My husband and I used Evan from Able Home Inspection for a home we wanted to purchase for our kids to grow up in.
Evan was so thorough and descriptive that I myself, a hospitality manager felt like I could actually understand everything that was wrong with the house. Due to Evan’s very meticulous inspection we came to realize that this house was not going to be the house for us and if we had purchased it we would have been putting our money into a bottomless pit and let’s face it, a family just starting out does not have that type of money. Evan treated us like we were family, he ensured to get in every area of that house. Evan spent over 3 hours with my husband, myself, my father, my brother, my realtor, 2 small children and other friends with us, even with all these people at the inspection he stayed focused and ensured we all understood what we were getting into with this house. Later on that same day we received, via email, a detailed report which was simple to understand. And it doesn’t stop there, the next day we had a couple questions that we wanted to get their opinion on. We called and spoke to Dennis and he spent a half an hour with my father and I answering questions. We highly recommend Able Home Inspection, THEY ARE THE BEST; Christina
Dennis and Evan were at the property early and wasted no time getting to work. They exhaustively checked every single aspect of the home – attention to detail is 5-star. They don’t wait for you to ask “well, what does this damage mean?” – they give excellent descriptions of the problems, possible solutions. The looks from the seller’s agent and my agent told me the whole story – these guys are thorough. Just finding the hidden ceiling problems alone saved me $1000s and made them a BARGAIN!
I’d like to provide an update for you and how your AWESOME service saved a young guy a ton of money by “going the extra mile” – specifically, the two stained ceiling tiles in the basement. You checked them initially with your electronic moisture meter and they appeared dry. But at the end of the inspection you asked, “Do you have any other questions or concerns?” AND THEN you went right over to those tiles again, unprompted and said “I really think there’s something going on here” and poked inside the tile. Turns out there were 2 burst pipes and a leak, which you found. You barely gotten back in your car and the seller was already agreeing to repair the damage (on an “as-is” sale!) Your attention to detail with the boiler resulted in the replacement of the holding tank and a complete servicing of the unit – at seller’s expense. You were convinced there was a problem there, spent 30+ minutes diagnosing it and you were right! Once again, seller is fixing that – $$$! And giving me $500 cash for the oil tank, which is $500 more than I expected! Michael, Leominster, MA
Evan is through, knowledgeable, confident and experienced. He took his time to fully inspect all aspects of the home and took the time to explain all that was important for me to know as a potential buyer.
He took north of 4 hours to complete the inspection and went over his thoughts verbally with me. On that very day I was given a detailed, high quality inspection report with pictures, text and recommendations. Able Home inspection is worth every penny and then some. I highly recommend Evan and the services offered by Able Home Inspection without any hesitation. Adi G.
I’ve got to tell you that I am completely satisfied with your service and will be using it again. I was very pleased with Evan’s work. He was polite, professional, honest, and had my best interest in mind throughout the process. He was very thorough and did not hesitate telling it as he saw it and what his expertise told him he was seeing. I cannot thank you enough for the thorough report and the professional conduct of Evan. Fred, Belmont
Evan, great job all the way around. I really appreciate your quick response, attention to detail, and professionalism. I’m very happy with the report – it’s well organized, easy to read, detailed, and very informative. I’ll be sure to let you know if any questions arise and will certainly recommend your services to anyone who might need them. Thanks, Don, Lowell
As you recommended, I inquired with the town’s building department about the finished basement in the property I was going to buy. They confirmed that it did not have a permit. The following is the Building Inspector’s response: “Our Map and Lot file for this property does not include any permits to convert the basement of this condo into living space. Therefore, it is an illegal conversion and may not be considered habitable living space. There are even stricter codes governing use of a space as a bedroom and therefore that also would not be permitted at this time. The present owner, or any purchaser of this property will be responsible for correcting any violations.”
The director also said that whoever owns it would have to be responsible for correcting the building violation. This also means the basement can not be counted as a living space, therefore the condo has 500 less square feet and 1 less bedroom, than what it was advertised as. If you didn’t bring this issue up, I might have been involved in some potential problem of correcting the violation in the future when I sell the condo. Thank you for your help, Eun, Durham NH
First off: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you Dennis! You may have saved our lives from the Carbon Monoxide issue you found, in addition to saving us a lengthy, frustrating and costly set of repairs. We decided not to proceed with the purchase after all. The seller was unwilling to allow us extra time to hire an engineer to test the structural integrity of the penthouse. We felt that the risks were significant and the compensation entirely inadequate even to address the furnace problem and other less serious concerns. Had a structural issue come up, our lawyer felt that fixing it would have been the jurisdiction of the condo association and would have entailed a battle with the condo association next door to permit the repair. Under those circumstances, it was definitely in our best interests to walk away from what would have otherwise been an ideal property for us. I hope that the eventual buyer has an inspector of your caliber working for them so that they are fully informed of the risks. We cannot imagine trusting another inspector and hope that you will be able to find time for us again! Many, many thanks! Sharada, Boston, MA
It was amazing how you focused in on certain areas inside the house and basement based on your observations on the exterior of the house. Your concern about the water tightness of the area between the deck and house wall proved to be a real issue when you pulled back the basement fiberglass wall insulation and found rot and fungus on the plywood wall sheathing as well as rodent droppings in the insulation. We were able to get the owner to address both of these issues by having all the contaminated insulation removed and replaced and by having a gutter installed and having repairs between the house and deck made. Your discovery of a concealed crawl space under the kitchen surprised us and the real estate agent, thank you for coming back to inspect that area after the owner removed the steps that covered the access opening. We also got the owner to repair the boiler exhaust leak that had high carbon monoxide levels and the overhead garage door openers that did not stop and reverse when you tested them. These two findings alone were worth the cost of the inspection, especially because we have two young children. Even though you were very professional and respectful to the homeowner and real estate agent, it was obvious that you were working strictly in our best interest. Nicole, Groveland, MA
Evan and Dennis were a pleasure to work with. Evan was very knowledgeable and conducted the inspection in detail. He took his time to review everything with us so we were fully aware of any potential issues. Throughout the whole process they were responsive and were great to communicate with. In the end we felt our best interests were taken into account and could trust them with helping us in our home buying experience. I would highly recommend Able to anyone. Olga
Dennis performed an inspection of a vacation home in Campton, NH that we had made an offer on. I cannot speak highly enough of the services that Mr. Robitaille provided for us. We were unable to be present for the inspection, however, Mr. Robitaille took over 100 photos of the house, documenting numerous issues related to water damage, mold, rodent infestation, possible structural problems and plumbing issues. He went into all hidden areas of the house (attic, crawl spaces, etc.), took moisture readings with an electronic moisture meter, checked every appliance and plumbing fixture, probed for rotting wood high and low and tested every faucet and toilet. The level of detail of his inspection was way beyond anything we expected. After returning from the inspection, he wrote up a detailed 25 page report and provided captions of each of the 80 or so photos he ended up emailing to us. The bottom line is, he saved us from buying what superficially seemed to be a spectacular house but in fact was anything but. I give my highest recommendation to him. Greg Buckle
Dear Dennis, You have an unerring eye for detail. If there’s a problem in a house, you’ll find it. You inspected a Nashua, NH home for me and had a concern about some boxes stacked up on a porch. You removed the boxes to discover extensive water damage on an exterior wall. Your vast experience shows in what seems to be an intuitive understanding of houses, their structures, and their systems — their personalities if you will. Your approach is thorough, efficient, and no-nonsense. The inspection reports you have generated are well organized, clear, comprehensive and prepared the same day, there’s no waiting during very crucial negotiating periods. Best of all your many digital pictures tell a thousand words! Thank you! I have more than received a good value for service. Please feel free to use me as a reference. V Tane, Nashua, NH
Thanks for catching the (improperly abandoned) underground oil tank that previous inspectors had missed, saving us from tens of thousands of dollars in potential cleanup costs and liability. (Colleagues of ours spent $50,000+ on such a cleanup and had to move temporarily out of their house while they were digging under the foundation.) The depth and insight of your report and the focus on the “big ticket” issues are truly impressive and invaluable. Thanks lots! Eric, Belmont MA
“Hi Dennis, I called the management company and asked for engineering reports pertaining to the water seepage problem you found in the garage. I subsequently emailed your report and pictures to my dad who is a Civil Engineer with a Master’s degree in Structural Engineering and 40+ years experience. After looking at your pictures he said that obvious attempts had been made to inject sealant material into the areas of water leakage. Water damage and attempted repairs also explained the 2 – 3 inch difference in the height of the slabs in the ceiling of the garage which you had pointed out to me. I also mentioned some of the construction outside the building that you had pointed out to me which had been put in after the original construction to arrest the water seepage problem. He found it hard to believe that no engineering study had been done before commissioning these works. He also mentioned that damage already done to the structure cannot be ascertained without drilling and checking the condition of the steel inside the concrete. These could have already started to rust (worst case) in which case it would be very expensive to save the structure. Based on your report and his explanation of the potential cost and difficulty of trying to fix something like this I have decided to walk out of the deal. Thanks for an excellent report.” Rudy Chakravorty, Cambridge, MA
Thank you so much for your thorough and informative inspection of our home. It was the very best money we have ever spent. Your report was incredibly well done and put together in such a way that even a home buying novice such as I could fully understand it. I can not thank you enough for everything. Should we hear of anyone needing a home inspection…we are going to insist they call you. And another BIG thank you for dealing with my parents…thanks for going above and beyond dealing with the pack of us!!! Again, thank you so much for all you’ve done. It is more appreciated than I / we can ever say. Jennifer and Brian, Rochester, NH
“Thank-you once again for providing me with a most exceptional service. During my past four years of buying and selling a number of homes, you have provided me information that “saved me” from disastrous real estate purchases, as well as the information needed to feel confident to go forward. Every realtor, lender or friend who has observed your work and/or read your reports has been equally impressed. Comments such as, “he’s not your typical inspector, is he?” have been common. Thanks again,” Gerald Matison, Newburyport, MA (Plum Island)
Lets start by saying if you Google best home inspectors Dennis’ name is on that list. He is by far superior than any home inspector my family has ever worked with and trust me “DENNIS KNOWS HIS STUFF” not only did he find water damage under the electric meter box as well as soaked sheathing behind the vinyl siding, but he saved me and my wife a lifetime full of headaches. There were many issues he found including mold, furnace problems, water in the oil tank and a radon issue. My father jokingly said to Dennis “If I ever put my home up for sale I hope they don’t hire you”. If you need and are looking for an honest truly outstanding home inspector do not hesitate to hire Able Home Inspection! Thanks Dennis! best money I have ever spent. Pete, Newmarket NH.
I hired Dennis to inspect a commercial condo property and was absolutely amazed by the professionalism, expertise and attention to detail he had all along the inspection process. He is the type of inspector that goes the extra mile. To get to the roof of this three story building he had to carry a ladder three floors and climb in a very narrow and difficult space. With zero hesitation he did it and found a bunch of things that otherwise would have not been found. He spent two hours with me at the building looking at every single detail, from the external drainage of the parking lot, all the way to the inspection of every electrical outlet in the unit. Without a doubt Dennis was the most detailed inspector I have ever come by. So if you want to make sure there are no problems overlooked I would strongly recommend you hire Able Home Inspection. Gus, Lexington, MA.
“Dennis, I wish to extend my most sincere gratitude on the superb home inspection you conducted on our behalf recently. The promptness of your reporting is noteworthy, while your remarkable expertise is laudatory. Your attention to detail, coupled with that expertise proved to be incredibly important. You identified a problem which the sellers were obligated to repair at a cost of approximately $19,000. You saved me that amount, plus a potential liability of tens of thousands of dollars. The caliber of your work is a high standard.” Harold J. MacCaughey, Winchester, MA
“Dear Dennis; Once again, we find your home inspection worth every single penny. Last time you saved us from a house with significant foundation problems. This time the extensive, comprehensive data you supplied in your report enabled us to renegotiate our offer price with the seller – to the total tune of about $12,000 in savings!!! You are the best! Thanks again.”Susan Stowe, Arlington, MA
Mr. Robitaille, as usual your inspection was very professional and thorough. Just thought you would like to know that I tried to get some money off the agreed price ($5000), but the owners would not budge…however…as soon as I let them view your report…they were more than happy to. Again, thank you. Will Brizuela, Winthrop, MA
Both Jerome and I want to “THANK YOU” so very much for your assistance today. As I said back a month and a half ago when I first met you (when I was the home seller); despite the outcome of that situation (your clients decided not to purchase), I am quite impressed with the quality and thoroughness of your work. We all hope that the purchase of a home is going to be the wisest investment any of us can and will make in our lifetime. For some of us it isn’t always the easiest decision to make. Your assistance today was an investment in and of itself, and DEFINITELY worth every penny. This report will greatly assist us in our decision making process. Many THANKS!!!! Chris, Newburyport
Dennis, Your professionalism and care for your clients was evident during the inspection and in your report. My wife and I have read through your narrative a couple of times. We are pragmatic and realistic individuals and so while we did expect there to be some issues (i.e. need to replace heat/cooling systems), we did not expect to find the excessive evidence of water damage as well as the structural problems such as the issues with the roof structure. I’m pretty sure that most inspectors would have missed many of the issues you brought to our attention. I was wary of using any home inspector that my broker suggested. The potential principal/agent conflict of interest is just too great to ignore. I will be recommending you to my colleagues and friends as they move through their own house purchase processes. Regards, Scott, Newton
“Though my husband and I brought my father-in-law, the plumber, and my brother-in-law, the electrician, Dennis discovered issues with the home that no one caught. If you bring one person to look at your prospective purchase bring Dennis Robitaille! We were able to negotiate a substantial credit on the price of the home based on the undeniable impact and veracity of Dennis’ 23 page report! The inspection fee was a bargain for the service and benefits we received. Thank you,” Cathleen & Jim Napoli, Winthrop MA
“The electrician agreed with your opinion of Federal Pacific equipment. He estimated between $8000 and $12000 for the condo Association to upgrade. In terms of the situation in the unit, he was shocked at the placement of the panel and with the overall quality of the electrical work that had been performed. He estimated a cost of between $2500 and $3000 to replace the panel and move it to an interior wall, add GFI outlets in the kitchen and bath and fix all of the outlets. I was able to negotiate a lower price for the unit. The current owner claimed to be completely unaware of the electrical safety issues and told me that she had the unit inspected before she purchased it and that her inspector did not alert her to the problems with the electrical system. I’m very pleased that you alerted me to the problem.” Dan Carr, Boston, MA
The inspection report you wrote for us was super. It’s clearly and succinctly written with a great deal of useful information above and beyond the specifics of the inspection. It’s been a comfort & confidence to us during this anxiety ridden house buying procedure. After you completed our first inspection in 1985, we believed your work then as a home inspector to be professional, thorough and extremely knowledgeable. Thank you, Susan & Jim Gallant, Medford, MA