mark went further to ensure that the stains were not from an active leak or defect in the roof or flashing around the chimney. Mark's report is unlike the other reports I have seen from inspectors. Rather than wasting space with boilerplate language, Mark provides direct, to-the-point comments specific to the house that he inspected. Mark used different color text to highlight issues that are safety concerns and highlighted text of issues that could be substantially costly. By taking these extra steps in writing the report, Mark makes the report that much easier to use. I cannot recommend Mark enough. read more

I would definitely recommend Mark to anyone I knew that was in need. Mark did an excellent job of inspecting our house in Bloomington Indiana!! Mark is one of the most professional inspectors I have met in Bloomington Indiana. I am very impressed with everything Mark did. He worked in an organized and skillful manner. Mark is a great listener, and he gave us the right answer with details to all of our questions about the house, the inspecting, the damage, fixing and every question and concern we had. He is genuinely concerned about his customers (home buyers) and wants to help them by giving them proper advice and suggestions. He was very thorough with his inspection. I would highly recommend Mark to any friend who needs their house to be inspected!! Thanks for your agency "Benchmark Home Services, Inc" and for the best inspector you have provided us!! Also thank you for everything you did for us while inspecting our house and for every advice and answer you have provided us!! read more

We used Mark on 2 different houses we were looking at buying. The first house was only about 3 years old and had some very strange issues with the electrical (missing grounds) at the outlets in most rooms. in addition Mark found that the even though there was a roof vent for pluming, there were mechanical vents under every sink in the bath rooms. In the end we decided not to purchase the house. The next house Mark again did a top notch job of identifying issue including a failing septic system. We decided to purchase the home and the sellers paid for a new septic system. Mark is very thorough and will take the time to explain the issue even if only a minor observation and why he made his assessment. You need to think of the report as a do to list in many ways. We highly recommend him!! read more

EXPERIENCED - Mark knows his stuff! Mark Bishton of Benchmark Home Inspections is an utmost professional. This is the man you MUST hire to save you from potentially making one of the most costly mistakes you can make in life - purchasing a home with major defects. Mark takes his work very seriously - he spent nearly 5 hours scrutinizing every detail of an approx. 900 sq. ft. condo. He explained everything as he went along and offered very practical advice. I noted that Mark was also very neat and clean while he worked, respecting the property and returning everything as he found it. Highly principled, Mark works to ensure you're purchasing your home sweet home - not a house of horrors. Thank you so much Mark! read more

The best home inspection service out there! Mark is very personable, extremely knowledgable with building experience, but it is Mark's investigative approach that distinguishes him most in my mind. Anyone buying a house should expect his attention to detail as he inspects the house as if he were the buyer. We have used him twice now (Bedford and Ellettsville) and will be using him again if/when we are in the market. His business is aptly named for setting the benchmark for home services. Strong recommendation to use him! read more

A five-star review on Yelp is described as "as good as it gets," and that certainly applies to Mark and his services. He is as thorough as a home inspector could possibly be, almost literally taking your home apart to see the story it tells. We felt complete peace of mind purchasing our home after Mark went through it. He was able to provide recommendations for sorting out issues he uncovered, going as far as giving step-by-step instructions for fixing things. We highly recommend Mark and Benchmark Home Services. read more

Thorough and professional. Mark took the time to walk us through each point of the inspection, not just telling us what was wrong and what wasn't, but letting us know what to expect for long-term maintenance of our new home. His report was exceptionally detailed. I can see why he has such a great reputation! read more

The best home inspector in Bloomington area. I've used Mark as my inspector for the last two homes -- he's knowledgeable, but he also walks you through any issues he finds and helps you understand how to care for your home after you move in. If you want the best, this is the place to go. read more

Excellent home inspection, very thorough. Mark was easy to contact and schedule with. He encourages the new home owner to be there for the inspection to learn about the new house. He is the one you want to inspect your new home, he won't miss a thing. Highly recommend. read more

Mark is one of the best. He has inspected 2 homes for us over the past 7 years. When it was time to inspect our new house, we knew we wanted to have him again. He's thorough, has a ton of experience, and nothing gets by him. He's incredibly helpful and understandable too. read more

Mark was friendly, professional, and beyond informative! If a thorough inspection is what you're looking for, it would behoove you to give Mark a call! Thank you for being great at what you do and caring enough to share important things to look for with my wife and I. read more

Mark was extremely thorough and knowledgeable! He was also prompt in submitting his report. We intend to use Mark's home inspection report as a punch list of work we must complete. read more

Mark is an expert! He is thorough, practical, timely, and all around excellent in everything he does. I recommend him to everyone I know.