After doing plenty of research on home inspection companies, I decided to use Nook n Cranny based on the value of their services, and also because they have an understanding of the homes in the area. First comment is on the value. It costs about $370 with taxes in, which included a complete inspection of the home, garage, work shed, pool, and lot. On the inside of the home, it also included the thermal imaging throughout the house. I had priced this out with a few other companies, and the cost was over $500. Secondly, Darren, who is the owner and inspector, was an amazing resource throughout the entire inspection. He pointed out everything that could happen based on the current state of the home, and even went as far as to comment on the large tree growing in the front yard, and how the roots could lead to damaged water drains in the future. Because of the quick closing (the following day), Darren was able to provide a full report the same night of the inspection. I must say that I had my reservation over purchasing the home; however Darren was able to put all worries into perspective, which ultimately lead to me purchasing the home. The inspection is probably the most important thing you can do before deciding to purchase a home; so I would recommend that you follow the inspector around the entire time, and ask questions about everything. It’s important to not be distracted during this time; that includes talking with your agent or others that may have joined you on the inspection. After the inspection, by all means, take the time to sit down with your agent and discuss. I would recommend his services in an instant, and he would be my first call should I plan to purchase again.

We got them to come do a home inspection before buying our new home. Came over touting how he uses up to date technology and gets in every nook and cranny. He was rude to our Realtor, and was obviously listening in to our conversations as he made snark comments about the conversation i was having with our Realtor. We now have to gut the basement of our new home due to major foundation and water damage that he said was and area of concern but there are no issues. The drywall and studs were black due to mold that was leaking for awhile. How his thermal and moisture tests did not pick them up is beyond me. Its going to cost me over 2000 just to fix the cracks Upon emailing him requesting information about pictures and or information on how the thermal and moisture tests work, all i got was attitude. Darren was rude and didn't even finish the home inspection, he had to come back a second time to finish it and charged me again. I would not recommend this company at all and am very surprised he got readers choice award.

Company Response:

This review is not entirely correct. The attic was not accessible during the home inspection, due to an installed shelving unit. The client later emailed me asking what I would charge to come back and inspect the attic if they got the homeowner to remove the shelving unit. I only charged an additional $75 to go back in a couple of days, as my schedule permitted, to inspect the attic - which I understand that the home owner, NOT the client, paid for. All other areas of the home were inspected during the first visit. If you got called into work for an extra shift, you would expect to be paid for it, am I correct? So do self employed people. In regards to moisture issues found afterwards, at the time of the inspection I had noted some areas on the exterior that could pose moisture concerns. However, at the time of the inspection, neither thermal imaging, nor a moisture meter found elevated sources of moisture present in many areas that I checked inside the basement, including the rear wall. I made recommendations for repair and advised to monitor the areas for moisture issues. Like everything in life, we can only do our best with the tools we have and the circumstances we face at that particular time. I regularly find issues just like this and report them. I have no reason not to find the faults in any home I inspect and endeavour to do what is reasonably expected to provide the most information and service I can. My reply email was not 'attitude' but rather explaining that I do not capture images if there does not appear to be anything there at that time. This is hardly 'attitude', just an explanation. As for me being rude: I certainly don't recall this, as I tend to be quite easy going. I may have made a comment - although very unlikely that it was 'Snark'. Gosh, sorry if I spoke when not spoken to. This client is obviously upset, as you can tell but there are two sides to a story and I'm glad you get to read mine before making up your mind. My other reviews speak volumes about my personality and my skills, so please take those into consideration as well. Darren

My wife & I had a very good experience with Darren as our home inspector for a house that we had conditionally purchased. He was very thorough, consistently professional, clearly knowledgeable, and answered all of our questions readily and honestly. The inspection report contained a great deal of useful information, including helpful recommendations and photos of the areas in question. We strongly recommend Darren as your home inspector!

Darren (owner and sole employee) is a Great guy, and very willing to go through your home and answer any questions. he doesn't hesitate to go above and beyond all duty to ensure that the home you are buying is exactly what it is claimed to be - a safe, sturdy home. I used him twice, the first time, he saved me by finding a hidden, uninsulated crawl space that was full of water and Mud! It wasn't even finished, and was open to the rest of the house without any insulation. The only way we found this was through his clever use of Thermal Imaging. The owners did very well to hide this. Not only is he very detailed in his reports, but he's great to work with, with a good sense of humor. I used him on the second (and final) house, and we're more than happy with his services.

New to the area, we wanted someone who was familiar with the area and didn't want to go with a company that was recommended by our real estate agent. Darren was extremely competent and thorough. He took his time, didn't rush and was more than happy to answer any questions that we had. He provided an extensive report - with photos for us to keep. We would not hesitate to recommend Darren to anyone.

Darren did such a thorough job with my home inspection and gave me an awesome binder with pictures and instructions on things that I could fix. I have recommended him to many of my friends and family members and we all agree, Darren's the best!

Requseted a home inspection of the attic area of a 3 year old townhouse, wanted to make sure previous roof leakage was properly repared. The inspector was very thorough and completed the task effiecently, clean up after.

We found Darren on the internet and had him come in to do a maintenance home inspection on our 12 year old house. He belongs to the BBB, NACHI, has errors and omissions and general liability insurance plus he completed the Certified Home Inspection programme through Mohawk College. He was very friendly plus he didn't complain when I peppered him with questions for 3.5 hours while my husband and I followed him around. He thoroughly checked out the outside of the house, garage, grading, drainage plus all of the electrical, plumbing, furnace, A/C, attic (he actually went up into the attic and walked around), roof etc. He left a binder with useful information and then he e-mailed us a 14 page report with lots of pictures the next evening. This was very useful because we learned quite alot and we now know what general maintenance issues have to be dealt with in the short and long term. He also gave us general pricing on home repairs in his report plus more detailed ideas of costs for the issues that need to be looked after. I know he also does inspections for buyers and sellers of homes as well as mold testing if it is required. He was very patient and thorough while inspecting everything and it was very useful and informative. He said we could call or e-mail if we have any questions as well. I would definitely hire him again or refer him to friends or neighbours!