Why choose us?
Choose A Certified Home Inspector
Why Choose Chestnut?
I started Chestnut Property Inspections, LLC to serve people by inspecting their homes as though I was going to live in them. I am a professional consultant and certified home inspector who gives my clients the most accurate and helpful information for their money, with the highest degree of competence possible. Honesty, integrity, hard work, focus, competence, personal service, and continual learning describe how I try to live my life, and how I promise to do business.
Because the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania does not license home inspectors, it’s important to know that the inspector you hire is qualified. Since there is no licensing, a person who doesn’t have a clue how a house works can call themselves a home inspector. That doesn’t describe me at all. I have earned the title Certified Professional Inspector from the InterNACHI School, the only home inspector school that is accredited by the U.S. Department of Education. I operate according to the Pennsylvania law governing home inspections, and I carry the required types of insurance (Errors and Omissions, General Liability).
We are a veteran-owned company, so we’re dialed-in to detail. You will get my full attention and effort while I’m inspecting your property. I limit my schedule to a maximum of two inspections a day, which means I won’t rush through your inspection to cram more work into a day. You’ll find that I am thorough, but I’m not nitpicky. With my training and tools, I’ll tell you as much as I’m able to observe about your house.
CPI is first-time homebuyer friendly. I am particularly good at breaking down complex issues (radon, for example) and helping you understand them. You should be excited to buy a house, not nauseous because you fell into a money pit! I will give you the confidence that you know what you’re getting into.
I guarantee you that I will treat you just as fairly, or better, than I would like to be treated. The Golden Rule is the center of my business. It’s the only way I know how to do things. That’s why our motto is:
The Best Inspection Every Time!
Meet the Owner/Inspector
I’m Derek Pearsall, the owner of Chestnut Property Inspections, LLC. I’ve been interested in houses for as long as I can remember. My dad was a plumber, and I started working with him when I was 12. That’s also when my parents bought a new house and renovated it. My dad and his friends in the trades showed me how to do lots of things, from laying block, to framing walls, to helping with the roof. As a young kid, I was fascinated by the way a building works, and I still am.
My experiences made me want to be an architect, but life often takes you places you don’t expect, and I ended up joining the Army, which I loved. During my 21-plus year career in the military, I was able to use the skills I learned early on. I even developed new skills out of my curiosity, fixing and renovating the houses we lived in. We went all over the world, and I got to see how buildings and houses worked, in countries with buildings much older than we see in the U.S. That experience really informs how I inspect houses now, because I’ve seen, and actually lived in, more than the standard East Coast American approach to building. I loved it so much that I went into residential and light commercial renovations after the military. I’m also in the process of renovating my own mid-20th century home.
Because my motivation is to help people get the best information about a potential home, I consider myself to be a professional consultant that works in the area of home inspections. I’ve developed the fascination I have with houses, through experience and intensive training, into a way to help people who are buying or selling their own home. I chose this occupation because I enjoy digging into houses, and I love helping people. I voluntarily go far above the annual continuing education requirements. I am very curious by nature, and always learning. I especially love inspecting old houses. While there is more work involved, each house has a unique history and story that is compelling to me.
By inspecting your home as if I were going to live in it, I’m carrying on my father’s legacy of hard work and professionalism, humility and honesty, and dedication to my craft and my clients. I would love to be able to help you in your journey to buying or selling your home!
Qualifications
To ensure that I can give you the highest quality inspection, I provide guarantees and have earned certifications in the following areas:
Certifications acquired through home inspector training from InterNACHI®
Service Area
We serve Allentown, Carlisle, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, Pottsville, Reading, York, and their surrounding areas in Central Pennsylvania. Contact us with questions or service outside these areas. Additional fees will apply to houses built prior to 1945 or over 50 miles away.
