HomeTrust Inspections

I had to reschedule my appointment a second time because we are in the final stages of getting our home listed and not all activities (new carpet) had been completed. I left a message on the work line at 10:45 pm the night before the appointment advising that I had to reschedule. In the morning I got the following text that was intended for one of the employees but was sent to me instead. "hey tim, this guy is rescheduling on us again...he left me a voicemail at 12 o'clock last night...I'll let you know what's going on after I talk to him later this morning...unfortunately, today's job is a no go... Needless to say I canceled the appointment with no reschedule, I need a company that understands what we are going through trying to get our house listed, not someone that just sees us as a 'job' and an inconvenience.

Mr. Giles was very great to work with and schedule an appointment was an ease. He was very responsive via email and phone. Though I was not at the home inspection, my husband was with Mr. Giles (performed the indoor inspection) and Tim (performed the outdoor inspection). During the inspection, they were punctual, very professional, receptive to answering many questions and they even advised on care and maintenance. My husband informed Mr. Giles after the inspection that we needed to negotiate the home inspection terms with the sellers quickly and Mr. Giles was able to provide us a very thorough (25-page) report within 24 hours.

They are very good. His name was Robert Gayles. He was very thorough and professional. He was very timely in presenting the report to the builder. He is really good. He was very responsive and punctual. I wuld definitely recommend him.

I retained Mr. Giles and he sent his company's standard disclaimer information in advance, which basically consists of a bunch of verbiage and terms that enables him to avoid inspecting many aspects of a home that would be helpful for a home buyer. Although he was punctual and professional, I felt the entire time that he was so "by the book" and worried about his own liability as opposed to actually providing me feedback and advice about the most major purchase decision I have ever had to make. Inspecting the outside of the house, there were many things that he just didn't know, and he seemed incredibly incompetent for a licensed home inspector. There were several things that he didn't know about the house that I would have expected him to know (identification of pipes, etc), and he even suggested that sprinker heads in the yard were termite traps--which of course I later confirmed were sprinkler heads. He refused to examine most of the control panel and core equipment in the basement because the owners of the house had no cleared a 3-foot radius around each item to be inspected. He made little effort to look at anything useful in the basement and quickly relied on the guidelines he had to follow. Not only that, but while he was inspecting the one circuit breaker panel he would make the effort to get to, he shut off the refrigerator and the oven/microwave unit for this house. When he inspected the kitchen at the end, he explained that the appliances just didn't work, and I even asked if maybe he flipped a circuit breaker, and he said that was "not possible". Sure enough, when the owners came home that night after my HomeTrust inspection, they had to throw away all of their food. This incident put me in a lousy negotiating position to have other defects in the home repaierd by the owners because they were so upset by the unpleasant surprise of their fridge being turned off when they got home. So, because he refused to inspect so many things (due to "obstructions" blocking things he was supposed to inspect) AND he shut off the appliances, I had to take another half-day off work and pay for a second inspection. In addition, there were so many defects in the house that I noticed and had to bring to his attention to put in the report, that he had overlooked. I couldn't believe that Mr. Giles actually had a license or other positive reviews on Angieslist! I contacted Mr. Giles and explained how dissatisfied I was because I had to get another inspection and had to compensate the owners for the loss of their food due to his incompetence. I asked for a 50% credit of the price of the inspection, which I thought was fair. Mr. Giles responded "I apologize but my personal safety and the financial well being of my family must come first." This attitude is consistent with my entire experience--here I am with a few hours to access this house I am under contract to buy to do my due diligence and determine if it is the right fit for me, and I felt that Mr. Giles was more worried about using any excuse he could to avoid giving me the information I sought than actually helping me. Because I had to have a second inspection done, I had to extend my inspection period and do an addendum to our contract. Mr. Giles did say that he would reimburse the owners for the loss of food and re-inspect the areas he skipped if they were sufficiently cleared, but at that point I was so worried about extending the inspection period to get a competent inspector in without losing my contract--AND he had struck me as so astonishingly incompetent--that I never even considered taking him up on that useless offer. The last thing I would want this guy to do is to make an awkward situation he created with the owners even more awkward by negotiating the price of their lost food with them directly. I had Radon testing done through HomeTrust and that experience was fine--no problems (but then again the company outsources it--so that is probably why it was done properly). Overall, I would never recommend this company to anyone and after my experience I am going to let my AL.com subscription expire because I have lost confidence in the reliability of the ratings.

Inspector was a very nice man. Prompt response. A little disjointed when it came to scheduling the inspection, but overall professional. The inspection itself was less than what I'm used to. I was having the inspection conducted for purposes of purchasing a home, but I have all my properties inspected every few years and have thus worked with home inspectors more than a dozen times. This inspection was, shall we say, very "average" compared to what I'm used to. I had to identify multiple items of concern because he ignored them. And he called out a couple of issues that I would have expected a well-qualified inspector to be better versed about. Many items in the report called out issues that "required a professional" to further inspect and review. Leading to several hundred dollars in unnecessary additional costs for licensed electrician or HVAC personnel to verify that there was no problem. Overall, he found things I wouldn't have and that I'd expect a good inspector to identify. But he also missed things. And identified "potential problems" that cost a chunk of change to verify were "okay" and that I'd expect a good home inspector to know inside and out. I liked him personally. But personal style does not a great home inspector make. I'm afraid I can't say I'd use the services again.

Contacted due to high Angie's List reviews. Robert Giles responded via email relatively quickly (less than a day) stating that due to a recent business decision, they no longer service Washington, DC.The email was professional. Disappointed, as the strong Angie's List recommendations were why I reached out. But, I very much appreciate his quick reply in letting me know they no longer service DC.

George was very pleasant to work with. He was easy to contact, and arrived on time to the appointment. He explained everything as he performed the home inspection. He also has been available for questions after the inspection was complete. I would definitely recommend him.

We met at the home to be inspected. Bob and Mark were there before my realtor and I arrived. They had already begun the exterior inspection. Very impressive. They told me that I would know more about the house than I dreamed possible by the time their inspection was completed and they were right. From outside to inside, top to bottom, I do know my new home and feel quite comfortable with everything about it.

George was prompt and his attention to detail was great. He thoroughly explained every issue that was found and provided his recommended solution. I found him on Angies List and the other comments are accurate. He was a great choice. I would definitely do business with Home Trust again.

It was a pleasure working with the company. They arrived on time. They were very informative and walked me through everything they were inspecting and an issues they saw. I look forward to them doing my Pre-Settlement inspection in a few months. I would highly recommend them in the future.

The contract on our house was accepted late Monday night, so I e-mailed Hometrust immediately and my husband followed up with a call on Tuesday morning. We heard back from George at lunch time and arranged an inspection for Friday. George was right on time. He was very patient and took plenty of time to explain each item. He also made sure we didn't have any questions after each room (and told us to call any time if we had follow-up questions). He climbed the roof with my father-in-law and went through the attic with my husband. We were very pleased with his service and would definitely call him again. There was a minor mix-up with ordering the radon test, but it was no big deal.

Hometrust's attention to detail during our home inspection was nothing short of amazing. Each room was inspected, photographed and then they explained the type of work required to fix the problem. They also were very honest on what areas we should consult a specialist on. They conducted a roof inspection from the outside and inside of the house. The outside of the roof looked new, although the plywood that supported the roof was decaying! (FRT plywood). They were prompt, professional and worth every penny.

I was satisfied with the experience. In addition to preparing documentation for the report, including photographs of every issue, George and Robert explained what they were examining and made recommendations for how to maintain or improve the home in the future. They were personable and easy to work with. Highly recommended.

George arrived a few minutes early and was already up on the roof when I got there. He performed a very thorough inspection. We went through every room, crawlspace, attic, ... He tested every outlet, window, and painstakingly documented every item. He is very friendly and more than willing to answer any questions that come up. He owns a company that does a lot of contract work and is very knowledgeable. He also brings along a lot of tools to help out (outlet tester, moisture meter, some microwave thing). When he is finished, he puts together a multi-page document that includes all of the items flagged in the inspection along with pictures of the problems. This was very handy in dealing with a troublesome seller since it is hard to argue with a photo. George was also very willing to answer questions after the inspection. We had to email him to get his thoughts about maintenance related issues with the house that were bothering us and he was happy to talk to us about them. Generally, I think it was a great experience and although he is on the pricey side for an inspector, it is definitely worth the money if you are going to buy the house. I also believe his detailed report helped us negotiate an allowance to fix several of the larger problems which probably saved us money at the end of the day. I would definitely recommend him.

Went very well,prompt, thorough and professional report.

We found George on Angie's List, and hired him based on reviews here. He was very thorough and professional, gave us a lot of great tips as he worked, and explained in detail what he was writing up and why. The final report included clear, well-explained notes and photos. The service took a bit more than three hours. The price for this work was very reasonable, especially with the Angie's List discount. Our realtor was trying to get out of town for the holidays, and George responded with the written inspection report faster than usual to accommodate her needs. We highly recommend George, and are grateful for his efforts on our behalf. He's a first-rate vendor.

The whole service took about three hours to complete, he was punctual although we were 30 minutes late which was our fault. He did a full walk through of the house inside and outside and took a lot of pictures and explained everything to us in a detail fashion as he went through everything. He also checked the attic area and found that there was missing insulation which was very helpful. He also made references towards preventive maintenance which was also another great thing he did for us which some inspectors may easily overlook. He did an overall outstanding job with the inspection and also took special interest in showing us what we need to do to make sure that we take the right steps in the future to maintain the home to take care of all the important areas such as heating unit, AC etc...

Based on excellent recommendations for this provider on Angie's List, I called to inquire about home inspection services I needed quickly for a home purchase. I left a message and requested a call back within the next couple of days because of a short escrow. However, I never received a call back. I called another company at the same time, who was responsive within a day or two, so I didn't call a second time. But I should have received a call back, even to indicate that this provider was a too busy to take my business.

.Very well. George, the owner did the inspection and shared his extensive knowledge of business and how to be a landlord. He inspected the home as if he were buying it himself. Took pictures and advised me as to which items I should pursue with the seller. Great person. He gave, after-the-fact clarification and advice. His report was clear and well documented. He was high-tech and corresponded with me over the internet. He pointed out areas and recommended further professional evaluation/inspection (HVAC, roof). I'm considering having him inspect the home I've lived in for 20 years, just to know where we stand. Home trust is the perfect name for his company.

George met us at the home, and he immediately got to work. He encouraged us to accompany him while he worked throughout the house. We were extremely impressed with George's professionalism and thoroughness. He has a warm, friendly personality and he went out of his way to help us understand our new home. George walked us through every step of his inspection, identifying any problem spots, pointing out areas that might need improvement later, and demonstrating some basic at-home repairs we could do on our own. He made sure we left with a solid understanding of the house. George promptly sent us the inspection report, and it was extremely thorough and easy to read,using numerous photographs to highlight problem areas and fully illustrate what repairs needed to be made. We appreciated George's work because he fully involved us in the process, taking the time to do things right and making sure we saw and understood what he was seeing. He came highly recommended and his reviews are accurate. Hire George and you won't regret it!

Excellent. George was extremely thorough and knowledge about all aspects of the inspection. What made his work really above and beyond was the following: 1. Out of about 5 companies I called, he was the only one who agreed to inspect the roof (I had no roof access so he had to ask a contractor from another of his businesses to borrow a ladder tall enough). Not one other inspector would agree to look at the roof. This was also done in the snow and he had to make an additional trip to do this (at no extra charge). Very impressive. 2. I had numerous follow-up questions and the turn-around from inspection to close was very, very tight. George responded promptly (within 24 hours) to my questions via email. 3. George was great about giving an opinion on whether the house was worth the money, when asked, and gave specfic reasons. Great experience. Prompt, professional, and really went the extra mile.

I just brought a new single family from a regional builder. Even though the home is new, I still wanted a home inspection. George was highly recommended by a friend of mine who uesd his services. I hired him for the pre-drywall and pre-settlement inspections. Overall, I am very satisfied with his serivce and attention to details. He caught a lot of items that the builder had overlooked and saved me a lot of potential issues with my home. For the pre-drywall, George called me the morning of inspection and was worried he might be late due to traffic. He actually made to the homesite early but I appreciated the phone call. He spent 3 hours inspecting the structural framing of the home. George checked all the load bearing beams, the fire proofing of the electrical, the plumbing pipes, and the wall surfaces. He found a lot of items that needed to be fixed. For the load bearing beams, there was one beam in my basement that was not aligned with the upper floors. He also saw noticed that there was an exposed area in the corner area of my roof that could have led to water leakage. I did not even noticed it until he pointed out to me. George measured every wall surface to make sure the framing was even and within coding. He spotted multiple walls that were evened and needed to be reframed. He also found electrical wiring that did not have proper fireproofing. After the inspection, George was kind enough to stay behind and talked to the construction manager on my behalf and go over his findings. The builder agreed with the items on his list and promptly fixed them. It was obvious that George has knowledgeable on home construction. He communicated my concerns to the builder and had instant credibility. For the pre-settlement inspection, George at the homesite early and ahead of appointment time. He is very well prepared with his ladder, laptop, tools, and measuring devices. As he was about to get started, he could not get his laptop to turn on. George made a quick walk to his car to grab the backup battery. I was impressed with his preparation. The pre-settlement inspection took about 3.5 hours. George checked every door and open/closed every window. He found a lot of items from his inspection. One of the biggest findings was that the upper floor furnance did not work. The gas valve was cut off by one of the subcontractor working on the house. I can't imagine moving into the house without heat and figuring out why my heat would not turn on. George discovered this as he was checking my attic. There were a number of doors that needed to be adjusted and a windows that did not open properly. He also noticed that there was a tiny gap in my garage door that did not went down completely and needed to be recalibrated. George typed up a formal report of all his findings that I submitted to my builder. Normally, it takes 48 hours but George gave me a copy the evening of the inspection. Overall, George has saved me a lot of potential issues with my home based his inspection findings. He answered all my questions and explained construction concepts at a level that is understandable. George is a constant professional in his work. He is very personable to deal with. I have called him on his cell phone with follow-up questions. I will use George on all my future real estate transactions.

George was terrific! We had previously been scammed by a chimney inspection company (obviously not one recommended by Angie's List) and George advised us how we could make the fireplace safe to use without spending $7,500. That alone was worth the price of the inspection let alone all the other advice that he provided. We plan to follow up on all his recommendations.

George went into the attic even though it was a climb up his ladder.

He is very thorough and detailed. He made recommendations on other contractors. He even gave me rough estimates on how much it would cost to fix some of the things he found in the home inspection.