ValueGuard Home Inspection

I was very impressed with my experience with Value Guard from start to finish. The person I spoke to about setting up the inspection was very friendly and helpful. We arrived at the house about 20 minutes early expecting to have to wait a while, but the main inspector (Cory Shalaway) and the termite inspector (Tom from Boro Termite) were already there. Both were very friendly. Cory in particular did a fantastic job. This is our first house purchase, and we followed Cory around for a couple of hours while he looked at everything and he explained different things to us about how things worked and what would need to be fixed (either immediately or something we should bear in mind for the future). We felt that the inspection was very thorough and complete, and we received a detailed written report complete with photos. The radon test was set up at the time of inspection and had to sit for 48 hours. We received a written report about those results as well. Would definitely recommend ValueGuard!

We needed a home inspection. Checked angie list, read the reviews, and called Value Guard. The phone person was very friendly and helpful. A few days later we were setup and ready to go. Mike B was waiting for us to arrive and was full steam once we entered the home. He pointed out any issues, plus showed us where the seller added some nice finishing touches and upgrades. He showed us how to work all shutoffs and things we should be aware of and address in the near future. Very friendly, knowledgeable from start to finish. The report contained more info that I thought and I will be referring to it once we move into the house. Thanks again now we are looking to find a mason & painter.

All communication with the staff of ValueGuard was excellent and exceeded expectations. They were very professional in all our contacts and Mike, who actually performed the inspection, was a pleasure to work with. Mike made the experience very informative and was willing to answer every annoying question I had. He took the time to explain issues while at the house and the home inspection report was extremely detailed of all issues found at the house. I most definitely will hire these individuals again and recommend that you do too.

After a few past experiences with home inspectors in NJ, we were determined to be the potential home buyers who asked a million questions. From the moment we pulled up our ValueGuard team was terrific. Mike, the leader of the group, took the time to explain every single item they were investigating as well as answer every question we could come up with. The whole team was professional, polite, and efficient. At the end of the inspection we sat down with Mike and he went over each and every item in detail. He even offered advice on a few items that had nothing to do with the home inspection. Now, two days later, Mike is still taking the time to answer any questions we have via cell phone. Overall, we could not be more confident and pleased with our ValueGuard home inspection.

I am a first time home-buyer, and as a single woman without experience in home maintenance or construction, I did a lot of research to find a highly regarded company and inspector through Angie's List, Yelp, and ASHI.org. I am 110% satisfied with Mike Baltrush's inspection and would give him and the company an A+ grade. The entire experience exceeded my expectations. When I called to schedule the appointment on a Thursday, I reached Shelly, who was a delight. She was cheerful and helpful and worked to schedule the inspection with the inspector I wanted (Mike) at a mutually convenient time on the following Monday. I mentioned the $25 off coupon from Angie's List and she gave me the discount without hesitation. We set up the time, and then when I called the day before to ask about the impact of a recent snow storm, she reassured me that the inspection could go ahead as planned, but that Mike could return a few days later to inspect the roof, if it were unsafe to do so the day of, which in fact was the case. Mike was terrific and lived up to previous Angie's List reviews and testimonials on ValueGuard's website. He arrived early, and throughout the inspection, he patiently and thoroughly explained everything to me as I followed him around, asking questions and jotting down notes. He taught me all about the systems in the home. He pointed out everything he was seeing and used both technical terms (so I could learn the terminology) and layman's terms. It was quite an educational experience! We started upstairs and worked our way to the first floor and then to the basement and finished back in the kitchen, as well as spending time outside, in the backyard, side alley, and front. Chase was only there briefly to set up the radon test in the basement, and was friendly and professional as well. I loved that they were both wearing ValueGuard L.L. Bean fleeces, by the way! It was important to me to find a company and an inspector that I could trust. After selecting the company, I read the bios of the inspectors and picked Mike because the testimonials were overwhelming positive, he is an ACI, has a degree in architecture, and we've both run the Philadelphia Marathon. Because I have no experience as a homeowner, am unmarried, and my parents live 3,000 miles away and weren't present at the inspection, I wanted to be sure that my home inspector would be a teacher as well, providing guidance and recommendations - and Mike certainly did. I received the report today and am very pleased with the level of detail, including the photographs. The sample report on the website is an accurate example of what I received, with major concerns, safety issues, repair items, etc. included, as well as a cost summary with estimates for repairs. It was great doing business with ValueGuard and I highly recommend them.

Our inspector (Corey) was terrific (as predicted by other reviewers). Very open and engaging and knowledgable. He was patient and thorough in reviewing the systems with us. Overall our future home is young (7 years) so we did not expect to find many issues. However, during HVAC inspection he found a corrosion issue which led to further inspection by a certified HVAC company and revealed the exterior AC unit was in need of replacement. This repair cost about 2000.00 and if the original issue had not been discovered we would not have known about the associated issue until we tried to use the AC int he summer. This was a BIG find in such a young home and saved us a bunch of money. Corey inspected even the crawl area above the second floor ceilings by using a ladder to access it. He made several small safety recommendations and made many comments about things we might want to consider were we to consider finsihing the basement at a later date (which we will). It was apleasure doing business with Value Guard and we are very happy we did the upfront research and chose a highly regarded Angie's List member!

We have an old family home that's in need of a ton of cosmetic and structural work. We called ValueGuard because we wanted a preemptive inspection that would help us prioritize the issues we needed to tackle before putting the home on the market. I filled out the form early in the week and got an immediate response that there was availability that coming weekend. Ralph, the owner, was great at explaining what we could expect (we've never been through a home inspection before) and what we needed or didn't need to do to prepare. We scheduled the appointment for Saturday at 9am. Brad showed up at 9am on the dot. He was really friendly, patient, knowledgeable and detail oriented. He went room by room throughout our house, answered all of our questions, took a ton of pictures, pointed out everything he was flagging and writing down and explained why they were getting flagged. He also took the time to explain some things about our house that weren't necessarily red flags, but just things we should know...like how often to get our water heater serviced, how to do some of the more simple maintenance ourselves and what products to use, etc. He explained what things we could take care of on our own and what we needed to hire professionals to do. He also climbed into the gross, scary crawl space beneath our kitchen, so he should probably get five gold stars just for that....but he diagnosed a termite problem we didn't even know we had, so I'm really happy he braved it. Brad just left a few hours ago, and said we could expect a full report on Monday, and I'm sure it'll be extremely comprehensive. All in all, we're thrilled with the level of service we received and we'll definitely recommend this company to others.

The people from ValueGuard were very easy to work with, both on the phone and in person. They happily accepted my AngiesList coupon sight unseen. I scheduled a home inspection, radon test, and wood-destroying insect inspection on a short sale property. The inspector arrived before my agent and I did, and he had already taken a walk around the house. He noticed immediately that the outside outlets had popped, and said aloud that he hoped it didn't mean that there was no power to the house. Sure enough, the power was shut off long ago due to nonpayment. The agent working for the bank selling the property was... less than honest, and played all sorts of games to avoid getting the power turned on. ValueGuard was extremely understanding, and didn't charge me for the inspection. They agreed to let me use the AngiesList coupon at a later date, if the power was ever restored. In the meantime, the radon and insect inspections were able to proceed. The power was never restored, but I plan to call ValueGuard the next time I need a home inspected.

The sample report listed on Valueguard's website is exactly what you receive and the various pictures of problem areas turned out excellent. I would recommend this company to all

Joe was very professional and set up the radon test quickly. Brad was very personable and walked through every inch of the outside and inside of the house explaining things as we went. This was very helpful as it was an 80+ year old house and we are first time home buyers. We left having learned a lot and received a very thorough report the following day. The best part about this was the appointment turnaround and responsiveness. We wanted to schedule it quickly as the Christmas holiday was upcoming and everything was handled wonderfully.

I found many good reviews of VG and also our individual inspector, Cory. I didn't shop their price so I can't comment on that, however I will say that I was extremely happy with every aspect of VG through the entire process. Cory was not only knowledgeable, but I felt like he was inspecting a house that he was going to live in. He took all the time I requested to explain every aspect of the inspection to both my dad and myself. The water, well, radon and termite inspections were completed in a punctual fashion and I did not have to worry about the timing or the completion of their reports. The home inspection report was comprehensive and detailed. I would have liked to have seen more pictures of every item that was mentioned, however all of the major stuff was in there, picture wise. When we received the report I requested that they add repair estimates and they turned that around in less than 1 business day. All in all, I received exceptional service and would not hesitate to recommend VG for home inspections.

Mike met us there for the inspection, he was on time, even a little early as he said he liked to walk around outside and take pictures first. Took a good bit of time and walked us through everything in the house and went over every little thing with us. Spent close to 4 hours in the house (2500 sq ft) and answered a ton of questions we had. Report was very detailed and received very quickly.

The inspector, Bradley, arrived at the location before the scheduled time. Immediately, he started his assesment of the exterior of the building. His keen eye detected termite damage around the door frame leading into the basement and the door frame in the garage. Going through the house, he went room by room and methodically checked plumbing and electrical systems to insure that they were working correctly. He noticed that the electrical panel was not sufficient for that property. In addition to several minor details, Bradley called to my attention that there were asbestos floor titles in the basement and the roof was in need of major repair. Within 24 hours, I received (via e-mail) a complete and detailed evaluation of the property that I was hoping to buy. Because of the trained eye of Bradley from Value Guard, many items were caught and brought to my attention. These were things that I would not have noticed on my own. In the end, with all this information, I was able to make a more informed decisison concerning the purchase of this house.

The inspector was very thorough and knowledgeable. In the 6 months since the inspection, I have not found anything that he missed.

Easy to schedule - very quick to respond. We were scheduled for the following morning. Brad was our inspector, he was on time, professional, worked quickly but was thorough and took time to answer all of our questions. We received the written report next day. As smooth as it could have gone in my opinion. Would definitely recommend.

My husband and I are very pleased with our choice to use ValueGuard for a home inspection/termite/raydon testing service. We are purchasing our first home and are new to all of the processes that go along with a home purchase. We signed up for Angie's List and our first search was for a home inspector. ValueGuard came up in our search and had the most positive reviews, so we decided to retain them for a home inspection. From our very first call to ValueGuard, we experienced a pleasant greeting and with excellent customer service. My husband and our broker agent met with Cory the day of the inspection and were very happy with Cory's professionalism, instructions and guidance. We received very detailed reports back from ValueGuard within a couple of days. Our broker agent even remarked how impressed he was with Cory and ValueGuard that he would recommend them to future clients. We would certainly use this company again and will recommend them to our friends and family.

Overall, it went very well. Our inspector, Mike Bluestein, arrived early, before we got there, and got right to work. We accompanied him throughout the entire process of the inspection, indoor and outdoor. Not only did he inspect the house, but he educated us as we went along, pointing out areas where we might want to pay close attention after we buy the house, and how to make minor repairs and maintenance. We were very happy with the inspection and Mike was a pleasure to work with.

Bradley is very nice and professional. He was on time and even followed up with us.

Our scheduler/office contact, Ralph, was professional and friendly. The appointment was scheduled for exactly when we needed it. We met Bradley at the property and were thoroughly impressed. He was high energy, moving quickly through his work but taking enough time to explain everything in terms we understood. He possessed an incredible amount of knowledge and noticed everything. He was fast, efficient, and on point. He explained not just points of concern but things to just know about the house, how to maintain and protect the home and its components, and how things work. He appreciated the house and was excited about the positive features but also expressed clearly his points of concern. We were very happy with his work. Our 22 page report, complete with pictures, was received that night! And the icing on the cake was how impressed my seasoned realtor was with the price! He even asked for a business card to keep in his resources for future customers. We've never had a home inspection before, but I would never use anyone else after this experience. And I would recommend this company to anyone needing this service.

We are huge Holmes on Homes fans, both of us are engineers and kind of perfectionists, so this was a big decision for us. I was highly concerned with something getting overlooked in the inspection, especially since it was an older home.Forget price, quality and thoroughness were our focus. I researched a lot of inspectors in the area, so I already knew ValueGuard had one of the highest ratings. When I first called, I asked if they had errors & omissions insurance and how they handled disputes. This was understandably a tough question for an introductory phone call. I spoke with Chase, who was very professional and straight forward with me. I could tell he truly believed in the quality of their work and in running an honest business. Really helped to solidify my decision. Scheduled Brad for our inspection. They were able to set up an appointment within the week (which was huge for us cuz we had a tight schedule to close). Brad was there on time despite torrential rain. Rain eased up so he was able to perform a full inspection. He definitely knew his stuff. He was excited to do the inspection because he loves old houses and has a lot of experience with them. We followed him through out the whole house and he pointed things i didnt notice, as well as answering questions on things I saw. Some things he agreed were issues, other he reassured me that they weren't problems. The inspection took a few hours, and our realtor even commented that this was one of the most thorough inspections she'd seen. FYI they use a seperate contractor for termite inspection, they were good too. And they use the electronic means for measuring radon (not the cans). The only serious issue he found was what appeared to be an overcrowded electric panel. He admitted he wasn't an electrician, but noted it in the report and recommended we follow up with an electrician. We did, turned out to be a fine. The report was ready with in a couple of days. It was very comprehensive and informative. Very pleased with the quality of their work and the overall experience. Been in the house for 4 months now and no surprises. Thank you ValueGuard!

Just as I had been led to believe from reviews here, Mike B. was very thorough and explained everything to us. Even though it was our first time going through the process he never acted annoyed with all of our questions. He also knew the area (Upper Dublin) as he lives nearby so he was able to offer other general assessments of the location which were helpful. When we arrived at the scheduled inspection time he was already up on the roof! The company scheduled our inspection very quickly, as we were in a rush to close on the house, and we then received a very detailed inspection report via email just 24 hours after the inspection. Very impressed with the company.

Mike arrived for the inspection early and had a list of things to show me before even I walked in the door. He was very professional and most importantly, extremely thorough. Because of his experience as a contractor, he was very knowledgeable about all aspects of the home repairs needed. He was also able to give me a general idea for what I could expect to pay to have these things fixed. The day after the inspection I received his report, which included detailed descriptions of recommended repairs and photos for reference. Mike was great to work with and I had no problem asking him questions along the way. I would absolutely use them again and wouldn't want to purchase another home without having them check it out first.

First contact was with the main office. Person answering the phone was very professional, and understanding of all of our many questions. Met with Michael to inspect the home. He was on time, courteous and very helpful.

Mike performed a detailed home inspection on a condo my daughter is planning to buy in Bryn Mawr, PA. He was on time, very professional, easy to understand and he spent time explaining each and every check he made to the condo. He checked the heater and air conditioning systems, hot water tank, all faucets, garbage disposal, dishwasher, all vents, filters, thermostat, electric wall radiators and more. It is a 1300 sq ft condo and he was there 1.5 hours. We had requested just a home inspection as due to the age of the unit and construction (concrete) and being on the 2'nd level, no termite, radon or lead inspections were indicated. We received a 19 age detailed report the following day by e-mail. We would use them again and can highly recommend them.

The inspection went off without a hitch. The inspector, Cory Shalaway., was at the property when we arrived and had finished a visual inspection of the outside. The complete inspection took about two hours as we were told to expect. Mr. Shalaway, was thorough and informative and we could not have been more satisfied. We would not hesitate for a moment to use Value Guard again or recommend them to anyone else.