Reviews
Mark S
Project: Test for Toxic Materials & Mold
Comments: Great
Pawling, NY
Beverly B
Very professional service. Took a personal interest in our problem.
Bronx, NY
PVV
HNST Mold Inspections was professional, offering suggestions and the report results were received back quickly and information included in the report was totally explained. I would highly recommend them to all.
Bergen County, NJ
Anne C
We had discovered a roof leak and were certain our home had been compromised with mold in places only a tiny camera could find. H.N.S.T could have told us we were inundated with mold and mildew and we would have handed them the equivalent of a blank check to remedy the situation. Fortunately, within two days, the test results indicated spore levels were within a normal range. We had no reason to worry. At the time, they were unaware that they were giving us a second opinion, the first company having told us we were riddled with poisonous toxins and recommended invasive and expensive work. John Skelly and H.N.S.T put our fears to rest. We are grateful and found their honesty to be beyond reproach. We recommend them with high praise.
Westchester County, NY
Sue T
John came right on time and was very pleasant to work with. He explained everything in detail and spent a good amount of time testing and checking for mold. He did the air sample test, emailed me the results, and was available to explain things to me that did not make sense. He is easy to get a hold of, knowledgeable, and friendly. His price was also very competitive! Since the work was done awhile ago, i cannot exactly recall what i paid but it was very competitive. I would highly recommend him.
Sue T Rockland County, NY
Chris C
IF YOU VALUE THE HEALTH OF YOUR FAMILY, DO NOT TRUST OTHER COMPANIES FINDINGS - CALL HNST! after another company cleared my family to move back into our NYC apt after a flood, I called John at HNST to get a second opinion and I couldn't be more grateful that I did. what HNST uncovered & the other so called professional missed was unfathomable. clear visible black mold wasn't evident to me not the other company hired by our apt building, but John uncovered it almost immediately, is incredibly professional, never cuts any corners and most importantly - makes certain your residence will be safe for your family!
Chris C New York City, NY
Giorgio D
John came out to check the house on very short notice, was very nice and accommodating despite the fact that I was a little late. The house inspection was very accurate and thorough. John took the time to explain his findings to me and the previous owners in a very clear manner, answering all manners of questions. Knowing that the situation was quite complicated - new owners, old owners, insurance companies, and poor remediation by previously hired company, John delivered a report in the midst of a long holiday weekend. The report also included the necessary steps and procedures to be followed in order for a proper and final remediation to our mold problem. Guess who's going to be asked to perform our follow up inspection?
5/29/2017 Tarrytown, NY
Joe L
Informative, thorough and reliable. Addressed all of my concerns and was very honest with his opinion and next steps. Very comfortable from start to finish and didn't waste time trying to sell anything.
I would definitely recommend HNST to anyone who is looking for an inspection.
Description of work:
Inquired about symptoms and history with the house. Took apart heating unit and fixed broken connector. Checked every single room and took photos to help identify area of concerns. Made several suggestions on how to remediate.
4/06/2015 Rye Brook, NY 10573
Ginger B
I got John's name from Angie's list and got in touch with him on just the great reviews he received on here. I got in touch with him through here and he got back to me right away. What a nice, honest, sincere person. The minute I met him I felt very comfortable with him and knew right away that I would use his services. He inspected the basement for mold which he did find. Not much mold but enough to see it on the molding. After asking him if he could recommend someone (he did not offer the names - I asked for them) he gave me the name of two people that I could contact. I contacted three people and finally went for one of the recommendations he suggested (who was also great by the way). From start to finish it took about two weeks time in total - once the remediation was complete, John came back and did an air quality test which came out fine. If I ever need this type of work done again in the future (I'm hoping I'm not - no offense John) - I would definitely use him again. He was great! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
Description of work:
Came to inspect my basement for mold after a minor flood.
5/19/2015 Suffern, NY 10901
Anne G
John thoroughly inspected our entire home, identified the precise location of the mold issues, drafted a perfect report with testing included. No question that we are sleeping better at night knowing exactly what issues we have going on in our home and how to address them. John couldn't have been more professional, pleasant to work with and very thorough. Highly recommend his trusted work! Money well spent.
10/27/2015 West Orange, NJ 07052
Mitch S
After a general inspector suspected mold in a house I was planning to buy, I found HNST on Angie?s list and John came right away. John is extremely knowledgeable, honest, and professional. He only inspects and does not sell any products or have any interest in a remediation company. His inspection was very thorough (see above for work done), and he made sure all my questions were answered. After he inspected, I emailed and called John several times with follow-up questions, and he was always very responsive and helpful. John?s follow-up visit was scheduled for the day after remediation was complete. The day before, John became sick, and he asked if it was possible to come one day later, but if not he would still come. I told John that even though I was on a very tight schedule to get in the house, his health is more important and he should wait an extra day to come. But he decided to come anyway as scheduled, because he didn't want to inconvenience me. He showed up a few minutes early, did a very thorough job, and didn't leave until he was sure all of my questions were answered. Again, after his work was done, I emailed John with questions and he was very responsive and helpful. During a time of stress of moving into a new house, it is refreshing to work with John, who is truly looking out for my best interest. Considering all the effort and time John spent with me during his visits and after, he is an incredible value! I recommend HNST most highly without any reservations: A++ !
Description of work:
1) Initial Visit: a) Mold inspection of entire house, attic, crawl space, and outdoor drainage; b) Swab and air samples for lab testing; c) detailed report including pictures, lab results, and mold remediation procedures.
2) Follow-up after remediation by independent 3rd party: a) inspection of remediator’s work; b) several air samples and lab results; c) clearance letter and pictures.
11/04/2015 Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Jessica K
Recommended purchasing a HEPA vacuum rated for abatement such as Nilfisk to clean up shoddy work done previously by mold remediator. Found mold in window a/c units and recommended replacement. Overall offered advice for how to get the house clean because a member of the household has been extremely sick since moving into the house and finding black mold in the basement.
Description of work:
Mold inspection of house
12/12/2015 Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
Roy B
John was very profession and punctual. tested 1st and second floor for mold and air quality . Very accurate and detail oriented and answered all questions thoroughly about test results. Would use John's company again for air quality testing.
Description of work:
Provided mold and air quality testing and inspection.
1/27/2016 North Haledon, NJ 07508
David T
Description of work:
Inspect basement
4/27/2016 Hastings On Hudson, NY 10706
Michael Q
John was great! We had been given a quote for some work from a company that just looked at the mold and recommended an extreme amount of work that seemed excessive ( well, I hoped it was). I got a recommendation to have the mold tested and I found HNST on Angie's list. John told me on the phone that the location that I described meant it was very unlikely that it was the very toxic type of mold and that it was unlikely that the mold would be in some of the other areas that the other company had said needed to all be ripped out. He described why, and after doing some research, it made sense. So, i asked him to come check it out.
John came to my home right on time, he did the inspection. He really knows his mold! His explanation and recommendation made sense. Basically I just had mold due to condensation on my roof sheathing. He tested the mold and confirmed the type and wrote a nice report that explained how the mold should be remediated. It is an allergen, so it should be removed, but it isn't the ridiculous "black mold" that people really go batty over (for legitimate reasons I think). He also made some recommendations of how to get to the root cause so the condensation would not re-occur in a significant way. I am an engineer so I nerded out on this stuff and did a bunch of research. John's recommendations all made sense and could be corroborated. On top of all this, he is a super nice guy. His stuff about trying to be fair and objective, ( I can't remember the whole writeup that he has), all that stuff... it is true!
I cannot recommend HNST enough! It is such a pleasure to work with scientifically minded, objective, fair people. Thanks to John, and to Angie's list for this!!
Description of work:
John came and inspected our attic for mold, including sampling the mold to identify the type
6/05/2016 Chappaqua, NY 10514
Robin S
John was very professional, honest and reliable. We would absolutely recommend his service.
Description of work:
We had a mold inspection.
8/20/2016 Pearl River, NY 10965
Elias B
Mold test completed
9/04/2017 Westwood, NJ 07675
Robert A
Went smoothly and explanations were clear
Description of work:
mold evaluation and testing
1/04/2017 Stony Point, NY 10980
Betty M
I highly recommend John for his knowledge and professionalism. I definitely would use him again if the need should arise.
Description of work:
John Skelly was needed to do a mold assessment on a property. It was requested by the mortgage company in order to approve the mortgage for my buyer. I called him, he can out the next day and was very professional and knowledgeable. He furnished the report in a timely fashion. My client was very impressed and pleased.
2/04/2017 Nanuet, NY 10954
Monica C
I retained HNST to perform an inspection because of all of the positive comments from his previous customers. I was not disappointed. John was very professional and knowledgeable, answering my questions in language I could understand, and providing me with information on how to effectively remediate the mold issue in as cost-effective a manner as possible. I highly recommend HNST's services.
Description of work:
I knew that there likely was mold throughout the home, but didn't know how extensive or potentially harmful it was.
2/8/2017 New City, NY 10956
Devin D
Great. John was quick to respond to our inquiry and came to evaluate our home the following day. He was very knowledgeable and offered many good suggestions and tips.
Description of work:
Mold inspection in our home.
5/4/2017 New City, NY 10956
Robert S
The experience was wonderful. My wife and I are looking to buy a property and found mold to in attic of the house we want to buy. John was very quick, and a wealth of information. He went throw each and every detail of the mold remediation process with me. John was a true professional and would highly recommend him!
Description of work:
Test of possible mold in attic
5/17/2017 Brewster, NY 10509
Steven K
John was so easy to deal with and a complete professional. Super responsive, showed up on time and performed a very thorough inspection, checking every nook and cranny. Clealry takes care and pride in his work and it shows. Asked him for a recommendation on a dehumidifier and he emailed a link with his pick the same day. If you need a knowledgeable and professional mold inspector who will do a great job, look no further.
Description of work:
Needed to have our new house inspected for mold.
7/4/2017 Grand View-on-hudson, NY 10960
Angie's List A+ Member Comments
Member Comments:
John showed up on time, was very professional and thorough, and answered all of my questions. He was even able to get me the air sample test results the next day. His quick and effective service was very reassuring to me.
Member Comments:
He found some mold in both air conditioners but otherwise felt there was no mold problem. John was very knowledgeable about building materials and how mold grows on them as well as how to remove mold if it is seen. He explained that it is the unseen mold that is more of a problem, but not all mold is really dangerous, unless if you are allergic.
I feel confident in his report, and believe him to be knowledgeable and trustworthy. I would certainly use him again if needed.
Member Comments:
John performed a thorough mold inspection to help us identify the cause of a musty odor. After several types of testing, including thermal testing of walls to identify potential wet spots, he concluded that we do not have mold but did give us several suggestions to help properly maintain our a/c system, ductwork, and drainage to ensure we do not have any issues in the future.
Member Comments:
Excellent. John was extremely professional from the get-go. Allowed me ample time on the phone, answering all my questions prior to even set up our first appointment. When we settled on a date and time, John showed up promptly and gave my property a thorough inspection. He probably spent 1.5 hours visually inspecting every crack and crevice for evidence of mold, and also used moisture detection tools and humidity monitors to help determine if there was water leakage and/or excess moisture. John then took 4 air samples and would send them out to a lab for analysis.
When the results were in, John both called me and sent a detailed email explaining the results, and then wrote up a remediation protocol for the Mold Remediators to follow. It is important to note, HNST Mold Inspections is an "inspection only" company. They do not do any remediation work (though John has experience in that field in the past). This is important because it eliminates any conflict of interest that can occur in companies that do both testing and remediation. John is working for YOU and only YOU.
So John wrote up the remediation protocol and then offered assistance in vetting the companies I was choosing between. He is willing to offer opinions, but will not outwardly push you to select a certain vendor, so that he remains impartial.
Once I selected a vendor for the remediation and the work was complete, I had HNST return for a post-remediation assessment. I would also highly recommend this to anyone having mold remediation. At first glance, the remediators did a good job of removing the visible mold.
However, the follow-up air samples showed continued elevated levels of mold that required additional remediation work. Had I not had this additional testing done, my family and I would still be breathing this toxic air. John continued to work with and answer questions for myself and the remediators until the process was done and my home passed a post-remediation assessment.
I would absolutely recommend HNST Mold Inspections if you suspect you have a mold problem. John worked tirelessly for my family and took a personal interest in seeing my home mold free prior to us bringing our new baby home from the hospital. He works with integrity and is knowledgeable, kind and trustworthy. A++++
Description Of Work:
He came on time and conducted what seemed to be a thorough mold inspection. The report was comprehensive and I was able to call him later to follow-up and ask questions. I like that he doesn't also do treatment, which guarantees no conflict of interest. There are a lot of shysters out there doing mold treatment. It's important to do your homework. I ended up having the city do treatment through a Sandy Recovery grant. The company that did the work, 911 Restorations, was excellent!
Member Comments:
When I called late on a Friday afternoon, John answered the phone right away. He asked a lot of questions so he could get a good idea of what I thought the problem was, what space was like, etc. so he could give me a good estimate. Then he clearly explained (with the right amount of detail) what he would do, what it would cost, what the next steps might be depending on what the tests showed. He arranged to come first thing Monday morning and showed up on time. He did exactly what he said, gave us a preliminary idea (thank goodness it was clear), and the formal 20-page report with lots of test data came a few days later via email.
Member Comments:
John performed a thorough mold inspection to help us identify the cause of a musty odor. After several types of testing, including thermal testing of walls to identify potential wet spots, he concluded that we do not have mold but did give us several suggestions to help properly maintain our a/c system, ductwork, and drainage to ensure we do not have any issues in the future.
Member Comments:
John is very professional and courteous. He made contact with me the same day that I made the initial inquiry. He was prompt and responsive on all levels. He took pictures as well as samples and explained to me what he was doing and why. True to his word he turned up when he said he would and provided me with the full report in record time. I would highly recommend his services and would use him again if warranted
Member Comments:
John Skelly is a skilled professional in Mold Evaluation and Remediation. John knows the mold inspection and remediation industry inside and out. I wish I had contacted John before I purchased my house instead of paying a home inspector that really had no idea about mold inspection and remediation although he claimed to be an expert as part of his report.
Well, better late then never!! John did a complete diagnostic on my house, crawl space, attic, garage and even the landscaping drainage as it pertained to potential mold issues.
John took samples of suspect findings and sent to an independent lab for analysis. I received the lab results in a week and John provided a detailed review of the lab analysis. Moreover and most importantly John provided a complete remediation plan that I assure you that most people cannot do. John explained the situation and remediation without scare tactics. Please note John is an independent professional and while he will provide service /remediation recommendations if you ask he encourages you to find your own remediation’s professionals. Furthermore, John was there for questions post the analysis, which was very much appreciated.
After having an issue I did my research - The main difference between John Skelly and most people in the industry are 1) John is highly skilled and knows the industry and mold review and remediation on a very technical level. 2) John is not trying to sell you a ‘job’ and 3) John provides a detailed solution plan and is there every step of the way for you so you can move on with your life.
Do yourself a favor, if you are thinking about buying a residence, selling a residence or are in a current residence with a potential mold concern hire John Skelly for an honest knowledgeable independent analysis so you understand and have a game plan for a remediation.
Member Comments:
I highly recommend using HNST. John was knowledgeable, professional and honest. I was very impressed with how long he spent on the inspection. John only does mold inspection, not remediation which I really liked. We got our results in a timely fashion and John answered all our questions. John was a pleasure to work with.
Member Comments:
HNST returned call in one day. Set up an appointment and was on time. Explained on phone and in person how samples were taken. Had test results back via email at the time stated.
Member Comments:
John called me ahead of time to tell me he would be a little late and apologized when he arrived. He was very thorough in his inspection by going up in the duct work and also took some photos of the areas. he really took his time to explain everything. He said it would take about 3-4 day's for the lab results and I received the lab work 3 day's later. I would highly recommend them to anyone.
Member Comments:
I moved into a condo a few months ago and the prior owner recently installed a stand-up shower in the master bathroom which has a tendency to leak water out the front door. Several weeks after moving in, while I was cleaning the master bathroom, I noticed that the tiles toward the back of the shower were discolored. I called HNST because I liked the fact that they only did mold testing and not mold removal, and therefore, had no motive to “discover” a mold problem. I spoke with John, the owner. He was very polite and knowledgeable and was available to come and do the testing a few days later. He arrived on time and was extremely thorough and detail oriented. He was also very patient and willing to answer all of my questions. I will definitely use HNST in the future if the need arises and I would highly recommend HNST to anyone that needs to test for mold.
Member Comments:
John came right on time and was very pleasant to work with. He explained everything in detail and spent a good amount of time testing and checking for mold. He also tried to come up with explanations as to where the water source may have come from to cause the mold, even if some of them did not seem possible-- (mouse urinating constantly in the garage may have caused a wet wall?)I still appreciated his insight and ideas. He did the air sample test, emailed me the results, and was available to explain things to me that did not make sense. He is easy to get a hold of, knowledgeable, and friendly. His price was also very competitive! Since the work was done a while ago, I cannot exactly recall what I paid but it was around the price I listed- which was very competitive. I would highly recommend him.