CSI: California Structure Inspectors

This was my first experience with a home inspection. CSI came as a referral from my agent and I couldn’t have been happier with the experience. Hugo was extremely professional, easy to talk to, tech savvy, and helped explain every little detail to me. He makes his reports available online, which I found to be extremely convenient. I couldn’t recommend his company and services highly enough.

They missed a ton of details, and it’s caused issues after the sale. I rely on professionals to do a detailed job, and to review everything of importance. Like anything, the most important skill is in the details and this was lacking, but so was the big picture. Below is a list of items that were missed in the inspection. Read carefully, some are huge issues that I am still dealing with.
1. Mold in 3 spots in our house that we had to have professionally remediated
2. Rats living under the kitchen cabinets — huge infestation and clear areas where they were coming in and out, and we could smell it when we moved in
3. 3 out of 4 step lights that are built into cement steps were rusted out and didn’t work — these are expensive to replace
4. The fridge built into the grill area was no working, and had not been working for quite some time. Not sure how a major appliance was missed.
5. Master bedroom toilet leaks, with water damage to base boards. We noticed the leak the first day we moved in.
6. About half of our wired landscape uplighting was broken, and never pointed out. Also, very expensive to fix each one
7. Microwave oven that is built into the range had rust on the inside. The white coating had peeled off and there was a large rusty area, which is really unhealthy. It wasn’t noticed because the microwave «worked». These are expensive since it’s built into the range.
There is more but I think you get the picture. At the end of the report there are just a few pages with pictures, but no notes — clearly it was somebody who was too lazy to put notes as to what the pictures were for, or they simply didn’t care.
So now I am in the process of getting all of this, and several other items, fixed. I must point out that I have 2 little kids — 2 and 4 years old. They were subjected to the mold and rat infestation, and this points out how a bad inspection can affect your wallet, stress level, and the health of your family.
I have pictures, reports, and documentation for all of this.
Update 2÷23÷16
I am seeing no accountability from the response from CSI, just more excuses. The mold that we found was visible in the kids bathroom and could be smelled as soon as we moved in, and the 2 other placed where it was found wasn’t blind luck — it was from visual inspection of water damage. We didn’t open up the whole house to find it, it was targeted based on what was readily observable.
Yes, the real estate agent replaced the fridge because she felt bad, and shouldn’t have recommended CSI in the first place. Should it matter who replaced the fridge? Nope — it should have been caught in the inspection.
The bathroom baseboards in the master were absolutely damaged before we moved in. We have proof of this that both realtors will agree on. The baseboard damage would have been a reason to suggest possible mold issues, but that was never done.
Nobody said to get a mold inspection, in fact I brought this up and it was discouraged by both realtors — so you are simply lying there.
The rat infestation was smelled when we first moved in, but just recently discovered because I thought I was smelling mildew. I would expect a thorough inspector to notice these things and have a hunch on the cause. Nobody ever suggested a rodent inspection.
The picture of mold in the kids upstairs bathroom was from after we moved in, and I can include that information from a professional but we that will come in our demand letter from our attorney, which is coming shortly.
Lastly — I need to point out that I called a meeting, which you accepted and then declined to attend on 10÷2÷15.
We have only been in the house 6 months by the way, and all of this documentation goes back to just after we moved in.
Just a long list of excuses, zero accountability and zero care for a customer.

Hugo and his crew did another outstanding inspection on a duplex that we plan to purchase. This is the 5^th time that we rely on their service and they exceeded our expectations again. They were punctual, very thorough, friendly, and knowledgeable. We are very grateful for their support and when it is time for our next property, we will be sure to call them again.

IAris and his son used a Flir thermal sensor to check heat output and leaks. They operated a camera drone to check the roof which was pretty high. Very knowledgeable on all the strange setups around the property and aware of safety issues with my windows and took action to remedy them. Definitely will recommend Aris to my friend and family. Thanks!

After talking with Hugo and 3 or 4 other home inspectors I choose Hugo based upon I reviewed a copy of one of his inspection reports (very extensive with many photos), his overall knowledge, and his professionalism. Hugo was a little more expensive than others but he was worth it.
Hugo and 1 of his inspectors spent 3 hours going over the entire house from top to bottom. Hugo even flew a drone to check out the condition of the roof and the tiles. The next day I received a 81 page inspection report, including many, many photos showing specifically all of his findings. I am a very detailed person and perfectionist (I don’t like to admit to it). I had high expectations and Hugo expected my expectations. (This very rarely happens.)
I know a lot about houses and home repairs. I was very surprised on how many things Hugo found needing repair. After sharing the inspection report with the seller and the listing agent, the seller decided instead of doing many of the repairs themselves, we agreed on a reasonable credit from seller to buyer to offset the repair costs.
If you want an in depth inspection with a high quality report, Hugo is the guy to call.

I can not begin to express the quality, thoroughness, expertise shown by CSI. From start to finish the process was organized and dependable. I called to make an appointment and was met by an office worker who explained the process, gave me a reasonable quote and helped us get our inspection done in a timely manner. As we all know the escrow period can be stressful, time sensitive and pressured. Aris and the kind crew at CSI made this process as painless as possible. They came to the house and were extraordinarily punctual and personable. They inspected every corner and every detail to ensure a detailed, honest, thorough and quality inspection. I was able to ask questions and inquire about any/​all concerns and was met with respect and I. Depth explanations not rushed or brush offs. We had used another company for our prior home purchase and the report was not detailed and everything was «in great condition» until we moved in and then everything broke down.
With CSI, the report was clear and concise, there was no glossing over problem areas and this means we know exactly what to expect.
If further inspections were necessary, Aris and his men let us know of the options (ie) pool or further electrical inspection or sewer line etc…
There are no hidden truths and we are so pleased with the work and confidence CSI offered us at this time in our lives, making an investment with a feeling of preparedness and knowledge.
Thank you to CSI and we absolutely recommend this company to anyone needing a house inspection.

I have used them a few years ago with great thorough service. This time around has been a very disappointing experience. Since escrow closing and the current tenant moving out, have found an old leak under the bathroom sink and all the appliances are falling apart. Called CSI to try to resolve this issue. Got a call from Hugo after I called and spoke to Candy almost everyday for a week and multiple emails. He said that there was no leak in the pictures taken, asked to have the picture sent to me and I still haven’t received it. He also said that someone will be out for a second inspection, I never received confirmation. Tired of trying to work with these people and will never make that mistake again.

Awesome! I wouldn’t recommend anyone else to do my home inspection. He used the flir and found water leaks that could bot be seen with the naked eye. He doesn’t use scare tactics and explains what needs to be done to fix a problem. HIGHLY recommend.

CSI was AWESOME! The inspector showed up 30 min early and very prepared. He walked us through every detail and was very very detailed about the whole process. I would highly recommend them and use them again. Thank you guys! We know that home inspectors range in quality and have had our fair share of shoddy ones.

We are so glad that we hired CSI do a house inspection for us. Hugo did a wonderful job. He inspected every corner of the house and actually encouraged us to follow him. He talked to us through out the process, answered our questions.
He was able to find a lot of things that we were completely unaware of and had not factored in the cost while making an offer on the house. Following the inspection we showed the seller the inspection report and brought to their notice the repairs that the house needed. As a result, we were able to negotiate a lower price.
Hugo was very professional, the report he created was very very informative. He even included the pictures of the issues he found. what a great service!

this review isn’t for an actual inspection but the entire interaction I had with this company — more than 5 stars. it’s soooo refreshing and shocking when a business takes customer service to this level, honestly… you just don’t get that a lot now adays. anyway…
we called CSI for a home inspection for our first house since all the other amazing Unilocal reviews. We got our offer accepted last Friday and are in a short 7 day inspection contingency period so we needed to rush not only the inspection but the summary report since if the general inspection yield specific issues, we want to hire out for more specific inspectors and therefore need to schedule the first one literally this monday. i called monday at 9 and reached candy who was MORE THAN ACCOMODATING, explaining everything and trying to get in touch w/​the inspector i requested, hugo. unfortunately, hugo wasn’t available until the end of the week which would’ve been too late for us but recommended another company whom they trust and personally got me in touch w/​the inspector.
AMAZING!!! she assured me repeatedly through texts that the recommendation would be more than satisfactory and to be confident to book them instead. Honestly, the whole time i was on the phone w/​her, I never felt rushed or annoyance or any attitude that I’m so used to getting now adays. Thank you guys soooo much for your impeccable customer service and recommendation!

I highly recommend Hugo and his team at CSI. Unlike most people, I hired Hugo to inspect an apartment complex with over a dozen units. Needless to say its much more difficult to inspect than a single family home. Nonetheless, he knew what to look for and would points things out as we went (even though it would be in a report later on). Hugo is extremely professional and customer oriented and I truly felt that he had my best interest in mind. Hugo was knowledgeable in all aspects of the inspection process from electrical, to structural, plumbing and HVAC.
Bottom line– with his thorough inspection, I was able to negotiate for a lower purchase price. Hugos inspection easily paid for itself in all the money I saved. I will definitely use his services again for the next property I purchase.

Long overdue review for CSI which Hugo did the inspection on the house we bought in Yorba Linda last October. Hugo went above and beyond, very thorough inspection (even using a «drone» to inspect the rooftop) — so much so that the (previous) homeowner’s broker (agent) was rather upset since she believed what Hugo found as dysfunctional and damaged apparatus, appliance, etc. was outside the «normal» inspection’s parameter.
It was to our advantage, however, which I’m thankful for because we have the leverage in negotiating with the seller. Thank you Hugo — great job!

This review is long over due but I feel it is well deserved. The inspection process was new to us and didn’t know what to expect. Hugo did a great job right from the jump explaining what he is looking for and why. We had some issues with our agent not being at the inspection while the listing agent AND the owner were both there. Not a problem right? Well no, not until the listing agent kept interrupting and trying to speed up the inspection. She was coming back and forth asking if we were almost done and why it’s taking so long. Completely rude. Hugo was a professional and even advocated for us since our agent wasn’t present stating this is typically the time it takes to inspect an 1800 sq ft home. We were barely 1 ½ hours into the inspection. The minute after Hugo gave us the inspection summary the listing agent bolted out the door, jumped in her car and sped off. No wonder she kept trying to speed up the inspection. Needless to say the sale fell through due to other issues.
We are still in the hunt for a home but I am 100% certain I will be contacting Hugo for our home inspection when we find one.

This was our second time using CSI for home inspection and Hugo was professional, met all our needs, and got the job done in a timely manner. He was very knowledgeable and helped us understand every important aspect of our home inspection. Very satisfied with CSI.

Hugo is amazing! I was originally going to go with my broker’s inspector, who ended up not being flexible with his scheduling. When another agent suggested Hugo, he was not only flexible but CHEAPER than the other 3 companies I called.
In addition, he is super friendly, knowledgeable, and takes care of us as the client. He makes it known that he does NOT work for a realtor (even though he is a realtor himself) to give the buyer the most informative report as possible. He is neither there to persuade or dissuade but to help us make the decision that is best for us. He also gave us home owner tidbits that were good to know for any house we decide to purchase. I learned so much with Hugo and also felt comfortable with his inspection, the information he shared, and the advice he dispensed.
If the deal with the house we are in escrow falls through, I am calling Hugo to inspect my next house. We might even ask him for advice for non-​inspection questions in the future!

My fiancé and I are looking to buy our first home and we were looking at a quaint home in Upland that was built in 1912. Obviously we had our concerns about moving into a home that is this old, so it was necessary to have a thorough inspection. After an extensive search for quality home inspectors, I was actually given a recommendation for CSI from another home inspection group.
I called CSI and a very nice and professional receptionist named Candy answered the phone and scheduled a meeting time that worked with my crazy schedule.
The inspector’s name was Hugo. He arrived early and started early. He also didn’t mind that I was hovering over him for the whole experience. To him, my presence was another opportunity to educate a client on how to protect themselves.
Hugo came well equipped with a thermal imaging camera to check the air conditioning, the heater, and other areas potentially water damaged in the past. He also had moisture detectors to tell if there were current moisture problems.
When all was said and done, he discovered many problems that would have bankrupted me and my future wife, or forced us to live in an unsafe home with the potential to fall over with any seismic activity.
Oh, and did I mention that it had rats living in the roof, there was a gas leak in the back, the wiring was a fire hazard, and the entire back addition was not attached to the foundation!
Thank you CSI for saving us! I will use you for all of our local home inspection needs!

This is not my first time buying a home, but it is my first time buying a house, which is a very different experience than buying a condominium.
Josh from CSI was extremely thorough in his inspection, and very clear in his explanations of what needed to be done immediately, in the short-​term, and down the line.
He made me feel confident and secure in buying a home and by making himself available for FREE consultation from here on out, whether I was going to make improvements, repairs, or maintenance, he made the whole process all that much less intimidating.
Highly recommend this family-​owned busines.

They deserve 0 star. That 1 star belongs to the receptionist Candy. She was very nice and accommodating over the phone.
The inspection took about an hour. Majority of the time the inspector was taking pictures. No high tech tools/​instruments. The inspection was very BASIC and not thorough at all. You can learn more from Google.
After we moved in. These were the issues:
No proper drainage system in the back yard. It flooded with the rain this week. What a disaster, we just moved in 2 days. THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT that they missed. Sprinkler system was also damaged. Heater doesn’t work in one of the room. 3 broken window frames. Kitchen sliding door was missing the lock, couldn’t close properly; door handles were also loose. Some Light bulbs were dead but didn’t indicate in the report (we pointed those out during the inspection and requested to put in the report which it didn’t…yet, when I spoke to the owner he blamed that it happened after the inspection)
Good luck trying to talk to the owner. He’s very defensive. He has excuses for everything. Right the way he blamed on the builder. No genius!!! Who doesn’t know that it’s the builder’s fault but that’s why we paid you $ 399.00 for the inspection and relied on your expertise. Then he went on and said that I should call the builder because under California’s law the builder provided warranty of 10 years for the house. WHAT??? Where did you just get or make up that so call «law». He’d say anything to refuse that’s not their fault.
I’ll end this reviews with some of the direct quotes from their blog, you be the judge: «…It means that no matter how good an inspector is, he will miss something.»…“No home inspection guarantees that any home is free of defect.” (They have absolutely no pride in your company and the work that they do).
…“what is in the eyes of the client, a really big issue. It’s not!!!” So lightly for you to put it that way. When you wrote these did you even consider how it would feel for a new home owner, a first time buyer, or someone’s lifetime of savings to get their dream home and have so many problems due to your lacking of knowledge and detail. Of course, you don’t because you’ve already taken the money and who cares what happened to someone else’s home right?
I would not work with or recommend this company. If you don’t want to spend the extras $$$ and all the unnecessary headaches don’t hire them.

My Husband and I recently went through CSI for our home inspection. I made the appointment on Friday late afternoon, and Candy was able to schedule an appt. for the next day, Saturday 2pm. Candy was very professional and gave us the information we needed.
Our Inspector Aris Lopez was awesome to work with! He definitely knows his stuff. He said he has been doing this for 18yrs, and it shows in his work. Aris was very thorough and knowledgeable. His friendly demeanor made both my husband and I feel very comfortable.
I am so glad that I went with CSI and that Aris was able to inspect our future home. He didn’t hold back on things he found and he made it very clear that he was there to present the facts and to make sure that safety came first.
Thank you Aris! We need more people like you who genuinely care about their job and the people they are servicing.