Amerispec Home Inspection Service

Very Disappointed.
Let me start by explaining that this is the first review I have ever written. When I am disappointed with a service or a product, I normally chalk it up to experience and then move on. The negative experience I have received from this company — both in the quality of the inspection and in customer service — has compelled me to write this review.
My wife and I bought a home in the High Point neighborhood in March of 2011. Being new to the area and not knowing which home inspection companies were reputable, we used Sterling AmeriSpec because of the parent company’s trusted reputation. Even though the home is approximately 70 years old, the entire house had been renovated in the last 2 – 5 years, including all systems and appliances. The inspector noted several minor problems, but did not find any major issues. Based on his report, we negotiated with the seller to fix most of the minor problems identified.
In November of 2011 at the first sign of colder weather, our furnace flipped an electrical breaker, and we used our home warranty to hire a repairman to diagnose the problem. The first red flag: the breaker at issue was on the «original» electrical panel (in a closet) — which our inspector had not even located. Instead, our inspection report refers only to a newer, modern panel (which only runs part of the home) located on the other side of the home. I was curious as to how our inspector would have completely missed an entire electrical panel, especially one that is responsible for our home’s major electrical systems.
The second red flag: Before the repairman even arrived, I climbed into our attic to visually examine the furnace. It is plugged into an outlet that is within 1 foot from the attic ladder, and completely unobstructed from view. I unplugged the furnace and discovered that it has a three-​prong power cord, but the outlet only accepts two-​prong plugs. Whoever installed the (relatively new) furnace had simply cut the third prong off the plug. So our furnace — one of the largest electrical systems in the home — was not grounded. The inspector did not notice this deficiency, even though he allegedly checked most of our other outlets.
More red flags: The repairman, a reputable HVAC contractor, was appalled at how our furnace had been installed. He said it looked like an amateur’s work. It was not mounted on any blocks, it was not installed level (so each time it started up, it was literally shaking itself apart), it was not grounded, it was installed so close to our chimney that it could not be serviced, it was connected to our gas line using an improper connection, there were not enough air returns, and there were multiple code violations. He recommended a complete reinstall, and wondered out loud how our home inspector could have missed these problems. Incidentally, because all of these problems were preexisting installation defects, the home warranty company (which shares the same parent company as AmeriSpec) would not cover the repairs.
We hired a second licensed contractor for a second opinion (out of our own pocket), and he independently found the same deficiencies. It took each of the contractors less than 10 — 15 minutes to identify the same laundry list of problems. We spent more than $ 2,200.00 to correct the problems.
The worst part: After learning the bad news, I called Sterling AmeriSpec and spoke with one of the owners, asking him how his inspector could have missed these obvious problems with one of the largest systems in my home. He said he would need to talk with his inspector and review the file, then get back to me. Over the next two months, we played a game where I would call or email him, he would promise to look into the issue and get back to me, then I would wait while nothing happened. I emailed him at least 6 times and spoke to him on the phone at least 5 times. I faxed him invoices and documentation. Every time, he made empty promises to follow up with me, but never did. I was seeking a refund of the inspection fee and some additional money to cover about half of the repair costs.
I am now convinced the owner was just waiting me out, hoping I would go away. He strung me along for months, and I bent over backwards to make sure he had everything he needed to work with me. I understand that a home inspector only has a limited amount of time to go through a house, and it is not possible for him to identify every single defect. On the other hand, home inspectors hold a special position of trust. Many buyers (myself included), know very little about things like electricity, plumbing, heating, etc. We pay money for their expertise, and we rely on the information they give us when making the biggest purchase of our lives. The problems with my furnace should have been identified in a competent home inspection. They were not latent defects — they were quite obvious to the trained eye, and the inspector’s failure