MARK'S HOME INSPECTION SERVICE INC

Craig followed the home inspection regulations established by the state of Ohio and, in his words, went “well beyond” those regulations in his inspection of our home. For us, this meant two plumbers coming to our house post-purchase who immediately identified an issue that they said should have been obvious to a home inspector. We discovered a number of other examples of Craig not offering explicit direction to act on issues prior to closing on our house, and we are now trying to work through them. While we are researching how best to move forward with these repairs, we expect that they will cost us significantly more money than if we had been aware of these issues prior to closing. Choosing another home inspector over Craig may save you from purchasing a house without sufficient clarity on recommendations and confidence that items, while not required to be identified by regulations set forth by the state of Ohio, will be caught. When we tried to address our concerns with Craig, he was quick to point out that he goes “well beyond the state minimum standard” for home inspections. If you’re looking for a home inspector that goes above and beyond, we highly recommend you select one that goes more “well beyond” than Craig says he does.

Great! Timely, efficient, VERY THOROUGH, easy to work with, very professional. Highly recommend!

Craig performed a home inspection on a house we are planning to buy. He came highly recommended by friends who had just used him for same purpose. He performed a very thorough walk thru on the house (1800 sq ft took approx. couple hours). Before he started he explained his process, he covers the outside of the house first, then moves to the inside. He told us we could walk around with him while he did the work or just hang out and he would let us know when/if he found anything that needed our attention. After each section of the house he went over the details (minor and major) as well as at the end of the inspection, he sat down with us and went over everything as a whole. Buying a house for the first time (or second or third) can be very daunting task, but Craig encouraged questions and provided very detailed answers making it much easier. His prices are a little higher than others, but the money was well worth it knowing with his expertise we had a sound inspection. I would definitely recommend Mark's Home Inspection to anyone.

We had a hard time of finding a home inspector around that Thanksgiving holiday week. Our realtor recommended Craig. We felt no choice but hire him. On the inspection day we arrived earlier than the scheduled time, but Craig came much earlier and started without us (realtor was there to let him in). I wasn't very happy that we missed the chance of following through the whole process with him. He did the attic and outside first and told us the attic was surprisingly well maintained. We just believed him. Nothing wrong has been said in his report either. However, at this time after a couple of weeks of living in the house. We found out about the electric safety hazards of improper wiring in the attic. Things like taped wire junctions, uncovered junction boxes with insulation material stuffed in there, open wires are sticking out. What a mess! We are looking at spending $400+ to make it right. And this can't be covered by home warranty since it belongs to faulty workmanship. As first-time home owners, we needed an inspector who is very thorough and truthful, but Craig failed to meet our expectation.

A home inspection is a good-faith, visual determination of the physical condition of the exterior of a house, its grounds and key systems. It needs to be conducted by a person trained on what to look for, where to look for it, how to test for it and describe the results/actions that can help mitigate concerns. A good home inspection delivers actionable information with which both home seller/buyer can assess which conditions represent liabilities that can impact a home purchase transaction before and after it is finalized. We believe Craig Hass’s experience and background have equipped him to deliver quality inspections. We are very satisfied with Craig Hass’ home inspection ($575) and Radon testing ($160) services. He was to meet us on a Sunday morning and was punctual. Craig arrived prepared with tools of the trade and documents. This was an inspection for a 3600 sq ft home. Craig was easy to speak to and comfortable with us tagging along and asking him many questions. Even with the amount of questions we kept asking, he would end the inspection of an area with “Do you have any questions for me?” His inspection process starts outside the house, looking at everything from the condition of the sidewalks, to how electric wires are located in relation to the many trees around, to getting under the house to look at water lines, to looking at the condition of the garage and where drainage may be a problem. Inside the house, he starts in the basement, proceeded to the kitchen and then went to the top floor of the house, with the main level being the last to be inspected. Craig offered context for his written observations. His observations have provided with an informed opportunity to return with confidence to the negotiating table to express concerns and see how to mitigate them before closing. Lesson learned for us regarding the importance of thoroughly reviewing an inspector notes, not just his/her comments: while the mechanical systems (i.e., the gas furnace, air conditioning units, water heater) were found to be in working condition, when they could be tested, it is important to determine the age of these systems. Do you really want to go into a closing without doing the math and realizing that all systems are at the end of their reliable life? It was while reading the report that we found a pre-printed statement associated with the gas furnace, something to the effect that these systems are intended to perform over a 15-20 years period. Craig had stated the dates each system had gone into service. When we did the math, found out that ALL of them were either at or past end of life. This means the systems are all due for replacement. Now you have decision: replace now or wait for the systems to stop working at the most inopportune of times? Do you really want to take the risk that the systems may croak at any moment? Do you really wish to take on such liability and pray that if a replacement is needed it will happen to occur inside the 1 year term of the home warranty ? And have you contacted the home warranty company to really understand how they would respond? As a result of Craig just stating the age of the systems, and our comprehensive review of the report, we have now gone back raised this as a concern with the sellers, contacted HVAC companies to provide an estimate so we understand the size of the IOU we would be inheriting and requested a copy of the home warranty that would be conveyed at closing. BUYER BEWARE is the outcome of a good home inspection. In that Craig delivered that outcome to us in the form of a home inspection report that contained information we can leverage, we are very happy. He also recommended the services of a pest inspector, Chagrin Valley Pest Control and we were also satisfied with that service.

Mark met my low expectations. He supplied a 'fill-in-the-blank' report that did not distinguish between major and minor problems. He and his team, despite an aggressive attitude failed to uncover two major problems that the other inspector I hired found and explained. Instead, he spent a lot of time making noise about cosmetic issues with the property and belittling the house, forgetting, I guess, that I had chosen it! ''Let's talk about the good points. The bath on the second floor is new. Now for the bad points. The rest is junk.'' He was clearly uncomfortable that I had hired a 'second opinion' inspector,and asked more than once if the other inspector had left. He and his team didn't bother trying to identify or understand potential problems. He wrote:''funny smell in basement-need to evaluate'' rather than discovering the open sewer pipe in the basement. The report was long on legalese and CYA and short on info.

Recommended some very minor issues that were fixed by the seller. Failed to identify critical flaws in the home that were easily identifiable by a home inspector according to the folks who ended up doing the repair work. These include an old furnace that had dry fired and needed replacement (7000$), electrical wiring issues (1000$),bath tub leak leading to damage of the living room ceiling (8000$) to name the more notable ones. His omissions/incompetence have cost me in excess of 15k within 3 months of buying the house. His report is antiquated, hand-written, does not include pictures or documentation and is barely legible.

They were excellent. They are a seller's nightmare but a buyer's dream.

Mark failed to identify several critical problems with the house I purchased. Mark also wanted to charge more then the quoted price when he arrived for the inspection despite being given a description of the home prior to his arrival.

Provided a detailed report. They were on time. Very pleasant. They answered all questions. They also provided potential contractors to perform any repairs.

Mark and his son did the inspection. They are relatively friendly and personable and seemed to be very thorough and attentive to details. Their inspection was much more involved than the inspection we had done by another company of our prior home. We have yet to move, so we'll see if anything was missed. We chose them based upon the recommendation of our Realtor and the overwhelmingly positive reviews on Angie's list. The only negative of the experience was that, as noted on two reviews, the inspection felt somewhat rushed, and the handwritten scribblings on the report were difficult to make out. However, they were willing to take the time to answer questions, and I appreciated their specific recommendations on how to remedy specific problems and even their suggested list of contacts for these tasks.

Mark Haas was terrific. In addition to taking the mold sample, he offered a list of remediation companies he would recommend to cure the mold problem.

Mark and his son were wonderful! They helped us understand all the issues of the home we ended up purchasing.

MARK'S TEAM (HIMSELF and AN ASSISTANT) ARRIVED ON-TIME and IMMEDIATELY WENT TO WORK. BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, CHECKING EVERYTHING FROM ATTIC TO BASEMENT, RUNNING ALL THE APPLIANCES, ETC.- THEY WERE NON-STOP! SPENT ALMOST 2-HRS INSPECTING. TOOK THE TIME TO POINT OUT THE MORE SERIOUS MATTERS. GAVE US A FOLDER WITH THEIR 7-PAGE REPORT and LIST OF RECOMMENDED CONTRACTORS FOR DISCREPANCIES FOUND. THEIR FINDINGS HELPED US NEGOTIATE A BETTER DEAL WITH THE SELLERS- SAVED US ABOUT $5500!

PROFESSIONAL AND EXTREMELY THOROUGH.

OUR OVERALL EXPERIENCE WAS GREAT. MARK AND HIS CREW GAVE US A SENSE OF CALM BEING THAT WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WE WERE GETTING INTO WITH PURCHASING A HOME. MARK AND HIS CREW WERE PUNCTUAL, COURTEOUS AND HELPFUL. THEY WERE TO THE POINT AND DIRECT IN THEIR COMMENTS AND YOU COULD TELL THEY HAD BEEN DOING THIS FOR AWHILE. THEY ALSO MADE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE FOR FOLLOW UP IF WE NEEDED. I HAVE RECOMMENDED THEM TO FRIENDS AND THEY HAVE ALL THANKED US FOR DOING SO.

THEY USE 3 PEOPLE WHO SPECIALIZE. GOOD AT SHOWING YOU AND EXPLAINING ANY ISSUES THEY DISCOVER. VERY EFFICIENT WITHOUT BEING ANY LESS THOROUGH.

HE DOES A VERY THOROUGH INSPECTION ON BEHALF OF THE POTENTIAL BUYER.

WE WERE HORRIFIED BY HIS CONCERNS RE MOLD, AND ABIDED BY HIS RECOMMENDATION THAT WE GET THE VERY EXPENSIVE TESTS DONE. WE WITHHOLD FURTHER JUDGEMENT UNTIL TEST RESULTS ARE BACK. WE HOPE HE IS MISTAKEN.

THEY WERE VERY PROFESSIONAL AND THEY HAD 3 GUYS WITH 3 DIFFERENT SPECIALTIES. THEY WERE THOROUGH AND I WAS PLEASED WITH THE INSPECTION.

WOULD NEVER USE THIS COMPANY AGAIN -- NOR RECOMMEND THE 3 MAN CREW PREVENTS THE CLIENT FROM TRULY BEING ABLE TO WALK THROUGH AND UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEMS IN THE HOME. THERE WERE MANY ISSUES WITH THIS HOUSE. WE HAVE HAD PARTICULAR PROBLEMS IN AREAS THAT WE WERE NOT FULLY AWARE OF BECAUSE OF THE RUSHED AND FRENZIED INSPECTION. INSIST ON HAVING AN INSPECTION WITH ONE PERSON THAT WALKS YOU THROUGH THE HOUSE AND YOU CAN WITNESS WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE IN PERSON. IF NOT-- YOU MAY BE PAYING FOR THEM LATER. THE PEST COMPANY THAT WAS HIRED BY MARK'S ALSO FAILED TO FIND A CARPENTER ANT INFESTATION IN THE FRONT PORCH. THE FINAL REPORT GIVEN AT THE END WAS MESSY AND UNPROFESSIONAL. THE PREVIOUS INSPECTION WE HAD PERFORMED ON A FORMER HOUSE BY ANOTHER COMPANY WAS DELIVERED THE NEXT DAY TYPED AND IN A BINDER.

HIS REPORT AT THE END WAS MESS AND NOT TYPED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO READ COMMENTS NOT VERY PROFESSIONAL. NO SUMMARY WAS GIVEN FOR OVER ALL JUDGEMENT AND HAD TO BE CONCLUDED FOR MYSELF.

MARK BROUGHT A TEAM OF 4 GUYS, PROVIDED A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AND GAVE US A VERY USEFUL LIST OF RECOMMENDED COMPANIES TO DO VARIOUS WORK (PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL, CONTRACTING, ETC.), AS WELL AS A CHECKLIST OF HOW TO MAINTAIN VARIOUS PARTS OF HOUSE (EX. DRAW OFF SEDIMENT IN WATER HEATERS MONTHLY).

THEY DID NOT COME RIGHT OUT AND TELL US NOT TO BUY THE FIRST HOUSE. THEY STRONGLY SUGGESTED WE HIRE A ROOF INSPECTOR, BUT IT WAS HELPFUL TO LISTEN CLOSELY AND READ THE REPORT TO UNDERSTAND THE DETAILS.

MARK IS VERY PROFESSIONAL, SEEMS TO KNOW HIS WORK WELL. HE IS ALSO QUITE INFORMATIVE AND TIMELY IN RESPONSE. HIS COST SEEMS REASONABLE ENOUGH, BUT THE LAB COST IS VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND. I WANT TO DEAL WITH MARK AS HE SEEMS HONEST AND KNOWLEDGEABLE.