(Clients have given their permission to publish their names and comments. These are a few of the hundreds of comments sent in over the years. They are unedited, except for minor spelling corrections or some shortening of a few responses.) If you have used the services of Able Home Inspection, and would like to post a comment, E-mail Dennis Robitaille
Dear Dennis, First off: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You may have saved our lives 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. Once again, I want to convey to you our deep gratitude for your thorough inspection. I only 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
Dear Dennis,
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
Dennis
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 above 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
Dear Dennis,
Not only did your report meet my expectations, it exceeded them! It was easy to read and understand and it reiterated everything you mentioned during the inspection. I cannot emphasize enough how much your unbiased opinion and service is truly appreciated. Thanks to you, Jonathan and I have all the resources to make a decision on the purchase of condo, repairs to which could potentially cost many thousands of dollars and put us in debt for many years. I will keep you posted on our decision with regards to purchasing this condo. I will undoubtedly highly recommend you to my colleagues, family and friends and if this purchase does not happen, will gladly use your services again. Many thanks indeed, Mari & Jonathan, Brookline, MA
Ok, we just got back from our home inspection that dennis performed. Lets start by saying if you google best home inspectors in mass there are only 4 and dennis's name is on that list, enough said, but I will continue. 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" YES he is that good! if there is a problem he will find it. If you need and are looking for an honest truly outstanding home inspector do not hesitate to hire dennis! he is the man for the job. So in the end We are not moving forward with this purchase of the home. Thanks dennis! best money I have ever spent. Pete, Newmarket NH.
I hired Dennis to inspect a commercial condo property. I was absolutely amazed by the professionalism, expertise and attention to detail he had all along the inspection process. Dennis really is the type of inspector that goes the extra mile; For example, 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 nearly 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. I have purchased a few houses in my life and I have help some friends too, so I've been through a few inspections. Let me tell you 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 Dennis. Gus, Lexington, MA.
Dear Dennis, Thank you very much. The report looks great. We'll give it a close read this weekend and act on the things you've brought to our attention. Will and I are both very pleased with your work, and will enthusiastically recommend you to others in the future. We were especially pleased that you stuck with the EPA standards for radon testing, even though both realtors seemed skeptical. We're glad you make accuracy and knowledge of safety standards a priority. Keep up the great work! Erin Leiserson, Nashua NH
"Not only was the inspection a very good and thorough one, but it helped us get $19,500 transferred to us at closing to take care of needed repairs that Dennis identified. In addition, the owner had the asbestos contamination situation properly dealt with. In the investment world, a $19,500 return on a $750 investment (the cost of the inspection) is certainly a good return. Also, through your efforts an additional $18,000 was spent by the homeowner to correct problems you found!!! thanks again!" Tim & Linda Lawlor, Plymouth, 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
Dear Dennis; 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
Hi Dennis, I am extremely glad that I chose you for the inspection. Although the house was small, I could see how meticulous you are with your work. Thank you also for all the added advice you provided me under the FYI clauses in the report. They are a great recap of what we discussed during the inspection. Subsequent to your report, I prepared my own "buyers report" in order to translate the inspection jargon to negotiation points, picking out items that were of major concerns to me as a buyer and which I wanted the seller to address. I have attached a copy of my "buyers report". I know you are very busy, but if you do have time you may fancy reading it.
Once again, I wish to thank you sincerely for truly representing my interests. I am also pleased to let you know that I have decided to use you for all my future inspection needs. I will certainly refer you to as many people as possible because I am fully satisfied with your work and also I truly believe in the cause that you stand for. Best regards, Ramesh, Nashua, NH
Dennis, I have bought and sold several homes over the past 10 years and feel that yours was the most insightful, complete and professional inspection I have had performed. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for! Thank you for your detailed report. It is a most helpful tool to use in making this important decision. I will highly recommend you to others, and will contact you again should I choose not to purchase this home and make an offer on another at some point in the near future. Thank you again for your professional and comprehensive service. Diana Awbrey, Weston, MA
Dennis, thank you for doing an excellent job with the home inspection in Windham NH. You have a very good ability to hone in on problem areas. The issues you uncovered during the home inspection weighed heavily on our decision to walk away from purchasing the home. My wife and I think that you did a terrific job and would use your services again (when we do our next home inspection). The money spent for the inspection was minimal compared to the potential amount of money that would have been required to fix the issues. Thanks again! Curt Taylor
Hi Dennis, Thanks for the detailed report and quality photos. I was very much impressed with your inspection yesterday. I enjoyed accompanying you and hearing your comments, explanation and learning plenty of useful information about the property. Your meticulous and detail oriented inspection (both outside and inside the house) was not only very useful but exceeded my expectations and I would recommend your services to friends with great enthusiasm. Appreciate your effort, pleasant demea nor and professionalism. best, Zev Gechtman, Concord
Thanks, as a result of your report, they are replacing the Federal Pacific Electric stab lock electric panel, repairing the furnace and buying a warranty, paying to build a new deck for us and fixing the all electric work. We're very happy that you were so thorough. Best, Brian Kane, Carlisle, MA
"Dear Dennis, thank you for conducting my home inspection. I found you to be extremely professional and thorough. With the help of your report, we were able to point out to the sellers all the problems, reducing the selling price by $8,000." Dave Flibotte, Peabody, MA
"Dennis, thank you for a complete inspection. As a result of your inspection we renegotiated and reduced the purchase price by $7000.00. The sellers could not argue once presented with a copy of your report. I advised my attorney to recommend you to other clients." Edward Conley, Stoneham, 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
"Dear Dennis, thanks again for a very thorough and professional home inspection. I really appreciated the fact that, on site, you didn't patronize or talk down to me, but were perfectly happy to educate me whenever I requested information. Clear communication is very obviously one of your strong assets. Considering the thoroughness of your work, I was a little surprised that the real estate agent was also impressed with your inspection. She told me that she felt you were fair and weren't "out to get" the homeowner or the agents and didn't try to unnecessarily scare or alarm me. I credit your inspection report for helping convince the seller to come down by $5,000 on the asking price before we signed the P & S. I credit your straightforward talk for making me realize that $5,000 is only part of what it will cost to maintain that old house through the first two years. Thanks again," Dorothy Roof, Beverely, MA
Thank you Dennis for the very thorough report. The pictures are great and will really help