Home & Hearth Inspections LLC

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There was a safety issue that they found witch could have caused a fire for the owner at any time.

I found them to be very knowledgeable and thorough. They pointed out the fiber cement siding was not installed per current installation instructions. Caulking the butt joints and trimming is now required. Not too many problems found, since the house is only 9 years old. The house well water pressure appeared low. The well pump cut in and cut out pressures should have been tested, but I feel they were not knowledgeable of well systems and their pressure adjustments. Overall a good job. _x000D_|

I called Home and Hearth Inspections about a week and a half prior to having the home inspection done. I was calling around and getting quotes at that time and I could tell that this was a very professional company from our first communications. A few days later I called up and scheduled the inspection. I gave Steve Gaspar all my details and the property address. He looked up the property online and got further details about the place from there and asked me what time is best for me. I told him 1:00 on Saturday and he said no problem. I arrived to the home inspection around 1:15 and Steve was on the roof and just finishing up his exterior inspection. He gave me all the details about what was going with the outside of the home. He let me know what I should have fixed first and what I could let go for a little bit. He was extremely thorough in his explanations about what needed to be done. We proceded to look through the rest of the house together. He gave me a ton of information and took pictures of everything. It was a bit of a learning experience as he explained to me certain things. For example if you have cracks in a wall that are vertical, this is typically due to settling, but if you have cracks that run along a 45 degree angle, then this is typically due to foundation problems. The whole inspection took about 3 hours and he asked me to call him for any reason. I've called him about 3 times sense and he has been very helpful each time. He said even 3 years down the line if I have a question that I should feel free to call. Also I really got the feeling that Steve was on my side. The property seller was there and occasionally would try to down play an issue and Steve would either tell him if that was true or if he was incorrect and why it is a real issue. I received an extremly detailed report from Steve a day and a half later which included everything we spoke about (even the certain materials that we should consider using when doing a particular repair). There were many picture pointing out exactly what the issues were. I would recommend Steve to anyone that needs to have their home inspected, his knowledge is extensive, he enjoys what he does, and he is very patient in answering questions.

The inspector was very good, however he didn't check things like the stove, sinks and apparently there were several windows that did not open that he missed (it was brought to my attention by the lead inspection) in his defence he was great with the major things water damage, bug damage water heater age, roof, heating system sewage pipes electrical etc.

I moved to Massachusetts from California. I was not familiar with things like oil heating, a well, insulation issues, a fireplace, asbestos flooring, a cellar with an old fuse box, etc.. --- Len explained what he was looking for throughout the inspection and mentioned issues I should consider taking care of first for my safety and the longevity of the home. He told me that he was not in the position to recommend other companies for those repairs but advised me to get estimates and check references before hiring anyone. Angie's List is perfect for that. I can not say enough good things about my experience with Len Rucker at Home and Heart Inspections. He thoroughly did his job and educated me along the way.

Our realtor recommended Len based on past experience and told us we would be given an extremely thorough inspection. It turned out the seller's realtor had used Len before as well and had a very high opinion of his work. They were both right on the money. Len and Steve were right on time (a bit early even) and were highly professional from the start. They brought us through every inch of that house both inside and out, and the outbuilding, providing insight and explanations at every step. When there was something we didn't understand, they patiently brought it back down to our level so that by the end, we really had no questions left to ask. Less than 24 hours later I am reviewing the report (radon and water test will come in a couple of days due to the nature of those tests) which is extremely detailed complete with pictures actually pointing out areas of concern so that I can confidently just go page by page and make repairs as needed. I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending Home and Hearth as they did a fantastic job for us.

I used Home and Hearth twice before purchasing a home. The first time I was extremely impressed by owner Len and his apprentice Steve. I was concerned that Len could not attend my second inspection but son-in-laws Jamie and a second Steve were just as thorough. They genuinely enjoy doing the job and it shows in their measured approach. If you desire, as I did, they will explain structure, electrical, etc. in great detail...I learned much from the inspections that I underwent. The listing agents at the properties made a point to tell me how great my inspector was....enough said.

See above.

Working with Home and Hearth Inspections was a great experience. They were able to accommodate me on short notice and work within a constrained time frame that I was limited to. The office was easy to communicate with, they were prompt to return all calls and emails. When the inspector showed up he took a few minutes for us to chat to get to know each other and discuss where I was in the home buying process. We discussed what my expectations were for the inspection and he gave me an overview of what he will be doing during the inspection. I was instantly comfortable asking questions and he explained everything in lay mans terms so I could understand. They were extremely thorough, taking the time to search all structural components of the house, including all heating/cooling/water/electrical units as well as all appliances. I was most impressed by him not just taking the time to inspect the property but to take the time to teach me how to maintain the house. He explained and showed me how to maintain components of the house so they run efficiently and as long as possible. We discussed all potential problem areas in detail so I could accurately identify the level of risk, I appreciated that I was able to make the decisions, not someone else. Working with Home and Hearth Inspections provided me with an ease of mind, which can be a good break from the sometimes stressful home buying process. It's great that I am now able to enjoy purchasing my house, instead of worrying about everything.

These guys are amazing! I felt like I was getting a supremely detailed, educated tour of my new home- all the positives, all the issues and "warts" of an older house (1928 construction with several complicated additions over the years), and how to take care of it. They started by asking how much detail I wanted, and I wanted it all! I watch HGTV all the time, and these guys need their own show! They were both very experienced and excellent communicators. There were, most importantly, thorough. Now, time will only tell if they missed anything significant that should have been identified, but they found a few things the sellers were obviously trying to cover up. Using sophisticated tools such as penetrating moisture meters and heat sensors, they located a leak that was clearly painted over recently to conceal it. The next day I received an email including a 73 page detailed report, cataloging by system every aspect of the inspection, complete with pictures. Made it a breeze to go back to the sellers for concessions and guarantees of repairs of the major structural and safety issues. I've only purchased two houses, but my prior inspector aught to be ashamed when I think of the comparison between the two. $700 is a lot to spend, but it's a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of a house and the cost of repairs that might be your responsibility if you buy the house without knowing the issues first! MONEY WELL WORTH IT!

Home and Hearth Inspections were recommended to us by our friends. We scheduled the inspection and Len was very accommodating with our schedule considering we were looking at several properties and some did not follow through in our decision to purchase. H & HI used high-tech tools and we were happy with the overall assessment of our new home!

Len is an good listener and teacher. We learned a lot about our new home and how best to take care of it. We never felt rushed and he always made sure he had answered our questions before moving onto the next item to inspect. He has a lot of experience and when an issue came up he guided us if they were big or small. I had some follow up questions and he took my call at 8:45pm to help me review my punch list (builder's to do list prior to the closing) and guided me on options I could consider to address some open items. He took many photos which he inserted into his final report. He went back to the photos to help research a question I had. He helped me prioritize the items for the builder to address. The home buying experience can be a stressful one and it is very helpful to have people like Len to support you; he has a calm and easy going demeanor which is exactly what is needed.