PLANO HOME INSPECTION INC

Plano Home Inspection was great to work with. I hired them to do an inspection of our new home (newly constructed). Dawn in the office was very helpful, responsive and friendly each time I contacted her. Tom did our inspection and he was ready when I arrived at the home to review his report with me and go over each of the items he found to be resolved. I've already contacted them about coming back to review the things found on this inspection after the builder has resolved them.

First, Angie's List has contacted me for this review this morning -- even all these months after service was performed. We WOULD NOT RECOMMEND Plano Home Inspection. Our inspector, John McElyea, arrived on time and conducted the inspection as contracted. This was the second time we had used Plano Home Inspection, but the first time Mr. McElyea had performed the work for us. He arrived as scheduled and appeared to make a thorough inspection and report. It was not until after we closed on the house and had a contractor in to make some repairs that we learn of the gross errors in the report. Mr McElyea stated that the home's electrical system consisted of copper wiring and a 200 AMP service. It did not. The house was wired head to toe with aluminum wiring and it only had a 150 AMP Panel. He would have known this if he had simply opened the breaker box or any one of the outet/light switch covers in the home. Apparently, he did not. The 150 AMPS is clearly labeled inside the service panel in 1"+ letters. Right at the top of the box! His negligent action cost us the opportunity to negotiate for the repair / replacement of the wiring in the contract price of the house. The repairs cost us $1500+ and that didn't include increasing the AMPS coming into the house. We asked PHI to pay for the repairs. First they asked if they could do the wiring themselves -- but they are NOT licensed electricians, so we said no. We got 3 bids for the work and took the most reasonable one -- although none of the bids included increase the service panel by the lost 50 AMPS. PHI agreed to reimburse us the cost of the repair and our home inspection fee in exchange for us signing a release against any further claims. We didn't like the idea of the release for fear that other big problems might arise, but ultimately, we agreed. However, when PHI gave us the check, it was only for the value of the repairs. They refused to reimburse us the cost of the inspection. We signed a release -- but not the one they gave us. We rewrote the release to protect ourselves against any further gross negligence. He didn't even look at it when we turned it over to him. Luckily, the additional problems we have found since then have been minor by comparison to the electrical issue, but they have added up. PHI missed the following: 1) Broken sprinkler pipe near alley -- they claimed in the inspection report that the sprinklers wouldn't come on so they didn't check. The system works just fine -- it wasn't turned on. 2) 3 windows with gaps between the glass and the sills where the wind and elements were coming in. PHI said several windows just needed to be caulked. 3) Fireplace flue completely blocked. PHI claimed it was just didn't open or close. In conclusion, PHI didn't do a thorough job, cost us a lot of money, and failed to honor their commitment to reimburse us for the inspection fee. We WOULD NOT recommend them.

Tom Tidwell (Plano Home Inspections) told the buyer that my home had electrical panels that were "fire hazards", and that my two hot water heaters and two furnaces needed sediment traps and ball valves, in order to pass the inspection and "be safe". I contacted the city building inspectors for plumbing and electrical -- both said that the inspectors statements were false and misleading. I also had a professional master electrician come out and do an all-day inpsection of all of my electrical panels, outlets, switches, wiring, etc. -- he concluded that all electrical systems were in fine condition and that no fire hazard existed. At this point, however, my potential buyers were scared to death that my house was a fire hazard. I ended up having to pay THOUSANDS of dollars to do "repairs" to my home that were not needed, warranted, or called for -- all because of the things Tom Tidwell told the buyers, but which were then totally refuted by respected professionals. I currently have a formal complaint against Tom Tidwell (Plano Home Inspections) with the Texas Real Estate Commission, as their internal counsel (lawyer) told me that Tom Tidwell was misleading the buyers. I would NOT recommend using Tom Tidwell (Plano Home Inspections) at all!