I am buying a home, and my realtor gave me several recommendations for inspectors, from which I chose Porch Light. This is the third home inspection I've been involved in. This is a one-man operation, and the owner is completely focused on inspections. He does nothing else, as far as I can tell. Although he said he averages more than one inspection per day, he was definitely not rushing, and made us feel relaxed, and made it obvious that he was there to answer any questions and do the job right.
Nick's reports are modern, and you can view them online in a site that isn't terrible, or download them as a pdf (so you have a copy for later). They make it clear what is critical, maintenance, informational, or cosmetic. This is pretty standard from my experience, and expected.
So this is a service, and the person providing the service is like, 96% of what's important here. He's got the same tech everybody else seems to have: thermal imaging, scopes, moisture sensors, etc. He didn't break out a drone but there was no reason to. I really appreciated several things about Nick and his approach and work:
First off, I asked him if I should shadow him or stay out of his way. He said I could do what I wanted, but without distractions, he's able to focus and be thorough and efficient. This is great. Would I have liked to have hovered over his shoulder the entire time? Yes. But I'm paying for him to perform an inspection, and that was both of our priorities, so I appreciate him being honest and direct about it. I did not miss out on anything, because after each stage of the inspection, he walked us through what he looked at and found.
Secondly, I never felt pressured or rushed. It was clear that I was his focus, and he was here to educate me, give me peace of mind, and his honest take on things. He took his time explaining, everything, from how to operate the gas fireplace, to the details of different strains of mold and their potential sources, based on the construction and operation of the house. He strikes me as the kind of guy you'd want as a neighbor.
Finally, Nick himself presents himself as professional. He's not stuffy, but he's not casual. He's working for you. His truck is maintained and clean. His equipment seems organized, and he was using voice-to-text to take notes while he worked. He's a big dude too. I bet he could kick some ass.
There are no real lowlights. Home inspections aren't inexpensive, but in this case I believe you get what you pay for. Nick is upfront with all of his pricing, and is no-pressure. I arranged for him to perform only his standard inspection, but after the inspection I did opt to add in a mold test, since we found evidence of mold. Could I have found someone cheaper? Definitely, but I trusted the recommendation and my instincts (which are like those of a tiger), and believe this was money well-spent. read more
