“It is my pleasure to recommend Pillar to Post.  I used the company both to inspect the house we were purchasing and to do an inspection on the house I was putting on the market.  The inspection on the house to which we were moving reassured us that we had made the right decision.  The in-depth information was extremely helpful.  We still refer back to the packet when making decisions about updating the house.  The checklist included is also very helpful.  I chose to have Pillar to Post inspect the house I was selling in order to avoid any surprises during the sale.  Because of this inspection, I was able to correct a few problems that might have slowed down the sale of the house.  I have recommended the company to both family and friends, and I will continue to do so.

-Terri F.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Pillar to Post did an absolutely outstanding and thorough inspection of the home I bought.  Tom is incredibly thorough in his ability to identify issues and suggest their solutions.  I trust Pillar to Post and Tom Recke and would certainly recommend them to any home buyer in this area."

- George G.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 “This was my first home buying experience, and I'll admit I was nervous about the inspection.  Tom was great, though.  He was incredibly thorough, noting everything from the slant of the land around the house to the vents in the attic roof.  He checked every outlet and all the plumbing, and I really appreciated the time he spent explaining the foundation and concrete damage to me.  I also am grateful that he went so in depth with regard to my wiring and fuse box--he had a lot of info on the manufacturer that wasn't in his inspector training. 

  I know he has a passion for what he does--it shows in all the research he does into the products used in the homes he inspects.  He even gave me insight about the trees in the yard and how much they contributed to the value of the property.  In the end, Tom left a binder with a detailed report, recommendations, and CD on home repairs.  I would not hesitate to recommend Tom and Pillar to Post to any of my friends buying a house.”

- Liz v.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 “We have owned other homes and undergone different home inspections.  Pillar to Post is by far the best home inspection agency we have used.   Tom was very thorough.  He looked at everything (even though we were buying a brand new home).  He found a few minor problems which were promptly corrected.   More importantly, he conducted a radon test, which showed our brand new home had high levels of radon.  

  Armed with the detailed information he provided, we were able to get this situation corrected quickly and to our satisfaction.  Tom is a very detail oriented person, who provides all the answers to your questions about your home.   We would never buy a home without Tom to do our home inspection”

- Doug V.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  "Pillar to Post was recommended to me by a friend, to perform an inspection on what would later come to be my first home. Not only did Tom patiently explain things to me as he went through and checked everything out, but he also provided recommendations on things I should do if I ended up buying the house in order to make it safer and more secure. A year has passed in this house, and no big surprises have come up, and I'm pretty confident there will not be any. I would definitely recommend Pillar to Post to anyone."

- Sarah H.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Mr. Recke inspected the prospective home that I wanted to buy.  He was very professional and thorough.  He took the time to explain everything that was inspected and the results; as well as, answered each and every question that I had.  He explained things to me in "layman" terms so that I would know exactly what he was talking about.  He also supplied me with a notebook that explained everything inspected the results of the inspection and photographs of the areas of concern.

The notebook also contained extremely informative "fact sheets" concerning everything from roofing to the expansive soils, a seasonal maintenance checklist and a section to organize and record dates and costs of home improvements, property taxes, heating costs, water usage, etcetera.  I read all of the information contained in this notebook and find it an invaluable tool; as well as being extremely informative.

I would recommend Mr. Recke to any of my family and friends that wanted a thorough and high quality home inspection.”

- Valerie W.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Thomas did an exceptional job with our home inspection.  He was knowledgeable and professional.  I appreciated all of the information that he offered and was impressed by the detail and follow-up that he provides.  I have already recommended him to a friend that is buying a home and will continue to do so in the future. “
 
- Ben A.

 love working with first-time home buyers!  I feel blessed to be included in their home buying process and I don't take this responsibility lightly.  The ability to connect with people is a huge asset in this profession.  I take pride in my knack for treating each client as if they were the my only client on the planet!  I have seen inspectors show up wearing jeans, smoking a cigarette, and actually using profanity in front of their clients.  This isn't the way I choose to run my business.  How I operate my home inspection business is crucial to my family and the people who continue to refer me!

I am a member of ASHI (The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), founded in 1976, is North America’s oldest and most respected professional society of home inspectors. ASHI’s goals have always been to build customer awareness of the importance of a quality home inspection and enhance the professionalism of home inspectors.  ASHI is a non-profit organization!), the Denver Better Business Bureau, the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, MoistureFree Warranty, the Exterior Design Institute, and the Aurora Association of Realtors.

Pre-Purchase Inspections for Buyers

The professional home inspector visually examines the readily accessible systems and components of a home and operates those systems and components utilizing industry (ASHI) Standards of Practice. The client is encouraged to attend the entire inspection. Areas to be inspected include:

• Property & Site
• Exterior & Garage
• Roof & Attic
• Basement/Foundation/Structure
• Heating/Cooling systems
• Plumbing Systems
• Electrical Systems
• All bathrooms and fixtures
• All kitchen and built in appliances
• All interior living spaces

Upon completion of the inspection, a computerized Inspection Report including digital pictures of defects is printed on site and presented in the Pillar To Post Inspection Report Binder, which also includes a seasonal maintenance checklist, home file system for important papers/receipts and a Home Depot Home Repair CD-Rom.

We inspect residential single and multi unit homes, townhomes, apartment buildings, and commercial office/retail buildings.

Pre-Listing Inspections for Sellers

In preparation of listing a home for sale, the inspector will visually examine the readily accessible systems and components of a home and operates those systems and components utilizing industry Standards of Practice.  At the completion of the pre-listing inspection, ten individual "Feature Sheet" packets will be generated consisting of an outline of both the GOOD ("Asphalt roof covering appears to have been installed within the last three years.  The entire roof system appears in good shape and functioning as designed with no evidence of deficiencies or differed maintenance issues."  and the bad ("Hot water heater is nearing the end of its typical life expectancy.  Budget to replace the unit in the next few years.") - BOTH the good and the bad points will be summarized with the accompanying digital photographs and placed in a high quality folder with your business card!  Ten of these "Feature Sheet" packages will be generated and left with the seller in addition to the full inspection report as outlined above.  After the inspection is complete, a tasteful yard sign will be left with the property indicating a pre-listing inspection has been completed - and that the seller is committed to ensure NOTHING stands in the way of an offer!

Indoor Air Quality Testing

This valuable service will provide the client with important information about the air they will be breathing!  Multiple air samples will be collected from inside the subject property in addition to a control air sample from the property exterior.  These samples will then be sent to an AIHA (American Industrial Hygiene Association) Accredited lab for full analysis to include; mold spore count (ALL Fungi), pollen, rust, insect fragments, dead skin cells - pretty much everything floating around in the air.  I use a local AIHA lab so test results will typically be available within 72 business hours of sample collection.

EIFS/Stucco Testing & Evaluation

Following a strict EDI (Exterior Design Institute) and Moisture Free Warranty (www.moisturewarranty.com) inspection protocol, the subject property exterior system will be fully inspected and evaluated for moisture penetration concerns.  The inspection combines both non-invasive and invasive testing techniques (wall scanning for moisture and physically probing through the exterior covering to the sheathing beneath the stucco material).  Based on the findings of the EIFS Inspection, maintenance and correction recommendations will be made in a detailed computer-generated report including digital photographs of the problems identified.  The detailed EIFS/Stucco inspection report is typically avaliable within 72 hours of the inspection.

Radon Testing

Testing is performed using EPA protocol for home sellers and buyers. A continuous radon monitor (CRM) is placed in the home for a 48 hour minimum testing period by a trained radon tester. A Sampling Report is issued with the radon levels by hour and an EPA Overall Radon Average for the sampling period.  The radon gas report is typically emailed the day of collection (at the end of the 48 hour testing period) unless earlier arrangements are made and I can set up the test before the inspection, in which case I can collect the monitor and print out the results at the home inspection.

Limited Mold Sampling (air/swab)

The purpose of Limited Mold Sampling is to detect the presence of mold in Client defined areas of the Subject Property. Mold samples will only be collected from requested areas; no screening services are employed with limited sampling.

Mold Clearance Inspection

The purpose of a mold clearance inspection is to assure that the mold cleanup has been done correctly and effectively in the work area and to confirm that the cleanup did not accidentally distribute high levels of moldy dust and debris into other building areas or into its mechanical systems such as heating or air conditioning systems. To avoid conflicts of interest, mold clearance testing should never be performed by the mold remediation contractor or by someone with any connection with such contractors.

Re-Inspection

A visual examination of areas to be determined by the client designed to evaluate whether work requested in a contract addendum has been completed in a satisfactory manner. A copy of the contract addendum and the client, or the clients, representative must be present during the re inspection. A re-inspection report will be issued at the conclusion of the re-inspection.

Proudly Serving Aurora and Centennial East of Parker Road in addition to Bennett, Byers, Strasburg, Deer Trail, Foxfield, and Watkins.

In the spring of 2005, my wife Tamara and I purchased the Pillar To Post franchise territory encompassing Aurora, Centennial east of Parker Rd., Strasburg, Bennett, Byers, Deer Trail, Watkins and Foxfield.  Since then, we have earned the trust of buyers, sellers and real estate professionals and have grown into the only Full Service Inspection Firm in Aurora, CO by offering professional residential home inspections, commercial inspections, EIFS/Stucco Inspections, radon gas testing, indoor air quality and mold testing (both air and swab), mold clearance letters, Home Tune-uP energy surveys, EDR Neighborhood Environmental Reports, and water quality testing. 

The purchase of a home is, for most of us, the largest and most important decision we will make in our lifetime. It is vital to make your decision based on non-biased and accurate information obtained through an in-depth inspection of all major systems and components of the property you are considering purchasing prior to the actual purchase. It is imperative that the inspector you use has a solid knowledge of components and systems that make up both residential and commercial properties. It is also important that an inspector is honest and open, communicates effectively and can offer recommendations based on what he may find during his inspection. A good inspector will give you the tools and information you need to make the right decision.

My objective as an inspector is to have you walk away from the inspection knowing the strong and weak points of the property, being aware of exactly what it is that you are about to buy with no last-minute surprises. I use state-of-the-art equipment including moisture meters, temperature sensors and carbon monoxide and gas detectors. The report I will provide you with, which is delivered on site, contains detailed photographs of problems, covers nearly 1600 items, and gives you the knowledge that you need to make a fully informed decision. I encourage you to attend the inspection with me for a few reasons; it's important to me that you are confident that you are getting the best home inspection money can buy and you FEEL comfortable with possibly heading back to the bargaining table with the tools for a successful home purchase. It is also very important to me that you see and completely understand the mechanics behind your home, the good and the bad.

You will come to learn more about the house that you are thinking of purchasing than you might with someone less experienced, at a lesser price, in the hurry-up home inspections that some of my competitors offer.  Please call anytime with your questions or to set up an appointment for an inspection.  I look forward to working with you to make your home purchase very successful and problem-free!