Ken, I want to thank you for your thorough and professional home inspection, which well exceeded my expectations. Not only did you identify problems that need to be addressed, but you also pointed out features of the house (e.g., the location of gas and water cut-off values) of which I should be aware.
It was a pleasure accompanying you during the inspections. You generously shared you expert knowledge with me by pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of the property. Also, I found your final written report to be detailed, yet concise.
The information you provided will help me to become a more savvy home buyer as I navigate the closing process. Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Kent R. Klein
Hi Ken,
I apologize for taking as long as I have before getting off this note. I seem to never have enough time in a weekend.
Though this letter may be short, I can not emphasize too greatly your professionalism and expertise in home inspections. Ken and I both were extremely impressed with your verbal report and even more upon receipt of your detailed written report with digital photographs.
We decided to use your services based on your website, a telephone discussion with you and our discussion regarding who to choose for our home inspection. As you may recall, we wanted a home inspection of our home as a diagnostic of issues that might need immediate attention and issues that might need attention prior to our retirement. At retirement, our plans are to sell this home so we felt it wise to obtain a home inspection this year since we hope to retire within 5-7 years from 2008.
Since we are past middle-age and can not safely climb ladders and crawl under the house any more, the pictures you provided were PROOF of your report. One of the items you found that needed immediate attention involved a small area of loose screening/membrane on our gutter covers. That vendor responded immediately to our call and remarked that he wished his home inspector was as thorough as you were on our home!
Though we realize your fee may be considered high by some, we found the cost to be more than reasonable, and even under-valued, when we received your report. Your service is truly, truly professional and an excellence rarely found in this area!
Again, thanks so much. We will be calling you again for a 2nd inspection when we are nearer to retirement and the sell date of our home.
S. Britton
Hello Ken,
We discussed all of the issues noted on your report and the builder is going to fix all the items except the gutter drains. I figured they wouldn't do this and I will probably take this project on myself. They actually had the HVAC technician come out shortly after we left on Tuesday and he fixed an item in the unit that was “loose” while also servicing the unit. The builder didn't have the exact information about what was done but did say there was a faulty connection. That was working properly when we were there yesterday. We do have a two year warranty on items such as this which makes me feel a little better but it seems like they have fixed the problem.
In regards to the furnace venting, the explanation was what you expected: the basement area is a sufficient amount of space to pull air. He said this is how they fit all of their unfinished basement homes. However, if we were to ever finish the basement and enclose that area, we would most likely have to run that to the outside to get the right amount of air.
We reviewed all of the cosmetic items as well and those will be addressed. Initially, I hesitated in spending the money on an inspection but it was worth every penny and more! Thanks again for working so quickly on the report and with all of your experience I am sure you have plenty of references. But, if you ever need a reference, you can have them contact me and I would be happy to tell them about my experience.
Best regards,
Mike
When I walked up the deck stairs, I was experiencing love at first site. The view of the lake was gorgeous. When Ken first walked up the deck stairs, his experience was quite different. He noticed that the first step was dangerous and not the proper measurements for the human step.
I was blinded by the light that sparkled off the lake. I couldn’t see that the poorly installed insulation in the A-Frame roof had cooked the wood. I couldn’t see poorly installed fixtures and exposed wires. It goes on and on from there. Ken truly saved me from making a huge mistake. I was hearing the morning birds in my ears, not the tens of thousands of dollars that would only be the beginning in repairs and renovations.
Phew! I thank my lucky stars that Ken is reputable and honest in his daily work. He doesn’t just go through the motions of inspection but combs through the crawl space, wires, plumbing, fixtures, attic, and insulation, everything interior and exterior but also gives you detailed report of his findings. And believe me, if it is going to be an aggravation, dangerous or costly repair to the potential home owner, you want Ken there to point it out to you and help you understand the magnitude of the problem.
Now on the flip side:
You know Ken works for you. So when he gives you a clean bill of health on the house, it means that you have truly found home sweet home!
Happy house hunting!
Audrey Pukash
Chapel Hill side of Durham
We hired Ken on a recommendation from our closing attorney when we purchased our first home in June, 2000. It was one of the best moves we made in purchasing our home. We’ve also had several calls and engagements with Ken since then.
Since the original house purchase was our first (and hopefully last) home and since it was also a For Sale by Owner situation, we asked Ken for two things when we hired him:
1) Ensure the home inspection goes smoothly so we would close without significant conflicts; and
2) Give us a thorough review of any and all issues we needed to discuss with the sellers.
Ken was completely thorough in his evaluation. He made it clear what we should focus on as big issues, and what was optional or could be handled in due time. He invited me to climb under the house with him and he explained potential issues with moisture in our exposed crawl space and he showed me how to judge the craftsmanship of our home. From the bottom of the house all the way through to the attic and roof, he was clear and concise in explaining what he was looking for, what he saw, and what would likely need to be done in our situation. He also gave us suggestions on regular maintenance which would keep the house is the shape we bought it.
His thorough review gave us the right level of detail to have a fair discussion with the seller about correcting, or providing compensation to us, for solving outstanding issues he identified.
Next, within eighteen months, as Ken had suggested, we decided to put a new roof on our house. A new roof is substantially expensive and the quality of the roofing firms varies dramatically. To help us get the right quality job for the price we were to pay, we again hired Ken to help ensure the job was done right. Ken came out at the beginning of our roofing job and explained to our roofer what he expected and what he would look for in the work. After the initial discussion, Ken stopped by once during the work process as a preliminary check and then again at the end of the job to give us his evaluation.
He asked detailed questions of the roofer—questions which we were frankly not knowledgeable enough to ask. For instance, while we asked if the roofer had insurance, Ken wanted to see the insurance policy (very smart move!). He also explained the nailing method he expected for the shingles. Ken was always fair and honest with the roofer. The roofer told us this was the first time anyone had ever hired an inspector to review his work and he thought it was the smartest idea he’d heard of.
I can tell you that we slept much better after the roof was done, knowing that Ken gave it a positive inspection. By the way, his fees were a fraction of the roofing cost—but I’m sure added immensely to the quality. When the roofer knew he was going to be inspected—I’m sure he double checked his own work.
Finally, we have run into Ken many times over the ensuing 3.5 years. He always patiently answers any questions we pose like how to buy a water heater or garage door opener.
We’ll keep working with Ken and would recommend him to anyone. In fact, we expect to engage Ken, as we did with the roof, to inspect some extensive renovation work we’ll be doing at our home in 2004.
It is our belief that Ken’s fees were more than returned many times over as he ensured that we got the quality work we wanted on our roof—and through his home inspection I’m confident that he gave us a fair inspection and position to negotiate with our sellers.
Ken’s a professional. He knows a great deal about our community-the builders in our community and what issues to watch out for in a home. He’s the right man for the job.
Brian Law
We were thrilled with the inspection that Kenneth Tabak performed for us. My husband and I felt that he was extremely meticulous in his process. We are new to Raleigh and needed the assistance of someone trustworthy. Ken was our guy! I would highly recommend him to anyone in need of sound advice and reliable information when purchasing a home.
Sincerely, Liz McKee
Ken,
We received your report and will read it carefully. We can't thank you enough for your thorough inspection and all the valuable information you have given us about our (hopefully!) new home.
Kira & Paul Frediani
Chapel Hill, NC
Ken was great. He called right away. Was on time; early in fact; did a thorough job. Is a very nice person. Very informative. Seems to know his business well. Good communicator. Called to confirm app. the day before. It was a good experience.
Nancy Cammack
Burlington, NC.
KEN
I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH YOUR INSPECTION HELPED IN TOUGH NEGOTIATIONS WITH A REAL ESTATE BROKER AND OWNER.
WITHOUT YOU SUCH A CLOSING WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE. YOU ARE THE BEST IN YOUR FIELD AFTER WORKING WITH HOME INSPECTORS IN 5 STATES.
THANKS A MILLION
BENNETT AND DANIEL MCRACKAN
Ken,
I won't hesitate to provide an enthusiastic recommendation for your services to anyone in the market for a home inspection. Thanks for your help.
Ben Levenson
Carrboro, NC.
Ken,
I wanted to thank you for the inspection that you did on Thursday. You were very informative and I appreciate how thorough you were. Most of all I liked how you wanted Katie and Abe to understand the process and kept asking them if they had any questions. I have worked with other inspectors in the past and they haven't shown as much interest in their clients. I will definitely recommend you to others.
Great website too!
Luke Skare
FM Realty
919.906.1683
lskare@fmrealty.com
Hello Ken -
I enjoyed meeting you at Dominic & Sarah's inspection of 25 Ringwood Ct. I appreciate you going the "extra mile" and dressing Dominic up in a pair of your overalls and a face mask so that he could accompany you in the crawl space knowing that this is such an exciting time for them and their soon to be "new responsibility" of owning a home.
I will definitely be calling you again as well as placing your name on the list of "Professionals" I give to my clients.
Thank you again.
Gail Peluso
Fonville Morisey
Durham, NC
Hey Ken,
Congratulations on completing your video. I think it's a terrific idea and I hope you make lots of money and can retire soon. ( I can hope for you anyways.) I've had to put my house hunting on a back burner due to not knowing if I'm losing my job, etc. If I don't move though, I am going to refinance and fix my place up. You were so right about getting people to come out and give me prices. What a nightmare. I wish you all the best with your new product, I predict it will be a big seller. Everyone should have one, even if you're not moving, just to help you keep your house in shape. Good luck.
Debbie High
Durham, NC.
Thank you Ken, for sending your summary so quickly, we will review it. Celeste and I really appreciate having the benefit of your extensive experience, and I know you identified some critical items that we would never have known about. Thanks to you we can get the builder to fix them!
Best regards,
Mick H.
Raleigh, NC
Ken provided excellent service when he conducted inspections to the townhouse I had planned to purchase. The service was great because he was very responsive, professional and executed the inspection in a meticulous manner. He has taken care of my interests in a way I myself could not. Working with Ken is getting not only a good service, but also a good experience.
Thanks again as always.
Kevin Tong
Charlotte, NC
Why is it that you are not well liked among unscrupulous agents???
I thank you for the thorough work that you do. I like dealing with you because I know that you have ethics and you abide by the same rules as I do…. We take care of our clients in the best way that we can.
Have a great weekend.
Mary-Ann de Leon, Realtor
919-638-0408 Office
919-287-2872 Fax
Ken,
Thanks for the quick turn-around. Also, thanks for making the process easy for a first-time buyer. Your attention to detail and comprehensive answers were much appreciated!
Thanks,
-Jeff
Hi Ken,
I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful job you did today. I know this is quite routine for you but having you walk around and tell us all the little stuff and explain things to us was quite helpful for me/us.
Thanks!
Pree.
Kenneth,
I just wanted to thank you for the outstanding service and advice. I have forwarded the results to my Realtor. I'll post one of your cards in the snack area of my office. I'm located in the Europa Bldg in Chapel Hill.
Jeff DeWitte
Hi Ken,
You are very welcome. We were very impressed with your inspection of our house at 1000 Camden Lane, and have been extremely grateful for the time, effort and care you put into the inspection. We have now been in our home for 1 year exactly, and are very happy. We appreciated your attention to detail, and educating us about our house in the process.
Hence, we have been telling a lot of friends in the area about your work! I am very glad for Jeff that he decided to work with you - he's getting the best service for an extremely important project.
Nice to hear from you.
Best wishes,
--jay.
Kenneth,
Thanks for your follow-up to my questions, I truly appreciate your time and very quick response. I actually purchased your inspection video from amazon.com back in February of this year, positive feedback was also left
for your account. The fact that you took the time to answer my email so quickly shows your good character. I actually just completed another positive review of your video on amazon.com as it is well deserved (go check
it out). Again, I just want to say that I appreciate your help and information; your advice will definitely help me to be a better, more informed home inspector.
Best Regards,
Kal
Hello Ken,
Your card was a nice reminder of your help in inspecting our home several years ago. I have acted on your recommendations and will continue to keep an eye on the things you pointed out so they don't deteriorate again.
I've done additional water abatement work, putting decorative garden brickwork between my uphill neighbor's property and mine. During heavy rains, his surface runoff went straight through my yard. Now it's channeled along the brickwork and into a piece of 4" PVC out toward the street. No more flash floods in our yard since then. I really appreciated your expertise with our water problems. One of these days, when the roof needs replacing, I'll contact you to see if you have someone in particular to recommend and use you to review any work done.
Also, since the HVAC system is probably the original - installed when the house was built in 1987 - it'll probably need replacement too some time soon. Most of the machinery is in the attic so I guess that a technician would disassemble the old components and bring them down the ladder one at a time, and do the reverse with the new components. If you can recommend someone to do the work and can review the work, I'll contact you when the time comes.
Thanks again for your professional help in things I still know very little about.
Gary Granath
Hi Ken,
We were very satisfied with the inspection of our home prior to purchase. You have knowledge about homes and repairs that we do not have and we were able to negotiate some repairs before closing that would have been an out of pocket expense for us after purchase if we were unaware of them. We would and have recommended you. Thanks again for a job well done.
Charles and Patricia Bishop
Ken has performed two separate home inspections for us in the last couple of years. The first was when we were preparing to sell our home. His report allowed us to make necessary repairs to our home prior to listing and get top dollar. A second inspection on a new home we were purchasing gave us a comprehensive report to provide to the builder, allowing us to make sure we got items corrected properly. He found things we wouldn't have thought to look for, and thereby saved us a lot of money in both cases. We definitely recommend TBK Inspections before you buy or sell your home.
– Eric & Bobbi H, Rolesville , NC