Jerry Glenn always an excellent job and is very knowledgeable! Always answers any questions my clients may have. Very very professional !

Completely missed a heavily compromised wall that gave way! Used for our home inspection on our 1st ever home. Seemed nice at the time, but have come to understand that he missed EVERYTHING! The "imperfection" in the wall that I was told to just paint over was actually water damage and water in the wall that was heavily compromised and that gave way from ceiling and adjoining wall came down with next rainstorm. Because the roof wasn't inspected properly (never got up there, now I know better) that the roof wasn't properly sealed and covered that was leaking down the stack, through the walls all the way to the basement. The cracks in the basement we were told just to get sealed, even though they leaked as well and flooded the basement in the rainstorm. Was then laughed and chuckled at on the phone when I brought up these issues with the inspection and was told that an inspection is a moment in time and because that moment was done during a draught that he sees what he sees. I explain we saw and mentioned, that it was shoved off by him even though it was a major issue now we know in hindsight. So basically BEWARE.... that an inspector is only as good as the weather and conditions around him. He told me that houses are old!! My reply: yes houses may be old, but nothing everything is damaged and something that is noticably damaged should be investigated because that's what you're hired for and you're JOB! No accountability for doing their job, no kindness and no respect at all! In it only for their quick paycheck and move on! If I could give NO STARS I WOULD. read more

Here's what happened: When I walked the house before inspection I saw a crack in the plaster in the corner of the living room wall (between the side of a window and an interior wall). The inspection was done during the workday, so I could only show up at the end of it. The inspector Alan of Specsure Property Inspections, did his walkthrough and when I got to the house, he showed me the corner of the wall and using his moisture detection tool stated that the plaster crack was from water damage. He assured me the damage was localized to the corner of the wall, and that the damage was not due to an internal leak, that it was only a window issue. As a first time home buyer I took the professional's word for it and didn't ask any follow up questions. The small water damage found, and the cracks in the basement allowed me to have a credit from the seller of $5,000.00 (not enough to pay for everything, but would pay for at least half - was my reasoning, and it seemed fair to me). When I brought water damage repair specialists (Water Cleanup Experts, Inc.) into the house to work on that corner of the living room they used their moisture detection device and found water damage on the whole of that living room wall . . . and the wall connected to it. They then checked the second room on the same side of the first wall with water damage and detected moisture on the corner of that room's wall. They then checked the second floor wall and detected moisture on the entirety of that wall too. The entire wall of the side of my house was water logged. All this was found with their moisture detection tool (a tool which the inspector had on hand during his inspection - however did not use to check the rest of the wall beyond the window). In addition, before demolition commenced on the second floor, the bubbling of paint and nail heads pressing against the paint were noted (once I knew what to look for). When water specialists proceeded with demolition to remove the water damage it was found that the entire wall (inside insulation, outside insulation, the 2x4 studs, everything) was full of water damage and that the wooden frame was rotted to the point where the frame had to be replaced. This water repair has cost me out of pocket $39,462.86 (outside wall repair $21,283.00, inside wall mitigation $12,843.66, and inside wall repair $10,336.20 - $5,000.00 house credit) The additional walls with moisture detected could have been found during the house inspection before the house was sold with the continued use of the moisture detector that was shown to me during the inspection. The rest of the walls were not checked on the first floor, nor was the second floor. Additionally the bubbling of paint at the second floor wall socket and nail heads pressing against the paint were noticeable once looked at. This is negligence, and from the reviews on Specsure Property Inspections this isn't the first time. Unless something is done, this will happen again, and legally the inspectors are only liable for their fee, not for any missed major damages. New York is a Buyer Beware state for homebuyers, once the sale is completed, that is it. This makes the Home Inspection the only time to find and remedy major problems, and an entire wall (first to second floor) with water damage is a major problem of ~$40K damages out of pocket. That amount would ruin any family's financial standing, and for most they would lose their house. The inspectors and this company needs to be held to a higher standard (at least use the tools they currently have) before more lives are financially ruined. read more

completely missed 30k worth of damages to the house. holes in chimney, roof, claimed he 'couldn't see in the crawl space' when a piece of STYROFOAM was covering it. the wooden beams of the entire house was rotting and 'he couldn't see it'. came back a second time to see everything he missed, told us to get quotes from contractors on how much it would be to fix it. basically making us push off work for about 2 weeks then wait about 3 days for his 'response'. which was a 'I'm not doing anything because home inspection is visual only and I'll give you 425$ back.' keep your 425 Jerry and maybe take a class on how not to be an a**shole. NEVER AND I MEAN NEVER USE THIS COMPANT THEY ARE SCAM ARTISTS. better off not getting an inspection at all read more

Alan from Specture was recommended by our Real Estate agent. He showed up a few minutes early completely prepared. We spoke inside for a few minutes. He explained the entire process he would be taking. After each section of the house, he stopped to provide an overview of what he found asked if I had any questions and moved to the next area. He was thorough and spoke with great detail. At the end of the inspection, he worked for about 10-15 minutes on my report and provided the 39 page binder with written detail of everything on the spot. I will definitely use this company again for any home inspection needs I have. read more

Specsure - Binder with written inspection report - Home Inspectors Near Me

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I usually give my buyers a list of 5 inspectors to use. Specsure is one of the top inspectors I use. Jerry and Alan are both very good inspectors and do an excellent job! read more

Jerry inspected our new home for us and was referred by our realtor. Right from the get go we knew this was going to be a good experience, once we set up a time with the seller we received a confirmation email as well as texts (with our permission) on what the next steps were, how many people could be at the inspection (covid) and what to expect, there was even a picture of the inspector in the email so we knew who to look for when arriving at the house. throughout the inspection Jerry explained what he was looking at and let us know multiple ways we could fix them and a ballpark of how much it would cost us or reasons why something looked good. he made us feel very comfortable in our first home buying inspection and we cannot thank him enough! would recommend to friends and family in a heart beat! thanks Jerry! read more

I realize there are many kinds of consumers who buy houses and need an inspector. I am the 'handy' kind that has done my much of my own house repairs and medium sized construction work, but I also am one who knows I have a lot to learn from the experts. Alan from Specsure was just what I needed. Since there is often no clear-cut good vs. bad conditions when considering a 1930's home, but rather lots of gray areas that need explanation and consideration, Alan was awesome at responding to my questions and concerns, and considered where I was at when explaining what work might be considered, to improve some of the lesser desirable aspects of an otherwise very desirable house. I let him know up front that I would be wanting his recommendation for what might be something to ask the seller to remediate. He prepared a binder of observations that listed things in descending order of importance, so I could prepare my buyer's response to the inspection. At first, I did think it odd that Alan would occasionally step away for 10-15 minutes, explaining that he needed to capture observations about what we walked through. However, at the end of the inspection, he was able to print off a very detailed report that he both emailed to me and my realtor, as well as he printed on site, and he gave me a binder with this report immediately before we left. Previously in three other houses that I bought, the other inspectors only followed up with a 3-5-page report that came a week or two after. The meaningful part of the Specsure report was 35+ pages with summaries, color pictures and subsequent detailed break downs of the concerns found. I did not get the radon test, but I previously owned a home in the 1980's one block away that did have a radon test. Alan was able to tell me that although Radon can be different from property to property, the neighborhood I was interested in typically did not have this issue. I was very happy with Alan's inspection. Since this was not my first rodeo, I knew to ask a lot of questions so I am not sure if that was a contributing factor for one of the other home buyers that gave him a mediocre review, but were I to buy another home, I would have no problem using Alan again. He was very thorough, very easy to work with, friendly, was reasonably prices at $365 for this 3 bed/ 1 bath home, and very knowledgeable. Kevin read more

Both myself and my clients had an extraordinary experience with Jerry Glenn of Specsure Home Inspections. First, in terms of scheduling the home inspection, the process is seamless. Notifications regarding the scheduled date for the home inspection is emailed directly to the agents. This feature is much appreciated. Jerry was very detailed in his inspection and left no stone unturned. He was thorough in his explanations and was happy to answer any questions. He arrived early to the home, was professional, and was equipped with the ability to print the home inspection report on the spot. As a real estate agent, I would highly recommend Specsure Home Inspection. It was absolute pleasure doing business with them! read more

I have had two other inspections prior to this company doing my most recent one, and neither came close to comparison. They are by far, one of the best inspection companies out there. Alan did my inspection, and right from the start, he was extremely professional and talked me through the steps he would be going through to do mine. He was also able to deviate from the steps as needed if something needed to be looked at first. He was so thorough that I felt like he covered every single inch of the house and property. I was so confident that he hadn't missed anything by the end, that I feel much more comfortable about moving into the house now. Not only did he explain everything to me as we went through the inspection, he even had the inspection report printed and in a binder for me at the end so I didn't have to wait for it. It was also emailed to me after as well. I was so impressed and will only use this company for any future home inspections, and will refer them to anyone else that needs one too. Thank you! read more

Jerry came highly recommended as the best and he did not disappoint! He had a well documented property inspection and photos to go along with comments on the areas of concern. He also pointed out areas of concern during the inspection and gave suggestions on what was important to repair immediately and down the road. I liked that the beginning of the report started with the areas of concerns broken down into: repair items, maintenance items, safety concerns, and areas for improvement/monitoring. The full report was about 35 pages so having the areas of concern right there in the beginning is super helpful to make a decision on your next steps with your home purchase and a nice point of reference for what repairs and things to look out for after closing. The inspection took about 3 hours total. He printed off the report at the end of the inspection and put it in a binder that was broken down into sections: inspection agreement, inspection report, home maintenance, radon test report, and standards of ethics for home inspectors. So much information and conveniently broken down for future reference. He utilizes email as well which was nice when I was not available. You are able to sign for the inspection and pay the invoice right through links that were provided within the email. Super convenient! read more

Passed my newly purchased home saying there were no issues to worry about. 2 years later, we found out the foundation was sinking and repairs would cost upwards of $60,000. Stay far away from these clowns. read more

Amazing customer service provided by Joe Shields. He was very thorough of my inspection on 116 Palmer. Not only that but extremely personable. Alisa Talarico-Malstrom recommended me to your company. Both are exceptional people. Joe put things into terms I can understand and really took his time to review the property with a fine tooth comb. I will also recommend your company (Joe) to anyone in need of a home inspection. This is my second home I am purchasing in my life, and the first company I used back in 2010 doesn't touch the amazing service I was given by your company (Joe). He was excellent from start to finish. read more

Treats my clients very good. Thoroughly inspects hose and informs clients of issues.

I bought a place in Niagara Falls after receiving an "okay" report from this home inspector. After closing and moving in I found they missed a lot, such as, the cracked plumbing stack from attic to basement, the rotten porch beam and siding, the electrical work that ISN'T up to code, etc. Total work to be done is about $30K. Half of which I should have known about by the inspectors. Don't use these guys - waste of your $400. Better to hire a general contractor to come in and check out potential property you may want to buy. read more

We hired this company in October 2013 (without checking them out first,) on the recommendation of our real estate agent. These inspectors (there were 2 of them) spent a considerable amount of time on the roof of our home, but I'm quite unsure of what they were doing up there exactly. The final inspection report listed the condition of the roof as average, with no mention of areas for concern. One inspector explained that "average" would be the highest rating he could give in his report, but verbally described the roof as in great shape. Imagine our surprise when water began spilling into our new home from the ceiling, 3 short weeks after we closed on it! The roofer we hired to fix the leaking blamed obvious exposed nails, crooked shingles, absence of both caulk and flashing where it should have been in place and visible, and at least 30 places that our roof could be leaking from. In my opinion, all of this should have been visible to a competent home inspector. So, since we were misled, and purchased a home that needed a new roof, we are on the hook for almost $10K in repairs, and have only lived in the house 6 months. After reinspecting our shoddy roof and checking out our new mold problem, Specsure has responded to our complaint, not by apologizing, but by reiterating to us that they are not responsible for any of this. They did offer to refund the cost of the inspection, unfortunately that doesn't even put a dent in the problem. Good for anyone doing their homework before choosing a property inspector, we did not, and now we re paying for it, literally. read more

Professional, informative, and reliable!

As a first-time homebuyer, I hadn't had any experience with home inspectors prior to hiring Jerry from Specsure. At the time, I was impressed by what appeared to be his thorough examination of the house. He spent over three hours there and printed an impressive-looking report, which I read carefully that night. The report was unalarming. Unfortunately, since moving into the house in September, there has been one problem after another. Jerry had recommended having the gutters cleaned, and shortly after moving I hired someone to do so. The person I hired called and informed me that there was a hole in the roof over the kitchen and warned me that the entire roof appeared to be in fairly dismal condition and would probably have to be replaced. The next day, I asked a colleague who has replaced many roofs to come look at it, and he agreed with that assessment. This was later confirmed by two roofing companies and finally by my home insurance agency, which threatened to cancel my policy if I didn't have the roof replaced. Jerry's report had described the roof as in average to fair condition: "The roof covering material was noted to be in generally average to fair condition given its age and the weather conditions prevalent in the area. Evidence of deterioration, consistent with its age and method of installation, was observed in the form of some loss of granules, cracking, buckling and curling of the edges. Observed evidence of past repair with a tar like material at the roof projections and/or roof intersections/valleys. As a matter of routine maintenance, these areas should be monitored over time for re-application of an appropriate roof sealing/patching material as necessary." Needless to say, Jerry's report did not prepare me for the reality that the roof would need a complete tear-off within the first month of homeownership. When I contacted Jerry to express my dismay, he agreed to refund my $490 inspection fee but stated that "there was no way for me to see the issue from any readily accessible vantage point on the ground." He also reminded me that "when one purchases a 118 year old house repairs should be anticipated" and recommended that I find a "trustworthy handyman" to make the "cost of your repair work . . . much more manageable." Not too long after finding out about the roof, I hired a plumber to look at a leaky pipe that Jerry had pointed out during the inspection. In his report, Jerry described the pipes as being in "fair" condition but explained that there were places where the pipes were corroding; he warned that "an increased need for future repair or maintenance may become warranted." The plumber took one look at the pipes and informed me that repair was warranted right away; the pipes (as a whole!) were so corroded that he was concerned one could burst any minute. Following Jerry's advice, I asked a "trustworthy handyman" to look at the pipes. He confirmed this bad news, and a month after having the roof replaced, I had the water pipes replaced. Jerry's report did not prepare me for either of these major repairs, and had I known about them, I would have negotiated the price of the house down or not purchased it at all. Unfortunately, $490 doesn't do much to offset the cost of a complete tear-off and a complete replacement of water pipes. The next time I buy a house, I won't be using Specsure. read more

I was so impressed with Specsure and specifically, Jerry, in doing a home inspection on what will be my new home. Very professional, thorough, willing to explain and answer every question I had. His willingness to go through the home, step by step, explaining things to me, made all the difference. I will be recommending to anyone who needs this service. The report is detail orientated, specific, and puts words and pictures of the inspection. So impressed. read more

We had these guys come in to inspect our home in the summer of 2014. I didn't have much experience or even know where to find a home inspector. These guys were highly regarded from our agent and friends. The seller of our soon to be home said she had 4 or 5 other inspectors come through and these guys were the nicest, most thorough, and most technological (fancy wireless printer to give us our report right on the spot). The nice man showed us a few areas of concern which we appreciated but we knew it was an older house we were buying. Obvious wear and tear from a 16 year old house. I would recommend them to anyone. I usually don't right positive reviews unfortunately, but these guys deserved it. read more

Extremely thorough and professional home inspection. I appreciated how much time the inspector took, both on the exterior and interior, and in his examination of the infrastructure of the house. I disagree with the opinion expressed by one reviewer here, who recommended having a contractor inspect a house instead of a home inspector. A home inspector is a valuable resource, who is meant to flag areas of concern, which should then be examined more closely by appropriate contractors. They are able to give an overall assessment of a house, with a very organized break-down (in the case of SpecSure, I have been very happy with the written documents resulting from their inspections) of the areas inspected. The advantage of a home inspector over a contractor is not only in the scope of their assessment - the look at the entire house - but also in the fact that they do not benefit from making estimations that work needs to be done anywhere. For serious work like potential structural failure, a home inspector should (and did, in the case of SpecSure) assert that they are NOT a structural engineer, and that serious concerns about something like structure should be directed to the appropriate building professional (P.E., architect). For home inspections, I have hired SpecSure twice, and would hire them again. read more

I have had a lot of experience with home inspectors as I am an active investor. I am new to the Buffalo market so when I needed a home inspection I asked several RE Agents and Specsure & Jerry specifically were mentioned by several. I was with Jerry every step of the way and I was disappointed. Sure, he found things and that part is good but his report was clearly designed to NOT be alarming (no wonder he is recommended by agents - they tend to favor inspectors who don't jeopardize their deals). The problem is if there was something for which you might FAIRLY get some relief from a seller I doubt his report would help you convince the seller of a serious problem. I needed things to be put in proper perspective - the report is an important thing to share with sellers when you are looking for leverage and concessions. Other items I saw that I KNOW are problems he tended to ignore or marginalize. Additionally, he took a LONG time. Too long, over 3 hours. He writes his report during the inspection on a laptop and then uses a small bluetooth connected printer and prints it out right at the venue while you wait. Not the experience I was hoping for; but probably a typical inspection. I am not the average home buyer. I will be buying other properties in Buffalo and I will be looking for other inspectors. read more

This company missed the mark BIG TIME while inspecting our home purchase. One of the main mechanical parts of the home, the furnace, was not only the incorrect unit to be installed in an unheated attic...it was also installed completely wrong. Soooo it froze & broke. When you bring in a professional to identify these problems & not only did they not disclose this info. They omitted it from their print outs ( a huge binder that reads more like a liability lawyer wrote the comments.) I question both the ethics & knowledge of this company. I would NEVER recommend them to anyone. If only I could use the wasted $400 I paid them to put towards these MAJOR PROBLEMS. Please do the research we did not & make sure you have a true professional & professional company examine the biggest purchase of your life. Do not fall for the trap we did, where our realtor gave us the name of his buddy. EXTREMELY UNPROFESSIONAL COMPANY! read more