My name is Thomas Herbst I am a Home inspector in Manchester Ma area. I started Clayton Home Inspection in 1994 with the purpose of providing a thorough home inspection in Manchester Ma so, homebuyers can feel good about moving into their new home. Prior to that, I was in construction since 1979. I started from the ground up and have a Pest Certification License over many years and Certified Wood destroying certification for many years now and retained my pest license and Home inspector License ever since.
This knowledge and Experience is useful when inspecting the structure also electrical system, plumbing system, heating system and looking for signs of active insect or damage, as insects can cause significant damage to a house. It is highly unlikely that you will find another home inspector with that much experience in House construction and pest damage Identification, along with that much experience in home inspections. Now, I’m not just talking about having a Home Inspection license. I’m speaking about having the genuine experience as a Contractor. Anybody can get a Home improvement license.
If you want to find the best home inspector near me in Manchester Ma, you certainly need to do some research. There’s nothing worse than moving into a house and then recognizing that you need to drop $10,000-50K into it immediately, all because of an unskilled home inspector.
First, go to the State’s Board of Home Inspectors’ website and make certain the inspector’s license is still effective. Next, check the inspector out at the Better Business Bureau. Check for complaints and read any reviews that may be posted.
Don’t go for the inexpensive home inspector. In this industry, oftentimes you usually get what you pay for. Whatever you’re spending for that house, it’s a lot of money and searching for a home inspector with a “bargain-basement hunter’s” mentality is certainly not the right method. Hope to hear from you soon.
Water is a significant part of a home inspection, as water is a home’s “worst adversary”. I am additionally inspecting the gutters and downspouts to safeguard they are taking the water far enough away from the structure.
I’m also examining the walls/siding, fascia’s, rake boards, soffits, and windows and I’m checking the structural integrity of the building. Inspecting for structural integrity and safety. Also Inspecting underside, as well (if possible)and Examining the condition of the roofing material (ie: shingles, etc.). Also inspecting vent pipes, exhaust vents, and skylights.
In addition Confirming fundamental reliability of the roofing and Making sure the attic is appropriately vented and insulted. Also Examination support system and for signs of water infiltration. Inspecting chimney (if present) and making sure there is a sufficient amount of insulation.
Walls, Floors, Ceilings, Doors & Windows Inspection. Although The Home Inspection State regulations only require that we operate one door and window per room. I go well beyond that.
In addition Home inspection State regulations do not require us to inspect appliances. I do not inspect and operate dishwashers, ranges, microwaves and trash compactors.
Inspect plus operate all toilets, sinks, tubs, and showers, checking for leaks and proper functionality. Also, inspect any exhaust fans.
Ensuring structural integrity, looking for signs of water penetration and also inspecting bulkheads.
Inspect and operate all boilers, furnaces and air handlers. Making sure each room has a heat source. Although Inspection of oil tanks is not mandated by the Home Inspection State but they are included in my home inspection.
Inspect and operate all cooling systems in-season (ie: condensers, compressors, evaporator coils, heat pumps, etc.).
Inspect plus operate all plumbing fixtures. Observing for leaks in supply and drainage pipes everywhere. Inspecting there are no clogged pipes (backups). Water heaters are inspected.
Extremely important part of a home inspection from a cost standpoint, as well as safety. In addition Inspecting all electrical panels ensuring proper grounding of an electrical system. Also Inspecting all visible wiring throughout the building for loose and/or exposed wires. Although The State regulations only require us to check one outlet per room. I go way beyond that.
I am also looking for any kind of insect damage (ie: carpenter ant, termite, etc.) My 15 years (previous) experience as a contractor along with my 24 years experience as a home inspector simply cannot be matched. If you or someone you know has more experience than me in each of these two fields (and can prove it) then I will gladly remove this claim.
Well water test
This test is highly recommended for any house with Well water. I can test for up to 26 items in the water (ie: bacteria, lead, iron, VOC’s etc.).
Radon Testing (add’l fee)
Radon
If there is a finished basement or if you plan on finishing it, then this test is highly recommended. There are also other situations that would constitute performing a radon test.
Any Questions?
Call Today (978) 793-1346
Introduction to Manchester, Massachusetts
Manchester first settled by Europeans in 1629 and officially incorporated in 1645. It formed out of territory taken from Salem (that portion since given to Beverly) and Gloucester.
The community thrived primarily as a fishing community for over 200 years. Its economy shifted to that of a Boston area summer colony starting in 1845, when Richard Dana, a Boston-based poet, built a house in the town. Over the next fifty years, development of summer houses along the coastline established the community as Boston society’s community of choice for summer residency. The trend continued with designs by other notable architects, such as “Sunny Waters”, designed by John Hubbard Sturgis for his older brother, Russell, in 1862.
The most famous of these “summer cottages” was Kragsyde, built on Smith’s Point in 1883 and demolished in 1929. Commissioned by George Nixon Black, the Peabody and Stearns-designed residence hailed as the zenith of the Shingle style substyle of the Queen Anne style of architecture.
To prevent confusion with the nearby and much larger city of Manchester, New Hampshire, the name of the town officially changed in 1989 following a close town meeting vote that year and an act of the state legislature passed on September 25, 1989.[2]
The name change driven by Edward Corley, a longtime resident of Manchester.[3] All town documents, and the town seal, now use the name “Manchester-by-the-Sea”, and as a result of some minor resident activism, so do the majority of public and private lists of Massachusetts cities and towns, including that of the state government.[citation needed]