Donofrio & Associates, LLC

Our buying agent in Falls Church, VA (Michelle Lynch of the Keri Shull Team) recommended we use Donofrio Associates for our home inspection. The price did seem a bit high but I did decide to go for all the tests — Radon, Air quality, basic checks. I don’t have a comparison as of yet for other home inspections but he realized I didn’t know the process and was patient. He explained the entire process, and thoroughly explained whatever needed addressing. When I explained to him how he wanted to fix things he made excellent suggestions on how we can further optimize our time and finances. He gave us the full breakdown including things we didn’t even consider to be a problem. We are going to be eating canned tuna for a while because of the cost breakdown I saw in my head to repair everything. However, he did an amazing job to tell me what to consider a priority. I was super happy that he sent us a PDF report that night, and he accepts credit card on his mobile device. I don’t like writing checks so that was an added bonus. We spent a total of 840.00 for everything but piece of mind is worth it.
I recommend you bring a note pad, pen, and just come prepared with a list of questions. He was able to answer every question we threw at him with more information than I anticipated. Great guy as well! Great company! So glad I had the pleasure of working with him during the home inspection process.

Our buying agent in Arlington, VA (Cathy Huynh Realty) recommended we use Donofrio & Associates for our SFH inspection. I was a bit worried about the price but you really do get what you pay for. This is our 3^rd time using a home inspector and I would absolutely recommend this company (just please don’t use them if you’re buying a home I am selling because they don’t miss a step!)
The home we bought was in terrible cosmetic shape and Joseph (Joey) Donofrio found everything wrong with the home. I mean everything. I left the inspection in tears because my dream «fix me up» could turn into a nightmare. But after emotions settled, it was a thankful report because I was able to create budgets and prioritize the work. I guess my Japanese soaking tub will have to wait.
Joey was professional and answered all of my questions weeks after the inspection was finished. I received a very itemized report on the spot, inclusive of pictures. It was great not having to wait for the report as we were up against the inspection contingency window.
I would recommend this company to those buying a home and wanting to ensure how items function. He did miss one light switch not working but the other lights on the same circuit worked so it was an easy miss.
They accept credit cards and it was an easy transaction. Joey answered any questions right there on the spot and looked into items you might have forgot to look at.
They also did air quality and lead paint testing but not asbestos.

As a real estate agent, I think this company is fantastic!
The first time I used them, I had a buyer that needed to have a home inspection done within a 5 day window, and Donna was able to get us in within 4 days! I was nervous because we still needed time to review the home inspection docs, but Jason emailed me the pdf report while I was still standing in the kitchen the same day! My buyers were able to review everything that afternoon and we made the 5 day deadline for the inspection plus the final report.
The next time I called to get a home inspection, Donna said they were booked full, but emailed me back within about an hour and said they had a cancellation and booked my clients right away! Paul showed up to do the inspection and although I was unable to attend with my clients, they said he was awesome and again I had the pdf report while my clients were at the home.
The communication is excellent and Donna always answers her emails within about an hour — weekday/​weekend, day-​night! I’m very pleased with this company and their professional reports that they send out ASAP.
Allison Olson
The E4Realty Group

Ed’s company was recommended by our Realtor to inspect the home we had planned on purchasing. Their report had no major findings, aside from a bathroom fan not working, and some minor siding repairs that needed to be made to the home (aesthetic repairs — none that were overly important). We decided to purchase the home after reading the report.
My wife and I have now been in the home for 18 months, and have had MAJOR issues that should have been identified had the inspection been more in depth than simply flipping light switches in each room, testing outlets, and scanning the outside of the home. As second time home buyers (our first home was new construction), we did not know any better, however we certainly received an unwanted education from Donofrio and Associates.
1. A mere 4 hours after moving into the home, our entire basement flooded. The water was not sufficiently tested during the inspection, since the main water to the home was not turned on during inspection. Upon moving into the home, we turned the water on and went about unpacking boxes and making ourselves comfortable in the new home. This included taking a shower and using the facilities. I went to take a shower and noticed the water was not warm… I went to the basement to turn up the hot water heater, and the entire basement was already flooded with 2 – 3 inches of SEPTIC water. Turns out that the sewer line had multiple roots growing through it, and the simple flushing of a toilet after a #2 caused the entire basement to flood.
We had a remediation company come out after the plumbing was fixed (within 12 hours of the flood), and they informed us that the home had experienced this septic issue in the past, as there was 2+ feet of black mold on the dry wall in the basement. 1 day into our new home, and we had to rip out all of the dry wall, carpeting, and cabinetry around our wet bar. The remediation company informed me that while it is difficult to identify black mold behind the dry wall, it was very clearly visible in all of the wet bar cabinetry and should have immediately been spotted had the inspection been handled appropriately.
2. Fast forward a few months, and we find ourselves with floods 2 and 3 (simultaneously). We noticed that our newly installed foyer hardwood floors were buckling and warping only 2 weeks after they were installed. I called a plumber to see if there was water that was causing the buckling — sure enough, he informed me that the main floor toilet had gasket issues. These issues were caused by the previous home owner replacing the hall closet with a powder room bathroom — a job that our plumber stated was clearly done without inspection, since they had layered 3 different floors on top of each other before putting down the toilet (linoleum, covered by hardwood — unrelated to the new foyer hardwoods since we didn’t do the bathroom, covered by ceramic tile). The gasket never properly fit since they had layered floors on top of one another, and it was causing a slow leak into our sub flooring that was causing the newly installed floors to buckle. We had to rip out the entire bathroom, rip out the newly installed floors, and rip out a section of 10×10 foot ceiling dry wall in the basement because the slow leak had cause (once again!) black mold. While this was ripped out, we had to have mold remediation in the house (think 5 humidifiers and fans going non stop for 2 weeks straight). When this flood was identified, and they removed the dry wall in the bathroom, they also noticed that the previous homeowner had nailed both drywall and floor molding directly into the PVC pipe from the toilet on the 3^rd floor, which had been causing another slow leak (flood 3) causing additional damage to the first floor walls and basement ceiling. We needed to rip out two large stretches of drywall and replace the PVC piping. This would have been caught by any of a number of inspectors since you can clearly see this bathroom was not in the initial floor plan for the house, but was actually a closet at one point.
3. Flood 4 was actually not a flood that happened while we were in the home — it was identified as damage that occurred during the previous homeowners watch. We are currently looking to remodel our kitchen, and upon having different vendors come out to give us quotes, they have all identified a major area of water damage and black mold. After the first vendor identified the issue, I had our plumber come out, and he stated that there is no current leak from the kitchen faucet, nor the dishwasher. I had the remediation company come out, and there are 4 kitchen cabinets that have major rot and mold issues from what was a previous flood. It appears that I will need to replace all of the kitchen cabinets along that wall, the flooring under those kitchen cabinets, and the drywall behind those kitchen cabinets. I also (AGAIN!) needed to cut out a section of drywall in the basement due to black mold.

My husband and I hired Donofrio & Associates for our pre-​drywall inspection and our pre-​settlement inspection for our new construction home in Ashburn.
For the pre-​drywall inspection we didn’t really feel like we got our money’s worth — not because they weren’t able to find much but because we just felt like he didn’t really provide us with any information and he didn’t seem as knowledgeable as our pre-​settlement inspector. Our pre-​drywall and pre-​settlement inspectors were different.
However for the pre-​settlement inspection we had Jason Donofrio who was fantastic. He came early with a digital camera and all his tools for his process. He tested ALL the outlets, went into the attic to make sure everything was in tact up there, he tested the smoke alarms, the air conditioning, the heat, I mean every little thing you could think of. He was very thorough and we truly appreciated his input. He was very nice and answered all of our small questions as first time homebuyers. Luckily there were only a few minor things that he found with the house that needed to be addressed, but his completeness was highly appreciated. To top it all off, the report was sent to us about an hour after he left the inspection site. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate punctual behavior as a client.

Our seller’s agent recommended Ed and Donofrio Home Inspections. For people who only have to go through a home inspection every 5 to 10 years and are already stressed out by the selling/​buying process, the one highlight of the whole home purchase experience would have to be a professional home inspection visit with Ed! He brings a high level of skills, knowledge and professionalism that makes the lengthy inspection process go by quickly. It’s really refreshing to walk through with someone who truly loves his job and wants to make sure you feel comfortable with your purchase. The 20+ page report that was provided on the same day is amazing and will always come in handy for future reference. The pricing was reasonable too, an overall A+ experience.

My buyer’s agent recommended Edward Donofrio, and the home inspection was more than what I had expected compared to the inspection for the house we sold. He had arrived way ahead of schedule in order to get a head start. He had software and digital camera that allowed him to instantly create a computerized report of all of the inspection areas, with the photos and email it to us. He was able to detect most of the defects that we were able to find after a few days of living in our house. He was extremely knowledgeable about the engineering and technical aspects of houses, and it was enlightening to hear him thoroughly explain why a furnace was high quality or the support beams were done right. I would hire him if we ever move again. Thanks, Ed.

I have used Ed on several occasions and my clients always rate him an A. His knowledge is superb, his reports professional and timely. My goal is for the best treatment of my clients. this is why I recommend Ed.
Keep up the good work!

When you pay $ 500, more than the going fee for the area, you expect the very best. a thorough inspection is a top priority when buying a new home to save you money due to hidden issues. Not all inspectors are as good as others even in the same company, but the inspection I had failed to reveal some very trying issues that aren’t cheap that could have been resolved or taken out of the cost of the home. Beware! the NAHI certification isn’t worth a dime. beware of inspectors with this certification*
also they charge almost 4% for using a credit card and they don’t tell you upfront.
*National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI)
4248 Park Glen Road
Minneapolis, MN 55 416
800−448−3942
NAHI allows you to become a member if you send in a copy of an inspection you do for a friend or family member, a copy of a pre-​inspection agreement (they send you a sample if you don’t have one), copies of any other related certificates, licenses, etc. If you score enough points and send in your dues /​fees, you get certified. Examination and continuing education are optional.

Jason and Steve (?) provided a home inspection for our first home purchase, and I was very pleased with their thoroughness and attention to detail. It was great to have 2 people doing the work, as it took less time, but was still incredibly thorough. They answered all the questions I had, took tons of photos, and provided a great, extensive report at the end. The only minor issue I had was they weren’t able to bring their roof ladder (truck broke down), and we were unable to gain roof access that day. They agreed to come back at another time at no extra charge. I would definitely recommend Donofrio & Associates!

Ed and his company are one of the few licensed home inspection companies that also provide structural engineering services. He is very thorough yet not an «alarmist» as we say in the real estate industry.
He is trustworthy and he’ll answer any questions asked as well as offer alternate solutions when necessary.
Ed also diffuses a very stressful event with some humor!

Ed Donofrio inspected the house I am about to buy, and I was absolutely pleased with his services. He was clearly knowledgable and very thorough. I brought an architect/​builder friend along with me, and he too was extremely impressed with Ed’s inspection.
As the other reviewer noted, Ed inspected every single thing about the house, and printed up a very detailed 20-​page report for me on the spot. He brought a helper with him who checked every single window, outlet, and all doors. My Realtor observed that it was unusual for an inspector to have and bring staff along. I was very pleased overall and would certainly recommend his services.
The only «but» I even think of adding is that I felt like the two hours went by so quickly, and it happened so fast (because he checked so many things) that there were a couple of questions I forgot to ask. But that was my fault more than his, and so I happily give him five stars.