This family run company is awesome! The Father and son duo of Rick and Brandon Runnels come out and go to work quickly on any inspection. They are very detailed in their reports on each system checked. Amazing what they found and discovered. They explain everything in a very easy to understand manner and did all this in about 75 minutes. Each one specializes in certain areas of the home and they dont mess around sharing the problems they discover. Well worth the $300 . read more

I am a second generation Realtor and a 13 year veteran of the real estate business in Austin. I think its safe to say, I've worked with a lot of inspectors over the years and have seen my fair share of inspection reports. Excel Inspections and The Runnels Family are truly the most amazing inspectors I have ever had the pleasure of working with. They have inspected my last two personal home purchases and are the first inspectors I recommend when speaking with my buyer clients. They work as a three person team. Rick (the Father) is a 30+ year veteran of the business and has done tens of thousands of inspections (I think he said 30,000 last time we talked). His son, Brandon, has done around ten thousand inspections as well. They have an assistant, JD, who helps write the reports and upload photos. This is the ONLY Inspection team I've used. Most inspectors work on their own. There are two main advantages to this. These guys double check each other's work. This is crucial because it can be so easy to miss something when you are on your own. The other advantage is time. They always show up on time or they are 5-10 minutes early. Most inspectors take 3-4 hours to do an inspection and it has been my experience that most buyers don't have that kind of time in the middle of the day to wait for an inspection report. Excel Inspections can typically be done in 1 to 2 hours depending on the size of the home. Lastly, I wanted to address the Runnels as a family. I have known them for 5 years now and they really care about their clients. They always spend as much time as necessary explaining the report and what issues the buyer should truly be concerned about. They take calls after hours if a buyer is still not comfortable when they re-read the report. They are great people and a lot of fun to be around. Every time I schedule an inspection, I get to speak with Ann, Rick's wife, and she always brightens my day. If you need to hire an inspector for a home purchase and you want true professionals with a great attitude, give these guys a call. You won't be disappointed. read more

I was placed in contact with the firm via my Realtor.First off the Runnels were friendly and helpful in explaining what they were going to do and did. They were on time. The report was reasonable. However, for the cost of inspection they seemed to be rather rushed (less than 50 minutes..) and missed some rather obvious (and later expensive..) issues. Water pressure was low from the get go but it was not highlighted (a rather expensive and painful PRV installation was required to fix this). They were not able to get into the attic to check status due to access issues via a small doorway into it -though the AC repair guy had no issue getting in! Roof was inspected via binoculars from far away... All in all could definitely do better based on what I've seen others do and highlight for less! I've edited this review to reflect the fact that they got in touch after the first review to find out what the concerns were -always a good sign if one is happy to listen in my book and hopefully the next person they help out benefits.. read more

You're safe with Excel Inspections! I've sold hundreds of homes in the Greater Austin Area and it is very difficult to find quality inspectors. The process can be scary for first time and repeat home buyers. Rick does not tell buyers what you want to hear, rather, he tells you what you need to hear. This is why they are one of my top three firms to recommend. Rick and Anne go out of their way to be 1) available 2) responsive, and efficient. I recommend them because of their expertise, honesty and delivery of an exceptional service at a more than fair price. read more

As a broker in the Austin area the team at Excel inspections are the best I've come across! They are always on time with their appointments great with communication and give great detailed reports in a timely fashion! If you are in need of an inspection give these guys a call today! read more

We had an inspection done and have had 2 major issues in the 2 months since we closed. 1. When we turned on the heat, it did not work. This company either failed to check this or they turned it on and did not actually test the heat. 2. The water pressure was high and we were told by Excel to call the city and this could be adjusted. NOT the case...$600 later, we now have a PRV and new tank. This was the biggest waste of inspection money ever. I do not recommend. read more

I had Rick and Brandon inspect the last 2 homes I've purchased and they are the only guys I would trust in the Austin area. The only other inspection I have had not using Excel was by a guy who was downright dishonest and only concerned with helping his real estate friend finalize the deal and to "not freak out the seller." As I mentioned, call these guys because they are unbiased, very thorough in their inspection, and they make sure to review all aspects of the report and provide valuable feedback on which of the findings are serious and need to be addressed and which are not. I Highly recommend them to anyone I know going through the home buying process. read more

I've used Excel for multiple properties and they've set the bar when it comes to service and providing a smooth, quick inspection process. The office manager, Ann, is prompt with making sure they set up a time that is convenient for you and they aren't afraid to drive if you aren't located right in the Austin or surrounding area. Like other reviews mention you get two inspectors for the price of one. They will tell you everything wrong with the property and explain how those problems might be a deal breaker, or just a common problem that most homes have. I would highly recommend their service for anyone looking for an inspector with years of experience! read more

I needed a home inspector on a home I was planning on rennovating in Central Austin. I called several inspectors, but went with Rick Runnels due to him having a sooner availability than other insepctors during a busy season. Time is of the essense when buying a home to complete an inspection during the option period, or else you stand to lose thousands of dollars in earnest money. Rick called me after being in the house for a short amount of time. He said he couldn't inspect the home for the quote (~$300) given to me initiallly due to the extent of foundation issues and roof leak. He told me over the phone that it had to more around $500 due to the amount of work and liability he would accrue with the inspection. I listened and agreed to the new price (as I found it to be reasonable and was under a time constraint). He then called me back to say he was walking out and didn't want to complete the job. I rarely write reviews, but I found his behavior to be highly unprofessional. The point of the inspector is so that they will help the buyer understand exactly what they are buying. I had disclosed to his wife/administrative assistant that there were additions and that the foundation was most likely a mix of peir and biem and slab. I firmly suggested that if he felt uncomfortable with homes with foundation issues, he should probably only agree to inspect homes build within the last 10 years in Round Rock and avoid homes in Central Austin (as they are historical homes and bound to have foundation issues as well as other unusual characteristics such as additions). My realtor has taken him off her list. I would not recommend Rick and Excel inspections to anyone. read more