I just got a pre inspection from this company on a house I was going to buy. It was provided by the sellers. First sign should have been that it was really hard to figure out who the company was when I was trying to read the inspection. I paid for my own inspection. The selling agent was saying the property was in great shape based on the pre inspection. Well my inspection did not say the same thing. Many many many safety issues. Decks falling off, electrical panel melting. Just bad. All bad plumbing. Minimum of 200k in repairs. Glad I got a second opinion on this guys. Go with the company with good reviews! read more

James did an awesome job on our condo inspection and allowed us to accompany him so that we could learn and ask clarifying questions about any conditions observed. He explained everything in detail for us and did not rush us through the process. Being first time homeowners during the pandemic he was extremely patient and helped educate us on what is normal for a condo complex built in the 20s. He also shared personal experience with HOA boards and how to interact with them to ensure we got the most out of new home. His report was comprehensive and unlike others that I used previously for pre-inspections and inspections - it was easy to read, had multiple pictures, and even created an action item list so that we could address all of the findings. I'm glad I was referred by my realtor and really would not hesitate to use him again in the future. read more

James was hired to complete a home inspection for us on May 23, 2019, in Federal Way, WA. The inspection was on referral from our realtor, Miles Bailey with Ken Crotts & Company. Upon completion of the inspection, we were given a verbal confirmation by him that the property was in good shape, and that specifically the roof had "at least 5 more years on shingles". We were promised by him that we would receive a written inspection within the next day, however, as of today (August 23, 2020), we still have yet to receive a written report from him. As the sale of the house was under a quick sale, on June 12th, 2019 we decided to move forward with the purchasing the home based on his verbal confirmation that the home was in good shape. Over the next six months, numerous attempts were made by both our realtor and us to contact him in an effort to obtain a copy of the written inspection.  Finally on November 10, 2019, we successfully made contact with James and were informed that due to personal reasons he did not have a written copy of the report.  As an offer of resolution to make amends, he offered to pay for another inspection company (4 Seasons Home Inspections LLC) to come out and provide us an inspection for our records. On February 9, 2020, 4 Seasons Home Inspections LLC conducted an in home inspection on our property. To our surprise and frustration, we were informed by the inspector that the roof was in severely bad shape with many leaks, and they highly recommended that the entire roof needed to be replaced immediately. We have since had four separate roofing contractors conduct inspections on the roof, in which all confirmed that the damage was significant and should be replaced immediately.  On Tuesday March 10th we were forced to have to replace the roof. Being first time home buyers, we placed our trust in James as a professional inspector, that the initial inspection was conducted correctly and that we had assurance we would not have any major issues with the home.  Now, within a year of closing, we now no longer have the ability to negotiate with the seller on the price of the house due to the poor condition of the roof, nor do we have the ability to finance the cost of the roof into our home loan.  We feel that James' negligence has resulted in a significant cost at our expense.  We have sought legal counsel, and upon recommendation, have made multiple attempts to contact him in the hopes that we can come to an agreement on the reimbursement, however as of today. All emails, letters, texts and calls have gone unanswered The total cost for us to replace the roof was $13,482.71. James, we would appreciate you working with us to settle this issue and ask that you contact me by September 30, 2020.  In the event we do not hear from you by this date, under the direction of my attorney, we will be forced to proceed with legal action. read more

In the year that we were shopping for a home we ended up hiring James from Rainshadow three times to perform inspections. Twice before putting in offers for verbal-only inspections, and each time he did a great job. Then we bought a house based on someone else's pre-inspection, and hired James to come out and do a full inspection and report. He was so thorough and found a ton of things that hadn't been on the pre-inspection. He patiently explained each issue to us as he found them, and helped us understand their relative severity so that we can prioritize repairs. We asked him to recommend some contractors for the work, and the first company he recommended does exactly what we need, has stellar reviews, and so far we've been impressed. While this house has more problems than we expected, it's still been a relief to havea well-documented and prioritized go-forward plan. Thank you James! read more

Disappointing. After the property fell twice out of escrow, questions were asked and it was learned that the prospective buyers were scared. Allegedly a resident could be electrocuted, injured, burned and live in a home not meeting unspecified building codes as described in the inspection report. What disturbed me the most was that the safety allegations were not disclosed to the sellers. What if they died due to an allegation in the report? Something seems wrong here and it can't just be who pays for the report. Eventually the allegations were investigated and it was hard to comprehend how the inspector drew some of his conclusions since it does not appear that the inspector is a licensed and bonded electrician, plumber, contractor or professionally licensed engineer. In any case, it is unclear what was the intent of the report other than not disclosing alleged imminent safety issues to the people who really matter, which is everyone, buyers and sellers. George B. read more

James Lagergren came out on Saturday 7/6/2019. He was paid $440 cash. As of 7/11/2019 there has only been one text to the realtor after many calls, texts, e-mails. He asked for a 24 hour extension and has still not responded or provided the inspect report. Don't use him for anything. read more

We've hired several home inspectors over the years and were very impressed with James of Rainshadow Home Inspections. First of all, he did our home inspection on very short notice. Secondly, he is a WA state licensed home inspector as well as a WA state licensed pest inspector. He is very knowledgeable about home construction as well as insects. He took the time to explain his findings and answer all of our questions. We were impressed that he included the infrared thermal imaging and structural pest inspection for no extra charge. James provided the inspection report the evening of our inspection and followed up with a phone call the next day to go over any questions we might have. He is one of the best if not the best home inspector we have ever hired. read more

From the get go, James was extremely communicative and patient. We had struggles with a property and had to reschedule many times on James. He was nothing but professional, even when we had to back out. Eventually we found the right property and we were finally able to hire him to perform our inspection. He was there early, even though he'd just spent the whole morning and early part of the day flying across the country. He was friendly, personable, and was extremely thorough. He explained everything he saw, good and bad, as we went along with him through the house. His final report was laid out in such detail and in a very easy to read format. He really helped us understand the house we were buying, and because of him we made an offer and are now under contract. We highly recommend James and will only use him going forward should we ever need an inspection. He's a great guy and truly knows his craft. read more