We didn't find the inspection team to be very knowledgeable about current building guidelines. The inspector had a condescending attitude and was a bit of a know it all that talks over you. read more

Joe Corsetto is THE guy you want inspecting a home you're purchasing. His passion for educating you about potential issues and regular upkeep is visible. He takes his time (despite any pressure he may be receiving from agents) and is meticulous. No question is too basic and no buyer is discouraged from following him around. He wants to make sure you're educated about the house you're buying, which is likely one of the biggest investments you will ever make. All issues, big and small, are noted objectively. Speaking with a friend about him, they noted he likely isn't that popular with real estate agents, as he presents every possible flaw there is in a home, making negotiations more difficult and possibly losing them the sale. He also takes more time to go through a house than most inspectors, which takes up more of the realtor's time. If I ever need another inspection, Joe will be my guy and I will sing his praises to anyone who is buying. Nobody wants to purchase a home and then find out all the costly issues later. Joe is the best line of defense against that scenario. read more

Extremely through inspection. Very balanced and reasonable inspection. He highlighted all issues small and large but also helped me to discern what was worth pursuing and not. This helped me to take a reasonable position in the final negotiations of my home purchase. Highly recommended. read more

This guy a complete tool. Total agitator of sales process for both buyer and seller. Slimy suggestions to get $ credits but mostly overridden by actual professionals. read more

Joe from Shelterworks is beyond amazing. He takes a few hours to inspect the home and does a fantastic job. He found issues with the house that I'm buying, that was missed or hidden from me. If you're buying a house, you want to use this home inspector cause he will find if there are any issues. read more

Extremely reliable, detail oriented and overall, Joe is a wonderful person to work with and is always on the buyer's side.

I'm sure no home buying experience is free from anxiety, but the first can feel like trying to get your bearings in the dark. Joe and Shelterworks have made our first home inspection a model for any expectations we might have for future property dealings. Joe and his partner arrived at the property ahead of schedule and got to work right away. Their thoroughness and attention to minute details surprised me and my family. To paraphrase Joe, "When I look at these properties, I appraoch the inspections as if my family will live there." That speaks for itself. I heard that inspectors are not fond of potential home buyers shadowing them as they work, but the Shelterworks team welcomed the company and took the time to go over some of the more serious aspects of what their professional eye revelaed. If you're looking for accurate and exhaustive assessment of a property that you are considering investing in long term, I can't recommend Joe Corsetto and Shelterworks enough. Five stars are not enough! read more

Joe Corsetto is the most competent and thorough home inspector I have ever used. This was my fifth home inspection in New Jersey and this one with Shelterworks was clearly superior in every way. Joe takes his time and checks everything. He probably spent twice the time that other inspectors have. He clearly explains the issues to you as the property is inspected and offers lots of extra advice and feedback about the home. He is available after the inspection to answer questions that may come up. Most of all, the report he produces is excellent. In the past every inspection report I have received is 99 percent boilerplate generic filler with just a few checklists filled out about the actual home. Shelterworks does not waste time with the bolierplate text about home care, you can find that on the web. Joe gives you pages and pages of actual detail about the specific home you want to buy. A very valuable feature of the report is that it has many annotated pictures of the issues reported. Nothing speaks stronger than a picture when you present your list of issues to the seller. They make the issue much more difficult to dispute. Joe is friendly and you'll find walking around with him inspecting the house an enjoyable experience. You'll learn a lot and you'll be better informed about the house you are buying. read more

Joe Corsetto of Shelterworks is as thorough as they come. We hired him for a recent home inspection and he was the consummate professional; highly detail-oriented and interested in having a walking conversation about the house and its particulars. He spent at least four hours inspecting the property, during some of which he was outside in a torrential rainstorm. I will note that the house is under 2500 square feet, but my sense from hearing house-hunting "war stories" is that other inspectors might spend less time on a home of this size. Joe also happens to have a sense of humor - not in the least about the flaws he finds in a home, but rather he seems to want to lighten the prospective buyer's anxiety. Joe found things that no seller would notice (but SHOULD know about their home), and subsequently said owner/seller is likely discouraged to learn. So it went in our inspection, where Joe found, using binoculars to examine the roof and chimney (b/c the roof pitch was too steep to climb on), that the chimney had what he felt were significant problems. I learned that his earlier work was as an Environmental Health Specialist, so he is especially concerned about any environmental risks to the potential homeowner(s) he might uncover - particularly those that come from building materials no longer used in construction now deemed health hazards (e.g. asbestos, lead - apparently in old floor and banister varnish!). Joe Corsetto is the best advocate a careful buyer can have: his attention to detail and knowledge of construction, value, history, architecture and the law are necessary tools in the home-buying process. read more

My husband and I are first-time home buyers who have researched a lot but, in reality, know very little about owning a home. Luckily, our real estate agent recommended Joe Corsetto of Shelterworks as a general inspector. Joe taught us so much, not only about the issues inherent in our (hopefully) future home, but also how to best maintain and protect it. He was incredibly personable, too, treating us as though we were family, and being so very patient with ours. It was clear we were in good hands even before he found the faulty work of the plumbing/heating contractors who had come that day and, apparently, left a perilous carbon monoxide hazard behind. Then we weren't the only ones grateful we'd hired him: so were the sellers! read more

Highly recommend Shelterworks. Found them on Yelp and selected them based on reviews. Happy to report that they lived up to the hype. Well organized start to finish. Joe did an excellent job on the inspection. It was for a rental property that I have owned for four years and wanted to get a thorough report on wear and tear to help forecast future costs. Joe went through with a fine toothed comb and explained everything in terms a layman like me could understand. Select Shelterworks knowing that you will get a highly professional and thorough job at a fair price. read more

I also forgot in the original review, the garage door was listed as a manual door, which is correct. Was then cited for not automatically reversing. read more

Joe is the most thorough home inspector I have ever seen. This is my second time using his services and I highly recommend him. He is patient and educated me on everything in the home. Thank you Joe for a job very very well done!!!!!! read more

We used Joe's services again in our second offer and were again very happy with him. Fortunately, this time we went through with it. So happy to have bought this house instead of the first one (thanks to Joe!). read more

I am extremely impressed with Joe from Shelterworks. Shelterworks came highly recommended by the attorney handling our closing and I understand why after working with Joe and reading his report. At first, I was a little hesitant with hiring Shelterworks simply because his pricing was higher than other inspectors in the area. Joe spent several hours thoroughly going through our home. He was professional and courteous making me feel extremely comfortable asking questions and explaining my home. He made sure that I understood everything he was reviewing (I do not have any background in construction other than very basic home maintenance). He provides an extremely detailed report along with photographs of the home which is especially useful in negotiations. The biggest take away for me was that I have a lot more confidence purchasing the home than I would have if I had gone with a different inspector. I know that Joe did such a thorough job that I won't have any surprises in regards to the home (unless of course there is something in the walls or something he was not able to see). This is so important for my personal budget and negotiating a settlement on the home. I would absolutely recommend Joe to anyone and would use him again if I purchase a home in NJ. read more