SECOND LOOK HOME INSPECTIONS

Second Look inspected our home when we purchased it in late 2005. It was noted at the time of the inspection that some windows had seals that were deteriorating, but nothing was identified on our two largest front casement windows (one on the main floor, another on the second floor). A few months after we moved in, these two large casement windows began leaking water during a rainstorm. I caulked the windows at that time and was able to stop the leaking. In hindsight, I should have contacted Second Look at that time and pursued the issue then. Then this summer, we had some siding replaced. During the replacement process, it was discovered that there was significant water damage and rotting under both windows. It was significant enough that we had to have both windows and the entire portion of the wall replaced at a cost of $7000+. The contractor who did the work said that it was clear that this rotting had taken place over a long period of time. I sent Second Look pictures of the water damage but they were unwilling to provide any assistance citing contract language about defects out of sight and the time period since the inspection. I did not ask or expect them to pay for all the damages, but I do think it would have been appropriate for them to pay some compensation, if nothing else refund the charge for the inspection ($445). Regardless, this issue should have been identified during the initial inspection and their failure to find it resulted in a significant expense for me.

Second Look met all of our expectations. The staff responded to our service inquiry promptly, provided an accurate quote over the phone and was able to schedule according to our needs. The inspector (Kent) was phenomenal. He took extra time throughout the process to answer our questions and discuss numerous aspects of the home with us, and provided us with a copy of his report before leaving. Follow-up to the radon testing was quick - we received the results the same day that he picked up the testing equipment (on a Sunday, no less!). In the end, Kent dedicated significantly more time than scheduled with us, and was able to leave us completely satisfied with the experience. We would definitely recommend Second Look to others.

The inspector (and president of the company) was very slow in getting back to us, so much so that we finally went with a different company. Needless to say, within a few hours of scheduling the other company, he called us back. He then gave us a really hard sell and scare tactic trying to get us to go with his company (he even tried to tell us that Angie's List was just one of those lists the contractors have to pay to be on and refused to believe that his company had several reports!). Very big turn-off, very unprofessional. He seemed very knowledgeable, but the attitude really left a bad impression.

This was my first place, so I did not really know what to expect. That being said, for the most part John was very thorough and knowledgeable. He allowed me to walk with him and ask questions as he worked. However looking back, I kind of feel like because this was a condo and much newer than most of the homes in the area, he was not as critical as he could have been. There were several findings that we both noticed, however, I had to comment on before he decided to cite them as important. One had to do with wire splicing in the garage and a small leak on the wall. It's definitely important to voice your concerns. After all, this is a very large investment.

Greg was very thorough - he took us through the whole house over the course of two and a half hours. He was in the attic, on the roof, in the garage. He pointed out a few areas of concern. When we couldn't get into a crawlspace that had been screwed shut, he went back to the house on a later date and let us know what he thought. His report was well organized and detailed.

VERY THOROUGH AND ALSO SHOWED ME OTHER HELPFUL HINTS FOR MY HOME, WHICH WERE NOT PART OF THE INSPECTION. VERY IMPRESSIVE.