Housemaster of Rockland & Westchester

We hired HouseMaster to do our house inspectionOur main complaint was that after our purchase we were told from our General Contractor and four HVAC companies (that came to give us a quote) that our swas not to code with both the gas hot water heater and oil burner venting directly to the chimneyWe filed a complaint with HouseMasters with a statement from our HVAC contractor stating the compliance issue and their response was: "A Home Inspection does not include items such as code compliance, environmental or biological hazards, ..."Not sure what's the point of hiring someone that's going to overlook what is an obvious hazard to everyone else Also, the inspector could not test the heating system as there was no oil in the tankI arranged for the estate to put in some oil and the inspector was to let me know when he could come back so I could be there when he tested itOnly after multiple attempts to contact the inspector did I find out he had already tested it without meI assume the realtor let him inI eventually got him on the phone for him to say it was "OK"I did not receive a follreport to complete the initial report despite multiple emails asking for it In addition to the safety issue of the mixed exhaust (carbon monoxide posioning), Karl M***, (our inspector) claimed the oven didn't work and the dryer was fineBoth are gas but he did not turn on the gas when checking themIn the end the oven works fine but the dryer had a gas leak and needed to be replacedBasically Karl is not up to speed with how gas appliances work or the regulations on gas in generalAgain, not covered by HouseMasters We bought an old house that was an estate sale so we expected some issuesHowever this is our third house and we've been through inspections before that were very thoroughHiring HouseMasters was no better than having a random stranger walk through the house pointing out obvious things and packaging it up as something more than it isIt was of absolutely no value None of the issues (there were others not on their report) would have prevented us from buying the house but it would have given us the knowledge and leverage to resolve them prior to closing All we wanted was our money back to cover the cost of a new water heater with a direct ventI had no intention of reporting them or even going beyond the initial complaintTo us it was simply something the inspector missed and they would acknowledge it Instead we got a form letter over two months later that outlined the exact reasons not to hire them in the first placeEvery response was a clause in their contract outlining they don't cover something or are not responsible for that particular item I'd advise anyone to simply read their contract before hiring them and know there are much better home inspector services out there

We hired HouseMaster to do our house inspection. Our main complaint was that after our purchase we were told from our General Contractor and four HVAC companies (that came to give us a quote) that our set-up was not to code with both the gas hot water heater and oil burner venting directly to the chimney. We filed a complaint with HouseMasters with a statement from our HVAC contractor stating the compliance issue and their response was: "A Home Inspection does not include items such as code compliance, environmental or biological hazards, ...". Not sure what's the point of hiring someone that's going to overlook what is an obvious hazard to everyone else.
Also, the inspector could not test the heating system as there was no oil in the tank. I arranged for the estate to put in some oil and the inspector was to let me know when he could come back so I could be there when he tested it. Only after multiple attempts to contact the inspector did I find out he had already tested it without me. I assume the realtor let him in. I eventually got him on the phone for him to say it was "OK". I did not receive a follow-up report to complete the initial report despite multiple emails asking for it.
In addition to the safety issue of the mixed exhaust (carbon monoxide posioning), Karl M[redacted], (our inspector) claimed the oven didn't work and the dryer was fine. Both are gas but he did not turn on the gas when checking them. In the end the oven works fine but the dryer had a gas leak and needed to be replaced. Basically Karl is not up to speed with how gas appliances work or the regulations on gas in general. Again, not covered by HouseMasters.
We bought an old house that was an estate sale so we expected some issues. However this is our third house and we've been through inspections before that were very thorough. Hiring HouseMasters was no better than having a random stranger walk through the house pointing out obvious things and packaging it up as something more than it is. It was of absolutely no value.
None of the issues (there were others not on their report) would have prevented us from buying the house but it would have given us the knowledge and leverage to resolve them prior to closing.
All we wanted was our money back to cover the cost of a new water heater with a direct vent. I had no intention of reporting them or even going beyond the initial complaint. To us it was simply something the inspector missed and they would acknowledge it.
Instead we got a form letter over two months later that outlined the exact reasons not to hire them in the first place. Every response was a clause in their contract outlining they don't cover something or are not responsible for that particular item.
I'd advise anyone to simply read their contract before hiring them and know there are much better home inspector services out there.

We hired HouseMaster to do our house inspection. Our main complaint was that after our purchase we were told from our General Contractor and four HVAC companies (that came to give us a quote) that our set-up was not to code with both the gas hot water heater and oil burner venting directly to the chimney. We filed a complaint with HouseMasters with a statement from our HVAC contractor stating the compliance issue and their response was: "A Home Inspection does not include items such as code compliance, environmental or biological hazards, ...". Not sure what's the point of hiring someone that's going to overlook what is an obvious hazard to everyone else.

Also, the inspector could not test the heating system as there was no oil in the tank. I arranged for the estate to put in some oil and the inspector was to let me know when he could come back so I could be there when he tested it. Only after multiple attempts to contact the inspector did I find out he had already tested it without me. I assume the realtor let him in. I eventually got him on the phone for him to say it was "OK". I did not receive a follow-up report to complete the initial report despite multiple emails asking for it.

In addition to the safety issue of the mixed exhaust (carbon monoxide posioning), Karl M[redacted], (our inspector) claimed the oven didn't work and the dryer was fine. Both are gas but he did not turn on the gas when checking them. In the end the oven works fine but the dryer had a gas leak and needed to be replaced. Basically Karl is not up to speed with how gas appliances work or the regulations on gas in general. Again, not covered by HouseMasters.

We bought an old house that was an estate sale so we expected some issues. However this is our third house and we've been through inspections before that were very thorough. Hiring HouseMasters was no better than having a random stranger walk through the house pointing out obvious things and packaging it up as something more than it is. It was of absolutely no value.

None of the issues (there were others not on their report) would have prevented us from buying the house but it would have given us the knowledge and leverage to resolve them prior to closing.

All we wanted was our money back to cover the cost of a new water heater with a direct vent. I had no intention of reporting them or even going beyond the initial complaint. To us it was simply something the inspector missed and they would acknowledge it.

Instead we got a form letter over two months later that outlined the exact reasons not to hire them in the first place. Every response was a clause in their contract outlining they don't cover something or are not responsible for that particular item.

I'd advise anyone to simply read their contract before hiring them and know there are much better home inspector services out there.