I write this review to warn others who are looking for an inspector in this market to choose carefully. This is our 5th home but our 1st existing home. We voiced our particular concerns prior to the inspection and specifically asked to be present during the inspection. My husband is a veteran and with the VA lending process any issue found and named in the inspector's report must be addressed in order for funding to be approved. This home was built in the 70's and we wanted to be extremely careful and make an informed decision. We stated this clearly both in writing and verbally prior to the date of our inspection.
Despite all of this, Graham changed the time of the inspection without our knowledge. We showed up at the time we arranged with him to discover he was finished and writing his report. We asked to see the concerns he found and raised a couple of our own. One in particular was that the ground seemed to be soggy in a few areas. While it had rained recently this seemed to be unusual. He said it was from rain and ended it there. Long story short there were 4 separate leaks that were found shortly after closing when the ground remained wet. Had Graham had the interest or the initiative to investigate on our behalf, he would've found them just as we did. When we contacted him to let him know his response was that we accepted his explanation that it was from the rain and so it was our fault for not pressing the issue. He then sent me via email the TREC paragraph that says what is required of an inspector in Texas.
I want to be clear that I understand the TREC guidelines and don't expect any inspector to have Xray vision. However, those guidelines exist to set the bare minimum of what an inspector should do. Surely we didn't expect him to fully evaluate irrigation or underground plumbing. But if he noted that he turned it on and assessed if it was working he could've noted standing water. Or offered an apology instead of a defensive insult?
Bottom line: Don't hire someone who shoots for the bare minimum in any field. As a physician, I know that it is rare for a doctor to be guilty of malpractice but there are plenty of doctors who provide crappy service in their offices. Patients seek doctors who care and go above and beyond. Home buyers should do the same. Graham shot for the bare minimum and left us with expensive problems that could have been detected. At the very least, mentioning the standing water as potential concern rather than assuring us it was from the rain. When you hire who you think is an expert, you should be able to trust them.
In a market that is as hot as our DFW real estate market, take the time to choose an inspector who goes above and beyond, especially for a veteran as a client who requests in advance some assistance and advocacy with their purchase knowing that his professional opinions would be fully vetted prior to funding. To some people it is about the money in hand and not integrity and regard for the people they serve. read more
