Security Home Inspections

Security Home Inspections, and in particular John Casey, are phenomenal! This was our 1st time buying an a house and our 1st inspection. We did not know what to expect, but John was remarkably equipped, experienced, and capable. He was extremely thorough, detail-oriented, realistic, and explained things simply the whole way. He graciously and professionally answered all of our questions and allowed us to shadow him for the whole time. He gave valuable insight, advice, and customer service. The report came very promptly (not even 24 hours) after, was detailed, matched what was expected, and gave clear recommendations for fixes. Could not recommend more highly!

Alex was very professional. He performed the work on Friday. Late Saturday, we found that we had no hot water. We assumed it had to do with the testing. On Sunday, we called assuming that we would be leaving a message. However, the office answered. Within two hours the owner, Phil, was at our home and solved the problem. He also fixed an electrical problem while he was here. In the 25+ years we have been in our home we have not has such a response and service. We also received their report within 24 hours. Great customer service!!! Totally recommend them.

I found the office staff particularly helpful (I believe I worked with Pattie). Easy scheduling process and staff is well-informed about the home inspection and prepared me for what to expect. It felt like she was genuinely concerned that I have a good experience as a first-time home buyer and not be taken advantage of or misled. The inspection itself was thorough and fortunately revealed some major issues that kept us from purchasing the home before it was too late. I would recommend them and will use again.

All went well until I discovered they gave information from the inspection to a third party without my consent or knowledge. I would not hire them again or recommend them to others.

Initial inspection report did not show that the air conditioner had been tampered with and "rigged" to work for the inspection. We ended up putting in a new coil for $2800. Once the furnace needed starting, we learned the igniter didn't work. I find it difficult to understand how the furnace was checked without the igniter working. We had to replace the igniter for $600 to get the furnace to work. When we had the carpet pulled up to be replaced, we learned there are significant cracks in the slab. Some are 1/2" wide and least that 1/4" difference in the height. You can feel the change under the carpet. I called the inspection company on all of the above and they were of no service. I believe my money for the inspection was wasted.

Security Home Inspections missed a significant structural issue in the roof. One of the roof rafters had fallen a few inches and was not properly nailed to the center ridge beam. This resulted in the decking not being properly supported by the rafter. The roof had been replaced a year before I purchased the house, so no sagging was noted at that time from the outside. The inspector entered the attic and even noted a separate issue in the area of the fallen rafter, but failed to see the fallen rafter and bring it to my attention in the report. The frustrating thing is that I also had a mold spray performed in the attic between the date of the inspection and reinspection, which resulted in all wood surfaces being sprayed light blue. The area around the fallen rafter (i.e. where it should have been connected to the center ridge beam and to the decking) was all painted light blue from the mold spray. The mold spray was verified in the reinspection after it was performed. Therefore, it is clear that this issue existed at the time of inspection and was not found. It was an error and was omitted. While the error in the report is very frustrating (and the required fix is expensive), the customer service I received from Security Home Inspections was even more disappointing. I contacted the company to notify them of the issue. I provided all pictures and documentation showing that the issue existed as of the date of inspection and was missed in the report. I had to follow up with the company 7 times over the course of 2 weeks to be able to talk to someone. I left messages with staff, left voicemail messages, and even asked over email on several occasions if I could talk to the Operations Manager. The Operations Manager returned my call once, but only after I practically begged in several emails to talk on the phone. It felt like they would not give me the time of day. In the end, Security Home Inspections refused to correct the issue or provide any compensation for the omission in the report, even though it existed as of the date of the inspection and was missed. I paid a higher amount for an inspection that I thought would be of good quality and to a company that I thought would be professional, but I received very poor service. The most frustrating aspect was the poor customer service after I raised the issue in the report. It was extremely difficult to talk to them. It felt like the Operations Manager would not give me the time of day. While I understand Security Home Inspections has a business to run, they were very difficult to deal with when an issue arose. It felt like they were happy to take my money for the inspection, but not resolve any issues after that. I would not recommend them nor will I use them in the future.

Horrible. I fixed almost everything on the list that needed fixed from my inspection from Security Home Inspections when I purchased the home (March 27, 2017) . 2 months later I Sold the home and the new buyer also used Security Home inspections. Well, guess what, the new inspector came up with 10 NEW items from when I bought the house 2 months prior. The house was vacant for 2 months so nothing changed in 2 months. I called the owner Patty 3 times and I was told she would call me back on 3 different occasions, and she NEVER called me. Finally, on the fourth phone call to Patty, she refused to acknowledge the "new" list of 10 items and told me I was too emotional about the situation and she would not talk to me. I asked her why those same "new" 10 items were not found on my inspection....she could give no reason. I am a Real Estate agent and this is the very reason I NEVER use Security Home Inspections. They are the only company that does not list items in order of Major, Minor, and Maintenance items to a new buyer. By the time they are done inspecting a home......you think you have a lemon! They call out things that are not even code. The inspectors are told to call out things because the owner tells them too. This is such an unfair practice because most buyers are very worried and Security just reinforces this by making a buyer think the house has all kinds of things wrong with it when in reality, sometimes it is something a manufacturer recommends so security flags it. Please do yourself a favor and hire anyone but this company. Just think, if I am a Real Estate Agent and inspection companies get their business from Real Estate Agents referring them, yet she would NOT call me back or even correct the 10 new items, how do you think she will treat you?

Great. The inspector was very knowledgeable and explained things to my clients thoroughly.

Inspector was early, efficient, and very knowledgeable. At the office, there was some confusion over name spelling and payment, but it was resolved easily and professionally. Would definitely work with again and recommend to others.

The initial appointment went well, now having lived in the home for a couple of weeks - they missed quite a few major items that are now going to cost me quite a bit of money. First of all. there is a leak under the sink that has made it's way under our floor. Upon looking at some of the wood on the floor a little closer, this is not the first time this has happened. Completely missed by Security Home Inspections. Then, the vanity in our hallway bathroom isn't even secured. If you pull it from the front it comes out 5-6 inches, which is very dangerous considering it is the primary bathroom that everyone used, including our 3 year old daughter. Lastly (that I've found thus far) a section of wood on the front of the home is bowed out about 3 inches and we currently have at least one family of birds living inside the home above our master bedroom. Again, this is why I paid this company over $400, to catch things like this. I'm not pleased with their services at all, and recommend you look elsewhere for your home inspection needs.

The work was done very professionally and thoroughly. Made himself available for post-result phone conversation to understand the most critical items to concentrate on from the home inspection results.

He was super thorough, which I appreciated! I wanted to know everything. He pointed out a few things that needed to be repaired.

Fair - Inspector was decent and friendly while on site. Some minor items were found later that if they were on the inspection, we could work this out with the seller. When discussed with company, while they were very friendly, they would not cover their over site as it was minor and not a major structural defect. Disappointing to pay for services with expectations that they would let us know what is wrong with house. With things overlooked it does make you wonder what else we were not told about and will find out later.

Security Home Inspections totally missed that the A/C was charred on its inside, and essentially shot. After having paid $500+ for this inspection, and proceeding to close on my new home, I had my own heating and A/C company come in to do a routine check-up, only to find the A/C was indeed charred, and would need to be replaced at a cost of $5000. Security did not take ownership of its mistake, and it had the arrogance to suggest that it should have chosen the company to install the new A/C! After missing the original A/C’s true condition, I can’t imagine depending upon Security to choose another company for the new A/C. That’s what I call real nerve! It just makes me wonder if Security might not be chosen by real estate agents, having perhaps a reputation among them of not upsetting buyers from proceeding ahead with their new home closings, no matter what. It certainly didn’t represent my interests! Buyers beware.

We had not one but two condos inspected by Security Home Inspections, both in the same condo complex. After the first one we used the data from the inspection report to make a determination that the condo was too 'compromised' in too many areas to make it a good choice. When we found another one in the same condo complex we again scheduled Security and requested the same inspector because we were so pleased with his work on the first inspection. His name is Derrick Trump. He was extremely thorough, not only explained every 'issue' he found but also made helpful suggestions for how to fix it or avoid a further problem. He was efficient, polite and knowledgeable. For both inspections he arrived slightly ahead of the scheduled time. We enjoyed our conversation with him and appreciated his candor, especially related to the first condo. We would most definitely use Security Home Inspections again - but we're hoping that won't be right away!

I had a home inspection for a house that was approximately 2300 sqft (they charge based on square footage), a radon test, a termite damage test, and a sewer cam inspection. I requested a quote from several home inspection websites in Indianapolis, and Security Home Inspections sent me an email within that same day. Patty Thornberry was emailing back and worth with me after business hours, in the late evening, to get all the information she needed to get me set up as soon as possible for the inspection. The home inspector showed up on time and was courteous and professional throughout the inspection. He made note of anything that he thought was off and took pictures which he later included in the home inspection report. This was incredibly helpful when passing the inspection report onto the seller of the home. The home inspector also walked me through what he was doing and answered all my questions (I am a first time home buyer so I definitely needed to be walked through a few things). The sewer cam operator came about half an hour after the inspection started and was very quick and friendly. I received my inspection report the day after the inspection. I then emailed Patty Thornberry and asked if there was anyway that I could add the termite inspection because the home inspection turned up several spots of wood rot on the trim and wood siding of the house. She replied that she would give me the rate for the termite inspection as if I had requested it along with the other services. It turns out that the home inspector had already taken the termite data the first time he was at the house and the day after I asked for this, I received another copy of the inspection report that had radon test results, termite inspection data, and the sewer cam results. I would definitely recommend Security Home Inspections to anyone looking to do a home inspection in Indianapolis. Everyone was very punctual, professional, and responsive.

It went well! The inspector explained everything he was doing as he went, he inspected every nook and cranny he could, and he provided a comprehensive run down of the areas that needed to be addressed and the items that needed to be fixed. He discovered a very serious, very concerning issue as he was inspecting, and it was thanks to him that we had the evidence we needed to get the homeowners to fix it. We ultimately purchased the home after the issues were fixed.

The report appears to be very professional, but after being in the home for a little over a year, I am looking at over 100k worth of repairs. After moving in, it immeditatly became obvious that each of the three showers leaked. One leaked into the drywall (you could see the damage from previous leaks - not noted on report), one leaked directly into the basement. The old homeowner said "we didn't use that shower"....but I would expect a home inspector to run the shower and move it around as if someone was in it. I suspect they turned the water on and off? A tile expert came out and determined that two of the bathrooms had tile damaged and lifted beyond repair, it all needs to come up and be replaced (can't match 50 year old tile and it is on floors and all of the walls- is a fortune to replace- not to mention the water damage on walls and subfloor). The gutters all were bent and many had holes punched from where the previous owner tried to chip ice out most likely. Four of the underground drains are collapsed and the basement clay pipe drain is as well. The oven has a vent pipe that goes directly into the attic and insulation, creating a fire hazzard. All four bath vents also go directly into the insulation in the attic rather than outside. There is significant rot in the joists and rim joists in the basement (you can poke your finger completely through the 2X6s) and there is water in three areas of the basement. It is clear some boards had been replaced, but the rest were not. The rot is obvious from about 10 feet away- but I don't think the inspector really went into that part of the crawl- when the rotten boards were removed a gush of water from the damaged patio (needs fully replaced- another 10k) all the pea gravel etc from under it gushed into the crawl. There is evidence of raccoons living in the attic (old damage) and some in the basement. All three chimneys are seriously in need of repair. On the report, one I think was noted to need tuck pointing- in fact, it has no liner, a lot of tuck point issues, it leaches water into the garage, and the top wasn't built correctly with an overhang. The main chimney leaks into the house and basement. The marble fireplace has been damaged - it has a cracked crown, incorrect flashing, needs a lot of tuck point and needs to have a cap and correct top with overhang built, the 3rd chimney needs tuck point and a new crown. The electric system trips frequently- none of the sink faucents work well, and two sinks leaked when I moved in. The cinderblock foundation had a huge gap where water was coming in (and my cats were getting out). There was concrete on the outside of the house where someone had tried to stop the erosion - none of this was noted. My cat was hit by a car after getting out this way. That is only the tip of the iceberg... Not pleased, not happy- would not recommend!

The service went well. My son also used the company. The staff explained things well and were thorough. They took the time to answer our questions if we did not understand something they pointed out. They were not too excessive on fine details but covered the major areas of concern. We had two different inspectors for each home. They both did a good job and their recommendations were reliable. I had no problem scheduling their service and they were prompt.

This is one of the best inspection companies. Why do I like them? Because they document findings. They back up their work. They know code. So many companies say: furnace should be looked at by licensed professional; electrical should be looked at by licensed professional; plumbing should be checked by licensed professional. So, what is that inspection company doing? They are deferring any real inspection to all other professionals. Does the buyer get his money's worth? NO! This company gives good information, is thorough and documents. On rare occasions when there is a difference of opinion, they have a return visit or the owner checks. I cannot say enough good things about this inspection co. I sell a lot of real estate and see dozens and dozens of inspections a year. Many times, I think the buyer did not get what they paid for. Not the case here. That does not mean a buyer can get everything on an inspection fixed, but they have a clear idea of what may need work now or in the future and what is minor and major.

Inspector looked at all aspects of house: exterior (roofing, bricks & mortar, stucco, concrete walkway, detached garage) and interior (plumbing, electrical, appliances, structure) and also performed a radon test. On his recommendation, we requested that sellers fix some of the items that were found to be problematic. We also found out that the radon levels were high (8.0) and requested radon mitigation system to be installed.

I could type for hours, but I'll just say this guy was very pro and SUPER thorough

They did a great job! No complaints!

Inspector showed up on time. Was pretty thorough and explained things as he went along. Went onto the roof which many other inspectors don't do.

They performed a home inspection on a house we were purchasing. I was very happy with them overall. The inspector was extremely thorough and the written report was 40 pages, well organized and included photos and recommendations.