ELM CITY HOME INSPECTION

When I first talked to Ron on the phone he admitted that realtors seldom recommend him because he always "says it like it is" and finds any problems that might be present in the home. That was enough to sell me on his services. On the day of the inspection, Ron was there early. He had already taken a good look at the exterior and had lots of keen observations that I found very useful. He took lots of photos, inside and outside. Those served as his notes, which he would use to write up a full assessment of the home after the inspection. Ron moved fairly quickly through the rooms compared to a previous inspector I had used. I could tell he was observing but not necessarily narrating everything he's seeing. He did point out a lot of things to me, but a lot of times he would quickly mention something and then say that I would get more details in the written report. The written report I received a few days later did contain more details and photos to help me understand what he was seeing. Ron took some infra-red photos in order to point out any possible water damage, insulation problems, or safety issues. He also did a radon test. He did not seem interested in testing things such as the operation of windows, toilets, outlets or appliances. I did that myself while he was taking photos. His written report listed a lot of things that should be repaired or replaced. I was happy with his thoroughness and was glad to have a written report with photos so that I could go back and see what he was seeing. My previous inspector had given me an audiotape, which was not as easy to follow after the fact. Ron also picked up the radon test a few days after the inspection and sent it to the lab. Those results were mailed directly to me. After the inspection, I had several contractors come to bid on repairs that Ron suggested should be made. Several of them pointed out that Ron was wrong on his assessment of a few things, however, they confirmed that most of what he said needed to be done really did need to be done. I gave Ron a "B" on price because we had agreed on a price beforehand (which was a competative price because it included a radon test which others charge an extra $90+ for) and then he increased his price it right before the inspection. He said that he didn't know it was a 2-unit and he would charge more for that. I was not impressed since he gave me the innitial price based on the square footage, not the number of units. My overall assessment of his work is that he is very thorough and helpful. He may or may not be correct about everything, but any mistakes he makes are in pointing out a flaw that wasn't a flaw after all. That's a lot better than the other way around.