My name is Thomas Herbst I am a Home inspector in Merrimac Ma area. I started Clayton Home Inspections in 1994 with the purpose of providing a thorough home inspection in Merrimac 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. In addition, I’m not just talking about having a Home Inspection license. I’m also talking about having the genuine experience as a Contractor who has overseen multi-million dollar house constructions. Anybody can get a Home improvement license.
If you want to find some of the best home inspectors near me in Merrimac 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. Also, 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 damage
This 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.
Exterior
I’m also examining the walls/siding, fascia’s, rake boards, soffits, and windows. I’m also checking the structural integrity of the building. Inspecting for structural integrity and safety. Inspecting underside, as well (if possible). 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 roof and Making sure the attic is appropriately vented and insulted. Also Examination support system and for signs of water infiltration and Inspecting chimney (if present) and making sure there is a sufficient amount of insulation.
Interior
Also Walls, Floors, Ceilings, Doors & Windows Inspection. The State regulations only require that we operate one door and window per room. I go well beyond that.
Kitchen Inspection
State regulations do not require us to inspect appliances. I do not inspect and operate dishwashers, ranges, microwaves and trash compactors.
Bathroom Inspection
Inspect plus operate all toilets, sinks, tubs, and showers, checking for leaks and proper functionality. Also, inspect any exhaust fans.
Basement Inspection
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. Inspection of oil tanks is not mandated by the State but they are certainly included in my home inspection.
Cooling System Inspection (Temperature-permitting)
Inspect and operate all cooling systems in-season (ie: condensers, compressors, evaporator coils, heat pumps, etc.).
Plumbing System Inspection
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.
Electrical System Inspection
Extremely important part of a home inspection from a cost standpoint, as well as safety. In addition Inspecting all electrical panels and Ensuring proper grounding of an electrical system. Also Inspecting all visible wiring throughout the building for loose and/or exposed wires. The State regulations only require us to check one outlet per room. I go way beyond that.
Termite Inspection
I am actually 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
Merrimac is a small town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, and on the southeastern border of New Hampshire, approximately 34 miles (55 km) northeast of Boston and 10 miles (16 km) west of the Atlantic Ocean. Incorporated on April 11, 1876. It is along the north bank of the Merrimack River in the Merrimack Valley. The population was 6,338 at the 2010 census.[1] Historically a manufacturing center, it has long since become a largely residential community. It is part of the Greater Boston metropolitan area.
Settled by the English in 1638 as a part of Salisbury and later as a part of Amesbury the village of Merrimacport, known through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as a agricultural and fishing community, with a small amount of shipbuilding. Amesbury separated from Salisbury in 1666, Merrimac was referred to as the West Parish of Amesbury, or simply West Amesbury, although it was unincorporated. A border dispute between the Massachusetts and New Hampshire colonies settled in 1741, the new border sliced off the parts of Amesbury that were further from the Merrimack River, with the area then associated with West Amesbury becoming the “new town” of Newton, New Hampshire.
In the nineteenth century, benefiting from a manufacturing boom following the establishment of the first planned industrial cities in the United States, nearby Lawrence and Lowell, Merrimac known worldwide for its horse-drawn carriage industry. During this period, the town proper of Merrimac, centered around Merrimac Square, expanded separately from the village of Merrimacport. In 1876, Merrimac, including Merrimacport, separated from Amesbury and officially incorporated itself as a town. Also the town river that runs to southern border, are named for the American Indian tribe occupied the region.
“Merrimac” (or Merrimack) means “swift water place” in the language of this tribe. This town center consists of the typical brick buildings and Victorian architecture of the late nineteenth century, and surrounded by much of the town’s population. Interstate 495 now divides Merrimacport from Merrimac. At the beginning of the twentieth century, as with the rest of the New England, it went through a period of deindustrialization as the region’s industry relocated to the Midwest. The communities of the Merrimack Valley, including Merrimac, particularly affected by this long period of economic decline and have never fully recovered.
Today, Merrimac is a typical small New England community. Went through numerous growth spurts in the 1990s and the beginning of the twenty-first century as it was absorbed into the Greater Lawrence metropolitan area.