Acker Home Inspection

Phil Acker and his colleague Randy were great. I was a first-time homebuyer and went with Phil because my realtor recommended him. I thought the pair did a great job, and they were really good about answering all my "stupid" questions - even ones that had more to do with cosmetic renovations than serious home repairs. They printed the report on the spot and were extremely friendly. When I freaked out about some issues 1 hour before the conditions closing deadline, Phil called me right away and eased my fears - on a Friday night. I would highly recommend this company!

Phil Acker came out to do a home inspection the very next day. We were from out of town, and needed a home inspection asap. Phil and his assistant did an excellent job in preparing a very comprehensive report on any shortcomings. The inspection were very thorough and they left a professional report at a very reasonable price.

Used Acker Home Inspection services today for an inspection on a re-sale property. We got the referral from our real estate agent. I highly recommend this company. They showed up on time, were professional, and I felt I received a lot of value. It's a 2-man team. They start by explaining the inspection process and use a sample report as a visual aid to show you what they're going to do, how it will be reported, and the scope of the observations they make. Then they take you through the inspection. At all times, they were open to questions, were informative, and helpful all around. At the end of the inspection, they de-brief you on any deficiencies they may have discovered, and a full report is provided electronically. Bottom line, is I was very happy with the service provided, and would not hesitate to recommend Acker Home Inspection.

I highly recommend this company. It is a two person team, who did a thorough job along a detailed report and photos of everything. I felt like they truly covered everything and Phil was extremely valuable in also sharing lots of information that is useful for home ownership (especially for a first time buyer). They were both extremely personable, a pleasure to work with.

What I liked:
1) Punctual: Arrived on time, regimented in his work
2) Professional: Everything including his service, communication, etc.
3) Knowledgeable: He knows the Tarion code very well
4) Helpful: Walk around with him, and you'll be sure to learn lots about your home
5) Useful for issues in the attic (identified a few)

What I disliked:
1) The 2 person team didn't work out for me. I had questions to ask Phil on some of the rooms/bathrooms, but unfortunately, they were covered by his colleague and I missed asking them (and didn't have the issues included in the report).
2) The pace felt hurried. That's one thing I didn't appreciate. It was easy to miss many things. It took less than 1.5 hours on ~ 2000 sq ft for the whole process (including intro at the beginning, inspection, going over report, payment). So probably a good 1 hour of inspection. Considering the price paid, I would say that's a pretty costly service.
3) Several important issues that you would expect from an inspector were not done. Eg. verifying that all vents are venting out (including dryer). These are usually the ones that take time (and effort to check), and were left out. You sign a waiver at the beginning of the process that basically covers them for liability (for good reason, but I feel that this signature has made it easier for them to miss things without any scruple or worry, especially when they're in a hurry for 3 appointments in a single day).

The 2 first factors combined (the hurried pace along with the 2 person team) resulted in an incomplete inspection in my opinion (the 3rd point). When I enlisted their services, my understanding is that everything will have to go through Phil at the end (who is the person I am hiring). Every room and bathroom will need to be inspected by him. He's the certified and experienced inspection I am hiring. My understanding was that his colleague was only to do fill the report and do the thermal imaging. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case and 2 out of 3 rooms + the main bathroom (along with good chunks of the main floor and basement) weren't covered by Phil.

If you can get Phil alone for your inspection, and make sure it is done in a minimum predetermined time-frame (eg. minimum 3 hours). then you will probably get the most bang for your buck. Otherwise, I would personally not recommend and would instead get a single inspector (the equivalent of Phil) to do all the work.

I've been in our new home for about 1-1/2 years. I put together our own Tarion form for the 30-day, but as this was our first home, we don't know too much about how things should be done. We decided to have a home inspection done. A neighbour and two of our friends had used Acker Home Inspection and were very happy with their services. I'm glad we did. During the inspection, they found 26 things that we were not aware of, some serious. Our builder missed insulation in the attic, we had 2 columns that weren't secured properly, and they missed caulking at some of our windows. They inspect as a 2-person team and are very thorough and detailed. Very pleased with the inspection and report. Would recommend them without reservation.

The home inspection only lasted a couple of hours. I feel that the price I paid was too much for the services received. The inspection was done in late summer and there was not much temperature difference between the indoor and outdoor environment. The infrared camera inspection was completely waste of money.