HOUSECHECK'S CLIENT TESTIMONIALS


707.245.7545 (cell) or 707.355.9067(office)

SANTA ROSA INSPECTION

Hi Byron-

        Just wanted to thank you again for your excellent inspection before  
my house purchase. You sank your teeth in with the enthusiasm of a  
dog after a chew toy and I'm confident you sniffed out every problem.

        I'm still thinking about the interior changes but did some demo in  
the garage so the new R14 Wayne Dalton door with double pane obscure  
windows can be installed, along with a special opener that mounts on  
the wall and doesn't hang overhead in my way. Both cost a fortune but  
make me (and the neighbors) as comfortable as possible with my workshop.

        The best part is I got a house along with it : )

Terrie, Santa Rosa 


 

  A HOUSE INSPECTOR WITH SERVICE IN MIND

A few weeks ago during an office training session, our Healdsburg Sotheby's International Realty agents were introduced to Byron Duerksen, a home inspector who works in several counties in our area. Byron had an impressive stack of credentials behind him. He's certified not just by the major building inspection organizations, but by outfits I've never heard of. If it has to do with inspecting, Byron has probably done it and gotten his certificate.

Now, we all know that having credentials isn't the same thing as knowing what you're doing, but I figured with his background and the knowledge he demonstrated at our staff meeting that I would take him for a test drive on my next escrow. Luckily for both of us, I needed his services within a few days of our initial meeting. I have a buyer who is herself very skilled in home renovation and building technology so I figured it was a great chance to see what he could do.

From the minute he showed up on the property he demonstrated a strong sense of competence and cooperation. The power was off. He got it on. The water was off. He got it on. My buyer had some initial questions about potential sloping floors and irregular base board. He handled her questions with aplomb and continued with his detailed inspection.

Later in the process, more questions occured that had to do with future improvements and wall moving. Byron gave careful and detailed answers, explaining the roof truss layout and where they were floating over the walls rather than bearing on them. It's a question we might have answered by crawling around the attic ourselves, but Byron was willing to work with the buyer to answer her questions and to take the extra time to make sure all her questions about the property were answered. In my experience, some inspectors are unwilling to go the extra mile to handle questions from the seller that might not be related to the inspection. Byron didn't give any indication of boredom or overwork. He was delighted to share his knowledge and it showed.

By the end of the day, I really wouldn't have cared if Byron had any credentials or not. He demonstrated deep knowledge of his profession and a bedside manner towards the client that made her feel respected and appreciated as the client. Not every inspector...or every real estate agent...can pull that off.

If you're in Sonoma, Lake, or other nearby areas, I highly recommend Byron Duerksen as a home inspector.

Dave R., Healdsburg


WHY I CHANGED INSPECtORS

After using another Lake County inspector for a recent transaction on behalf of a doctor client, the sale fell out of escrow and the doctor selected another property.  He requested that I use a different inspector for his next attempted purchase, stating he was not pleased with the previously used inspector.  An associate of mine who uses Byron recommended I call Byron which I did.  After seeing him inspect, reading his report and learning from the doctor how pleased he was, I am ashamed to admit I ever used anyone other than Byron.  He has continued to provide my clients the best inspections and understanding of conditions I have ever seen.  Byron is the only inspector I recommend to my clients and other realtors.  He works hard to make everyone happy and save the transactions.

K.P., a Lake County Realtor


HOME INSPECTION REVEALS CHARMING COBB MOUNTAIN RETREAT POTENTIALLY LETHAL

When we bought our first home, a weekend place in the woods of Lake County, we were assured we did not need a home inspection because it had recently been completely remodeled.  A friend my husband works with in San Francisco told him we were crazy not to get an inspection.  How thankful we are that we listened to him and found you.

You reported and showed pictures of a gas furnace under our bedroom that was no longer vented to the outside.  10 feet away the new floor duct for heat was open and not connected to any duct work.  You pointed out that this was a lethal situation because carbon monoxide would go right into our bedroom.  We would have arrived late Friday night, turned up the thermostat and gone to bed.  As you pointed out we might never have lived through the night.

We believe you saved our lives, for this we will always be gratetful.  Thank you over and over again.


Sarah L and Hugh R, San Francisco



 LAKEFRONT IN CLEARLAKE

My wife and I fell in love with the lakeview home.  We knew the deck had some problems but had no idea how dangerous it really was.  The worst of it was the inspection revealed the fact that we had several exposed 110 volt wires in a low ceiling walk in storage space and a bad leak on the ground at the hall bathroom toilet.  After Byron explained everything to our satisfaction we bought the place anyway and love it.  Never knew an inspection could be so involved.  Byron knows his stuff.

Mark P.,  San Francisco 



MENDOCINO COAST HOME INSPECTION

I knew the place in Little River had issues but it was renovated and really looked nice and I made up my mind to buy it.  So I picked the most qualified home inspector in Mendocino County.  Byron found a couple of costly issues that the seller was willing to repair or replace, and that would have cost me thousands.  I can highly recommend Housecheck Services.

Leonard G, Sacramento



 INSPECTION ON NEW CONSTRUCTION

It was brand new.  What could be wrong?  Well, for openers, my 2-year old had fallen off the deck when the realtor had shown me the property.  The deck was 36 inches off the ground at one end and had no railing.  I hired Byron and the inspection revealed several cost cutting measures the builder employed that were safety hazards.  And yet the County had signed off on it.  Glad I got a professional inspection.  Thanks Byron.

Caesar M., Middletown



IT HAD BEEN INSPECTED BEFORE - REINSPECTED BY HOUSECHECK

I came up to Lake County and wanted to purchase a small vacation home.  The realtor recommended a home inspector she had used for years.  What a pathetic inspection.  It was fast and superficial and I was to learn it was inaccurate.  The guy said he was a licensed contractor but clearly he was not a home inspector.  I hired Byron Duerksen of Housecheck Inspections to re-inspect this property and learned numerous issues which were overlooked.  This has made a major change in my remodeling plans and I want to thank you so much.

Karl V., San Francisco 

CORINTHIAN BAY NIGHTMARE DISCOVERED IN SECOND HOME INSPECTION 

When we purchased our home in Corinthian Bay it was inspected by a local contractor claiming to be a home inspector.  Soon after moving into our home, the sewer line backed up on the lower level floor.  When the sewer line cleaning company came out and cleaned the line, they told us they had been out numerous times before for the same reason.  We had the cleaning company out again and again. Then we discussed the problem with Byron when he was speaking at an air quality meeting.  We hired Byron to do a thorough inspection.  Byron crawled under the house and found the sewer pipe was lower under the toilet than it was where it went through the foundation to the main sewer line.  No wonder we had a problem, sewage doesn't run uphill.  Then he found there were exposed electrical wire connections which weren't even covered as they ran out on the walkway of our pier.  We could have been eletrocuted.  Yes there were even more problems, one with a tile shower pan in our daughter' upstairs bathroom that leaked to the lower level; rotten deck wood in several places and more.  We seriously considered a lawsuit against the realtor, the former owner and the first home inspector who is still active.

Dr. and Mrs. C., Corinthian Bay


PLEA FOR GOOD HOME INSPECTION

We planned to purchase a lovely home on the water.  The realtor provided us with an inspection report which had been done previously which my husband said was a joke.   We told the realtor we wanted a professional home inspection or No Sale.  We hired Byron, who did a great inspection and provided us with an inspection report that is actually a keepsake.  We felt entirely comfotable making the purchase.

Mr. and Mrs. B., Highlands Harbor