East Bay real estate is crazy and many buyers are now foregoing home inspections, which is really naive. Sellers' agents usually use sellers' inspection companies - ones that are not thorough and miss a lot of things. The first house we bought was like this. Not getting our own inspection cost us more than $200K and 1.5 years of costly but necessary renovations down the road. The sellers' inspection totally missed that half of our house was run on knob and tube, that our deck supports were completely rotten, and that most of the siding needed to be replaced. Since then, we've used JMC twice. Both times Lee Parsons was our inspector and I can't say enough great things about him. He doesn't mind if you follow him around and explains things along the way. Because of offers being due, he worked at night to finish our report so we could decide how much to bid the next day. Also the owner is great and scheduled us in last minute on one of the inspections, responding to a voicemail and texting over the weekend. On one inspection, the house was marketed as new construction and looked great, but had a lot of hidden issues. The gutters needed to be replaced, there were flashing issues with the roof, the skylight was not secured to the roof, there were drainage and retaining wall issues, rats had gotten into the HVAC ducting (missed by the pest report), several appliances were not functional, and there was no hot water going to a section of the house. There were 5 offers on the house, 4 with no contingencies, but only 2 had done inspections. The house sold for $1m above asking with no contingencies! That buyer will soon discover all the issues with their "new" house! On another house, which was over a hundred years old but renovated less than 10 years ago, there were minor issues and our family has lived in the house for several months now. Lee's inspection helped us determine our small projects and one big project (the detached garage has no seismic retrofitting and has knob and tube). Overall we're very happy with this house, because no big surprises! read more

Paul is thorough, without being alarming. He really understands construction, and is great at explaining and pointing out items that our clients should know more about. He's also really good at communications, which is an added bonus and very much appreciated! Just a pleasure to work with. read more

JMC Building Inspection Service - Paul and his helper going under the house - Home Inspectors Near Me - Berkeley, California

We have been a realtors for over 20 years and we rely on JMC to deliver quality and experience along with knowledge and complete honesty on any inspector we review. JMC Building is top of our choice to deliver the most detail and knowledge. We love seeing, for buyers, that they have done the inspection. We also rely on JMC to deliver for our Sellers, to Buyers in the market, a quality inspection with detail. It gives us so much security when we see their name on a general inspection report. We feel assured and know that we can trust the information up front. Thank you JMC for the hard work that you do to insure what we know about a property with listings and buyers. Thank you! Stacey and José read more

So glad we went with JMC, our home inspection prior to purchase was invaluable and allowed us to check out several issues and address them before moving forward on a home purchase. Big thanks to JMC and to Paul for the excellent inspection. read more

JMC sent Jeff Spellman to perform a house inspection for a house we are buying in Martinez, CA. Jeff was very professional, extremely knowledgeable, and thoroughly explained what he found during the inspection. Jeff was friendly, explained his findings in a way we could understand, and promptly completed his work! Overall, I highly recommend Jeff read more

As a realtor I rely on professionals who have experience and a wealth of knowledge. Jeff and Paul hit it out of the ballpark with professional and friendly demeanors and willingness to explain to clients what is genuinely needed. Highly recommended! read more

I hired JMC to do a thorough inspection during what was supposed to be the tail end of a major home renovation (subject of a separate forthcoming review). During the punch list stage, I discovered major defects across my entire cabinetry package and a rat infestation in the crawl space where my GC/subs were doing work. This naturally triggered the question - what else is wrong with my renovation? I didn't trust the GC's ability to QC their own work or that of the subcontractors, so I hired JMC based on their solid reviews, and I'm very glad I did. Their star inspector Paul did a fantastic job, spending several hours thoroughly inspecting the home, and flagged several key issues that was within the scope of the renovation. They focus on safety issues, not necessarily construction defects, but they noted things that needed repairs by my GC that I would never have discovered myself (e.g., insufficient caulking in the refrigerant lines of my new HVAC system, strapping down water heaters, wrong plumbing pipes, protective screening for fireplace, etc.). A thorough inspection during an major renovation is highly recommended. read more

Jeff Spellman did a thorough house inspection of a house we hope to purchase in El Cerrito, and was so great. We especially appreciated his in-depth explanations of all the difference things that he was looking at, and straightforward recommendations. The report came right away, and was clear and complete. Thanks so much! read more

Paul Barraza is a careful and knowledgeable home inspector. I always know that I can count on him for a quality report. I am a realtor who has been in the business for over 30 years. I highly recommend him. read more

Jeff Spellman was great to work with, super thorough and communicative throughout the inspection process. He knew we were on a time crunch and made the extra effort to get the inspection report asap, despite already having done a 3 hour inspection in the hot sun. Super nice guy who knows his stuff and really takes the client into consideration read more

Very satisfied with my pre-purchase home inspection through JMC. Paul was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and thorough. His report was more comprehensive compared to the inspection provided by the seller, and provided me peace of mind on the sale. I especially valued the ability to follow along while he worked, and picked up many valuable tips and details about the house. As a bonus, scheduling online was a piece of cake! Highly recommend. read more

We got an inspection from Paul at JMC years ago when we first bought our house and appreciated the level of detail and explanation of things that could use improvement for general upkeep and things that need more immediate attention for safety. We requested his services again to confirm some major concerns we had before undertaking improvements. Paul is familiar with the identifying and documenting a variety of issues one might find in a funky old Bay Area house with different generations and skill levels of past repairs. Making an appointment and paying was easy, and we got a clear and thorough report within a day of the inspection. He has good communication skills and seems to genuinely like what he does. If you are looking for a complete look top to bottom of your house or potential house to help prepare a roadmap to address red and yellow flags, this service is recommended and worth it. read more

Very thorough, and professional service. I was extremely happy with Paul, and would hire him again in a heartbeat.

Called to get a quote for the building our business is in. Seana was quickly to return with a quote and answer my questions. Even though we decided not to work with them at this time, I was impressed with their customer service! read more

So easy to work with JMC, and great communication throughout! I hired JMC for a new build house inspection on Alameda Island, and Seana was kind/helpful/informative from the very first phone call. Jeff Spellman was thorough in his inspection, incredibly kind to everyone he interacted with, and took the time to explain key features of the home. He even entertained the developer's intern asking questions throughout his inspection. The inspection report was turned around really quickly and very thorough. Great value for inspections in the bay area compared to other choices -highly recommend! read more

My go to home inspector was unavailable for a recent home inspection on behalf of my buyer. They recommended JMC without hesitation. What a thorough and professional job! Jeff was amazingly customer focused and proactive in his work and recommendations. Would definitely recommend him and JMC. read more

Needed a home inspection and JMC was recommended to me - I'm glad I sometimes listen to recommendations! Scheduled the inspection on-line - quite a few weeks wait, as it seems the housing market is bustling, but I was not interested in trading tine for quality. The on-line process was very easy, and they make approving the inspection appointment and payment on-line easy as well. The day of the inspection, Paul B. our inspector, arrived on time and quickly got to work. He looked everywhere - house, outside, attic, crawl space - and spent almost 4 full hours looking and trying every door, window, faucet, switch - whatever was not nailed down! He spent a few minutes at the end to go over some major issues, but the details were yet to come! A day or two later I had a 48 page report - lots of issues noticed, and questioned, and really important issues were highlighted for immediate attention. The report noted not only observations, but at times used photos to emphasize the issue and even suggested who we should contact to get on track to fixing the issues. Very nice work, it picked up things I would never had thought of looking for in my own "inspection." We paid a little over $800, but it was well spent and now we have a clear idea of what to address and in some sense of what order. If I was buying a house I would use JMS, or if you are just giving the almost 70 year old house a check-up, still use JMC! I am very impressed and believe you will be as well. read more

I engaged Paul to inspect a new construction townhome in Oakland. Paul was responsive via phone and via email leading up to, during, and after the inspection. Paul was also cooperative in accommodating various inspection requirements imposed by the builder. At the inspection, Paul helpfully explained certain items in the garage and kitchen that could benefit from further evaluation, and he also answered questions about the electrical and HVAC system design. The written report provided additional comprehensive information. At the time of the inspection, no roof access was available (due to a missing roof access ladder), but Paul volunteered to come back a second time to observe the roof once access was available, at no additional charge. I appreciated the flexibility on this, as Paul ultimately identified certain issues with the roof that warranted further evaluation. I recommend Paul's home inspection services. read more

Excellent Customer Service from the first call to the completed report. Paul Barraza is an expert who is passionate about doing a thorough inspection. He is easy to talk to and open to answer questions. I highly recommend the company and Paul. read more

Jeffery was very thorough. He sat down with us after his inspection and explained what he found. He sent us the official inspection the very next morning. I would highly recommend this company! read more

LOVE JMC Building Inspection! I have been using Paul and his team for many years for residential home inspections. They are excellent, thorough and very professional. Easy to make an appointment, always on-time, and they KNOW houses. They are able to explain their findings to my clients in a calm and reassuring way. My buyers and sellers appreciate and respect them. They are always available for questions! I whole-heartedly recommend them for your next inspection! read more

Paul was recommended to me by our real estate agent Brett Weinstein. Paul was incredibly knowledgeable and thorough and really went through the house we are buying with a fine tooth comb. I highly recommend him. read more

My husband and I scheduled a home inspection report walkthrough based on the original home inspection that was performed when we purchased our home. Paul Barrazza was more than happy to go through the original findings with us, pinpointed which items are higher priority to address first, and answered our questions (and much more) regarding the findings. Thank you Paul - we appreciate what you do! read more

We saw a JMC inspection on a house we ended up not moving forward with and knew that we had to use them as the inspectors for the house we did end up buying. We hopped on a call with Jeff from JMC the day after receiving the inspection report and were walked through what should be fixed immediately versus what is non-urgent, which really benefitted us by having expectations set on what purchasing the property means. Overall, JMC is extremely thorough and transparent with their inspections - even giving recommendations on how to proceed forward with fixes. They call out preventative measures for future problems or things to keep eyes on. JMC's integrity can spook sellers (see: Derek's review), but it prepares buyers for what needs to be fixed should they purchase a property and uncovers where sellers are not transparent with property issues. read more

Paul Barraza was a pleasure to work with! He is efficient and one of the most thorough inspectors I've dealt with (and there have been many!) I would highly recommend if selling or buying a house. Or even if you want an idea of the state of your existing property. read more

Really excellent all around. Informative, thorough, communicative, and fast. Really pleased.

Paul is fantastic and very experienced. We got a very insightful and thorough inspection with a fast turnaround. Look no further!

My Team and I love these guys they are honest and through. We had a miscommunication a few weeks ago and it was righted immediately and to everyone's satisfaction. We see these folks pretty often in the larger RE community as well. They come with the highest marks! Thanks you guys! read more

On time and great communications. Very clear report with pictures. Highly recommend them for your inspection!

We bought a brand new home and wanted a home inspection done before the one-year warranty period expires. I was referred to Paul Barraza at JMC Building Inspections by one of my neighbors. In fact, several new home owners in my neighborhood engaged Paul's services as well. Paul and his assistant arrived on time, wearing masks, and were professional and very thorough with their inspection. He explained findings in layman's terms and is knowledgeable on all aspects of the home. His detailed and comprehensive report was available for review online within 48 hours and included a list of primary recommendations (with photographs) the builder should address. The service was excellent and we would definitely recommend JMC to our friends and family. read more

Paul inspected our home in Berkeley recently and the service was exceptional in every way. The inspection report is thorough, detailed, and filled with pictures. We learned many things about the house that needed attention that we had no idea about - highly recommend if you are buying or selling or just need to know what problems your house has. Paul was terrific! read more

Recently had Paul do an inspection around the 11-month mark after we purchased a newly built home. The report was very helpful. The report identified missing ventilation and some electrical issues that would have been costly to try to fix ourselves at a later time. Instead, the builder agreed to make the corrections. I recommend Paul, especially because he quickly answered follow-up questions from us via email. read more

I'm in the process of purchasing a home and JMC was able to send an inspector out within 2 days of calling them (whew!). Lee Parsons did the inspection and was thorough, professional, friendly and efficient. He answered all my questions patiently (learned a ton!) and had the inspection report back to me in a day. Both me and my realtor were very impressed by the service. Highly recommend JMC and Lee! read more

Lee Parsons with JMC Inspections was fabulous. He handled the home inspection for our listing in Berkeley without flaws and produced the comprehensive report in a couple days. The entire interaction with JMC Inspection's online booking system was easy to navigate and efficient. I'd highly recommend Lee as your inspector and this company for top knotch home inspection service. read more

Our realtor recommended Lee Parsons for our required BESO assessment. Scheduling was easy online. Both Lee and the company were very responsive, normally responding to emails within a few hours. The day of the service he showed up exactly on time and completed the job in a timely manner. Afterwards he sent me a form to fill out to get a rebate, which I wasn't expecting. Highly recommended. read more

I was referred to JMC from a friend who stated they were some of the best due to being thorough and professional. I was not disappointed. Paul was able to fit me in on a quick turnaround and provided a comprehensive report for me to keep and rely on as a first-time homebuyer. It was organized into categories (and major notices were highlighted in blue) which will make it easy to share with licensed specialists. I paid up front, he arrived on time and the inspection took about 2 hours and the report came the next day. I have seen a few home reports as I have been looking at homes for a while and I was happy to see Pauls's report was easy to read and understand. Not only did he call out actual issues, but he called out potential issues to watch for and offered insights at the end of each section for best practices. I really appreciate all of that as a new homeowner. Highly recommend! read more

The home inspection report prepared by Paul Barraza was very informative, easy to read, had photographs to illustrate some of the problems that were identified, contained links to sites that could provide additional information and ended with an excellent list of Primary Recommendations. The inspector was very patient when he summarized his findings and answered our questions. Many thanks to JMC Building Inspection Service for a very fine report. Celia Concus read more

Wow. So, a) the invoice took two weeks to turn and even then I had to request it b) the property was under the minimum square footage and should've been exempt (which the company should know the rules of their business) and c) they informed me "they don't send out reports without payment) but HADN'T sent an invoice at all. All in all, extremely poor management. Not a great BESO (Berkeley energy assessment) experience. read more

Highly recommend. Very professional prompt and knowledgeable. Great experience with two home inspections.

Paul came out to inspect our house on short notice and turned out a 45 page report within a day. He went through our home thoroughly and took 15 minutes at the end to tell me the bulk of his findings and put them in context. I recommend him without reservation. Eric J read more