Looking for a reputable Home Inspector for a pre-buy inspection

[Vermilion Villager]

To all,
I am going to buy my first "used" home. It was built in 2015
I went to the Forums and most of the home inspector posts are old.
Can anyone recommend a reputable inspector they have recently used?
Thanks!!

[villagetinker]

Frank DeAngelo, he is an advertiser on this site, but we and several neighbors have used him and he is very good.

[DangeloInspections]

Thank you VT for the kind words....while we would love to do the pre-buy inspection on that 2015 home, typically those type of inspections need to be done within 7-10 days. Currently we are booked solid for the next two months with 11th month Warranty inspections, so it is rare that we can schedule the much easier to do pre-sale inspections.

I suggest that the potential buyer look on the electrical panel box to see if the original owner may have had us do the warranty inspection....if so, you will se our sticker on the panel box....then at least you know it was inspected very well 3 years ago.

Good luck and congratulations on your potential purchase!

Frank D'Angelo

[Brad-tv]

Frank DeAngelo, he is an advertiser on this site, but we and several neighbors have used him and he is very good.

I second that my whole family used him and I’ve told endless amounts of people to use him. Solid guy meticulous work Family business and retired fireman!!

[DAVES]

To all,
I am going to buy my first "used" home. It was built in 2015
I went to the Forums and most of the home inspector posts are old.
Can anyone recommend a reputable inspector they have recently used?
Thanks!!

My two cents worth. Hopefully you have an attorney. Reminder the real estate sales person works for the seller-not for you. You want to be sure you have a binding contract saying subject to inspection. There will of course be a time restriction-fair to all-whatever that means. You do not want to pay for a home inspection and discover the home is sold. The seller is of course aware that a home inspector will likely find something and the buyer will expect the seller to pay to correct it.

I'm not an attorney and frankly I do not like attorneys. However, real estate is more money than most people are used to dealing with. My understanding the law is only what is in writing is enforceable. Stuff like the seller must disclose.......... It is very difficult to prove anyone knows anything.

[DangeloInspections]

Thank you all for the kind words....the original poster here reached out to us and after comparing timelines and schedules we found that we will be able to do his inspection. We are honored to do so. Thanks again! Respectfully, Frank D'Angelo

[Flanman]

Try Jeff Asbach 352-748-2008. Many here use Jeff. He’s reasonable and use to be a builder.

[Toymeister]

I'll be the one to bring up the obvious counter point.

Don't inspect, you will be wasting your money.

I've sold two homes in the past 14 months. I also do handyman work to repair items that inspectors miss.

On one the inspector wanted a sprinkler replaced. On another they wanted a GFCI breaker replaced.

Inspectors will find something, buyers want and expect this. The problem is nearly all homes in TV are either so new or so well maintained that there simply is not anything wrong (of significance) with them.

In my case the cost of repairs (to hire someone) was 75.00 and 200.00 respectively. The cost for the inspections were 350.00 each.

As far as repairing defects not annotated by home inspection in my handyman business: Inspectors have missed inoperable overhead lights, defective water heater expansion tanks and similar defects. The cost of these repairs was again less than the cost of inspection.

Now if the home is over ten years old I believe an inspection should be considered, otherwise you're wasting your home money on inspection (apologies to Mr. D'Angelo).

[donfey]

To all,
I am going to buy my first "used" home. It was built in 2015
I went to the Forums and most of the home inspector posts are old.
Can anyone recommend a reputable inspector they have recently used?
Thanks!!

Ask your realtor. I asked my Villages realtor and got a good inspector. I'd expect the same from an MLS realtor.

Good luck.

[virtue51]

Your realtor should be able to assist with house inspection. House Master did the inspection on my home in 2019. Also, I know that an attorney is not required in Florida however in the Northeast we are required to have an attorney. I hired a real estate attorney and he was excellent. It was well worth the money to have an attorney. A house is probably the most excellent purchase for the majority of people.

Good luck with your purchase.

[Veracity]

I'll be the one to bring up the obvious counter point.

Don't inspect, you will be wasting your money.

I've sold two homes in the past 14 months. I also do handyman work to repair items that inspectors miss.

On one the inspector wanted a sprinkler replaced. On another they wanted a GFCI breaker replaced.

Inspectors will find something, buyers want and expect this. The problem is nearly all homes in TV are either so new or so well maintained that there simply is not anything wrong (of significance) with them.

In my case the cost of repairs (to hire someone) was 75.00 and 200.00 respectively. The cost for the inspections were 350.00 each.

As far as repairing defects not annotated by home inspection in my handyman business: Inspectors have missed inoperable overhead lights, defective water heater expansion tanks and similar defects. The cost of these repairs was again less than the cost of inspection.

Now if the home is over ten years old I believe an inspection should be considered, otherwise you're wasting your home money on inspection (apologies to Mr. D'Angelo).

We hired Frank D'Angelo to do an inspection for our punch list before we moved into our brand new house. Best money we ever spent. He found multiple major problems which The Villages promptly addressed. We never would have found these issues and if they were not fixed, they would have led to further problems down the road.

[Cassieb]

Good luck. I have found over the years that most of these so called inspectors really do not know what they are doing or what to look for as I always have had to add major defects to their list once they are done. The last one we hired here in The Villages we got all of our money back since he missed so many defects. Whether you hire one or not I would highly recommend you inspect the house yourself, top to bottom. If you are not very handy try to bring a friend with you who is handy and knowledgeable.

[Ksfirefighter]

I used him and was happy too!

[Priebehouse]

We used Comer Inspection Services and were very happy. Very thorough, professional and prepared a great report with pictures and recommendations.

[Toymeister]

We hired Frank D'Angelo to do an inspection for our punch list before we moved into our brand new house.
Captain Obvious here. The OP is not buying a new home but rather a used home. There are important differences, the original owner would of had this new home punch list inspection done as well as a pre-warranty expiration inspection, or at the very least would have experienced problems which required repairs. In this case, in the SIX YEARS since construction.

I've had experience with the one-year warranty check, two items found, scant chalk on a weather protected window and the roof pipe vent lead shielding wasn't folded enough in the inspector's opinion, here again the guy had to find 'something'. Cost of inspection 350, value of repairs zero.

[DangeloInspections]

We used Comer Inspection Services and were very happy. Very thorough, professional and prepared a great report with pictures and recommendations.

Tom Comer is a great guy.....and a very good friend of mine.....we helped each other out a lot. Tom Comer has since moved out of the area and is now retired. The same with Brian Harwood...another good inspector friend of mine.

As in any profession, there are good and bad. All I can say is that we stay very busy, and we love what we do. We currently do over 800 inspections a year in The villages, almost all of them one year old homes.

Obviously, if everyday we told folks, "we didn't find anything, I'll take my check now" we would be out of business. The reality is that most all of our customers are surprised at the issues we DO find, some serious, many costly. That in NO way is a knock on Villages homes.....they build a good home.....but let's just say we stay very busy. Folks generally do not give money away unless they see real value for what they are getting. There is a reason our reports are almost always over 30 pages.

We have been doing warranty inspections in The Villages for over 10 years and have done thousands of warranty inspections here. We know where to look and what to look for. We walk all over the roof, crawl all over the Attic...( some Inspectors do not). We are trained in using thermal imaging cameras, moisture meters and many other tools.

The cost of the repairs for the issues we find daily would cost hundreds more than the low cost of the inspection. Over 800 folks annually understand this and hire us.

Thank you for your time. Aren't we all so very blessed...!

Frank D.

[maistocars]

Thank you VT for the kind words....while we would love to do the pre-buy inspection on that 2015 home, typically those type of inspections need to be done within 7-10 days. Currently we are booked solid for the next two months with 11th month Warranty inspections, so it is rare that we can schedule the much easier to do pre-sale inspections.

I suggest that the potential buyer look on the electrical panel box to see if the original owner may have had us do the warranty inspection....if so, you will se our sticker on the panel box....then at least you know it was inspected very well 3 years ago.

Good luck and congratulations on your potential purchase!

Frank D'Angelo
Hi Frank - we will be buying a new villa shortly. We heard that inspections are not done on new houses until the 11th month. Is that true that we don't generally need an inspection on a new home?

[stadry]

we used a referral from Frank( Tom) as he was booked up @ the time however we shall next time his credentials are impressive &, his knowledge is extensive,

[Toymeister]

Like Frank D'Angelo I have a vested interest in readers getting home inspections as I am often called to repair them. In the anonymity of the web I can be honest.

The number one item is chalk. Chalk is code for nothing was found. The other common items include smoke detector batteries or GFCI/arc fault breakers. Any of those can be easily found by a buyer in minutes. Some inspectors come up with some bizarre items as in 'Arc fault breakers are code but I think combo GFCI/arc fault breakers are better, replace it'. (inspectors don't write code, I had this one last week).

What is more interesting, and my point, is what inspectors miss:

-Non functional lights
-Switches for nothing (switches used instead of blank wall plates)
-Outdoor lights not connected
-Switches that lead to exposed bare Romex not terminated in a box

By far and away electrical is missed. None of the faults I mentioned required opening the switch box. Just turning on switches and seeing what happens.

Other than electrical, turn on all the taps and see if the drains can handle the flow. Does the stove, fridge, water heater, dish washer, AC, work. How old is the roof. It's common in sense, yes I realize that is a super power...

[DaisyDE]

Inspectors do a basic job, which is fine. I would have an hvac pro do a check up also.

[Cody7878]

To all,
I am going to buy my first "used" home. It was built in 2015
I went to the Forums and most of the home inspector posts are old.
Can anyone recommend a reputable inspector they have recently used?
Thanks!!

I suggest you call April Couterier, Broker (and USAF Veteran) at RE/MAX FREEDOM. She is a very successful, knowledgeable REALTOR and very generous with her time. I suggest you contact her at her mobile # 352-430-9911 or email her at april-c@remax.net. I am sure she would be happy to give you a few reliable names.
Best of luck!
Greg

[DangeloInspections]

Inspectors do a basic job, which is fine. I would have an hvac pro do a check up also.

Yes, on a "pre-used" home HVAC is important. The two highest cost common items of concern in a Florida home is the HVAC and Roof. My one son, Eric, had over 13 years experience as a union HVAC specialist and Air Balancer before he came to work for me. He is TAB certified, etc. We do an extensive inspection on the HVAC system.

It should be noted that a warranty inspection is a deeper inspection than a "pre-sale" inspection, because in addition to focusing on the structural, mechanical and safety issues, we also check a large amount of cosmetic items like drywall cracks and screw pops, caulking issues, cabinet adjustments, tile cracks and chips, etc., etc.

We often find insulation issues and broken trusses in the attic, ductwork issues, window failures, exposed roof nails, etc.

Frank D.

[DangeloInspections]

Hi Frank - we will be buying a new villa shortly. We heard that inspections are not done on new houses until the 11th month. Is that true that we don't generally need an inspection on a new home?

It is important for EVERY new owner of a new home in The Villages to do a good "Check list" inspection within the first 30 days. The good news is that most folks, once they know what to look for, can easily do this themselves.

It is important to know what items are only warrantied for the first 30 days....and focus on those items before that 30 day warranty runs out.

When folks call us early to book their 11th month inspection we are happy to provide them with the 30 day items they should check on....

One of those many things are screens....damaged screens are only warrantied for 30 days...after that the damage could be blamed on landscapers, mowers or sand hill cranes.

It is sad when on the 11th month inspection we find a damaged screen, and we have to tell the homeowners that if it was on their 30 day checklist, it would have been fixed at no charge.....but not after 11 months....

Surprising that many folks never even turn in a check list in the first 30 days....

Frank D.

[Villages Kahuna]

There are dozens of experienced, reputable, reasonably priced home inspection services here in The Villages. Do what you’re doing here online, but do it with people you know and trust — ask around.

[Northerner52]

I second Jeff. Just had him inspect my new home and found things I didn't see that are getting fixed and he will do it again before the end of my 1 year warranty and it will be less than others charge for a single inspection.
Try Jeff Asbach 352-748-2008. Many here use Jeff. He’s reasonable and use to be a builder.

[Quixote]

We can recommend two home inspection companies in the area. Both were extraordinarily thorough, both prepared comprehensive reports, both made themselves freely available.

The only reason we can recommend both these companies is that when we needed inspections done on a second prospective purchase, the particular lead inspector of Neal Development, Ellen Yarckin, was not available, and we were dealing with time pressure.

Dennis Flanagan of Integrious Home Services proved to be equally competent. Both companies were recommended to us by local realtors. We would suggest calling both, interviewing them, and making a decision which based on whom you feel more comfortable with.

Home Inspections by Neal Development
29305 County Road 561
Tavares FL 32778
(352) 240-1360
Our contact person: Ellen Yarckin

Integrious Home Services
1500 N Croft Road
Inverness FL 34453
(352) 344-3370
Our contact person: Dennis Flanagan

[stadry]

[QUOTE=Quixote;2020734save yourself all that-bru-ha-ha. just call Frank & rest easy
(352) 344-3370
: no disrespect intended to poster

[Quixote]

[QUOTE=Quixote;2020734save yourself all that-bru-ha-ha. just call Frank & rest easy
(352) 344-3370
: no disrespect intended to poster

No disrespect taken! But what is the 'bru-ha-ha'? The OP asked for recommendations of home inspection companies, and we are able to offer two from our own experience, both of whom did extremely competent inspections on a very timely basis. We don't know Frank, so obviously we can't recommend him. My post offers more of a choice, that's all.

[Glowfromminnesota]

To all,
I am going to buy my first "used" home. It was built in 2015
I went to the Forums and most of the home inspector posts are old.
Can anyone recommend a reputable inspector they have recently used?
Thanks!!

I used John Waldrop at PCS Home Inspections in Leesburg on two occasions. I thought he was good and reasonable. 352-602-9819 j6881@yahool.com.

[twinklesweep]

What are typical costs of home inspections in The Villages? In the case of a buyer having severe allergies, are there separate in-depth inspections available for various kinds of mold? Are the costs different for new homes and preowned homes?

[agjaret@aol.com]

No way

[retiredguy123]

No way
No way to what?

[frose]

reputable home inspectors is an oxymoron.. good luck

[PugMom]

Try Jeff Asbach 352-748-2008. Many here use Jeff. He’s reasonable and use to be a builder.

we also used him, i recommend him highly, very professional & friendly

[retiredguy123]

Even if you hire an inspector, you should do your own inspection. You can do one in less than an hour. Bring a friend to help. And bring a good flashlight, level, and electrical outlet tester. Shine the flashlight on all ceiling areas, including closets, and look for evidence of a roof leak. If there are long or high walls, shine it parallel to the wall to look for large bows. If there are granite or quartz countertops, run your finger along all edges, top and bottom, to feel for chips and cracks. Inspect all porcelain plumbing fixtures for cracks, especially the toilets. Countertop and porcelain cracks usually cannot be repaired. Run water through the drains. Open and close all doors. Check every light switch and electrical outlet. Check appliances, especially the ice maker. Put the level on everything. Try to walk around every part of tile and laminate floors and listen for squeaks and loose tiles. Check windows for seal leaks between the panes. Inspect the exterior for cracks and to see if the ground is sloped to carry water away from the house. I would do this before your inspector shows up. If you find too many defects, don't not buy the house.

[tvbound]

A good thread with some good info. Thanks to all who contributed.