True professionals!
Buying a home is probably going to be…read morethe biggest and most expensive decision of your life.
The couple of hours that your inspector digs around the house will affect your happiness for the next thirty years of your life. Don't go cheap, don't go quick. But especially, find an inspector that knows about your type of house. One size does not fit all.
My wife and I just bought our dream home in Washington Heights. This isn't just any pile of bricks. Built in 1925, the architects were the same firm that designed the Oriental Theater (Dick & Bauer). Built when things were built to last, the materials used in it's construction are not used very often today. Clay tile roof, copper gutters, lannon stone exterior, and leaded glass windows. There is even a skylight in the attic! I didn't want an inspector who specialized in three bedroom suburban ranches. A friend of mine suggested Milwaukee Homesight. They have several inspectors, each specializing in certain types of homes. Dave Kolesari, the president of Milwaukee Homesight, performed my inspection. He was very thorough. He spent the first hour on the exterior of the house, and about 2.5 hours on the inside. He pointed out things I never would have seen myself and let me know what I need to be concerned about and which items do not require immediate attention. within 48 hours of the inspection, I received a highly detailed 61 page illustrated inspection report via email. Thankfully, the house is in great condition. The biggest thing that Dave provided me with was piece of mind.
By comparison, the home inspector for the buyers of the house that we sold was a joke. Maybe it's just because I have been in the house for 13 years and know absolutely everything there is to know, but I question his eyesight. He did find a leak that needed fixing, but other than that, he overlooked some fairly obvious (to me) things. His report was half the length of the report I received from MH, with a fraction of the pictures. If you are a real estate broker looking for an inspector that will rubber stamp a report so you can make a sale, I have someone I can recommend. If you are a home buyer looking for an inspector that is thorough, professional, and still reasonably priced, I would recommend Milwaukee Homesight. Actually, I already have. My boss just relocated from Minneapolis and bought a house. On my recommendation, she used MH and was very satisfied with the results.