The Ohio Home Inspections Co

I was very pleased with Kevin Leonard.  He was very thorough and I was really impressed that he was over detailed versus under detailed.  I appreciated having all that extra information that I wouldn't have expected.  I got him off Angie's List.  His price was very fair.

Kevin was very very helpful for us during our first home purchase inspection. He was very informative in helping us understand what things he found and how we could go about fixing it and prevent future damage. Kevin was also very helpful in giving us general home owners tips in upkeep of the house. At the start of our inspection, the power was off but he did as much of the inspection he could without power and then waited about 15 minutes while the power company was on their way to turn on the power for us. Although not getting a phone call back quickly when I would call, I always received a phone call with an apology for the delay. This is understandable for someone who is doing all inspections personally.

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I think they did a thorough job, however a small issue with the flashing was missed. It had been caulked which allowed water to seep through the brick. All in all, I had a good experience.

It was an absolute NIGHTMARE to deal with Kevin Leonard during my home buying process. He gave me a fine-print form to sign after the inspection, which I signed after a cursory look. Later I noticed in the fine print that the form I signed legally absolves Kevin from all liability for any deficiencies in the property that he missed. Kevin also did not carry home inspector's insurance at the time of my inspection. These two things mean that if he had missed any problems during the inspection, I would have been up a creek. Any home inspector worth hiring will have insurance. Kevin arrived at the property early and conducted the exterior inspection without my presence. He told me about a few problems that he noted, but would not show them to me. His method of inspection on the inside of the house was to tell me that I should hire a specialist to inspect the plumbing, insulation, furnace, wiring in the unfinished basement, etc. He should have been able to inspect these things, as they are fundamental elements of every home. I asked Kevin to bring a ladder so that we could take a look at the roof, to which he gladly agreed over the phone. He did not bring a ladder to the inspection and said that the roof looks fine from the ground. The next week I had another inspector out to look at the roof, and he found leaks in the valleys and the chimney - $3500 in repairs were needed, which the seller agreed to pay for. I've also had many pluming leaks due to pipe joints that were incorrectly installed during the previous owner's tenure. A good home inspector would have found these plumbing problems. Kevin inspected my home several years ago, and since then he has changed the name of his company from "The Home Inspection Company" to "The Ohio Home Inspections Company." I don't know why he changed the name, but I can say this: Changing the name of a company is usually bad for marketing - that is, unless the old company name has a bad reputation that you wish to leave behind. Kevin did seem to know about the structure itself, and was able to tell me what looked good and bad about the walls and foundation. My experience with Kevin taught me much about doing research in advance when selecting a contractor. I now tell all contractors that I must see a form 24hr in advance if they wish for me to sign that form. They don't like it, but then again they don't have to like it. They can find another customer if they want. The customer ultimately makes the rules. The challenge in selecting a home inspector is that you don't want to take your realtor's recommendation unless you really trust your realtor. Your realtor has a vested interest in an inspection that reveals no problems. I went out on a limb and found my own inspector. I'll be using Angie's List from now on to find contractors.

Kevin was very thorough, easy to work with, and provided an excellent report. He also continues to send monthly newsletters at no additional charge that have very helpful tips and information about home maintenance.

Very positive experience, arrived early, answered all of my questions, did not feel rushed.