Plymouth, MI Home Inspections, From Historic Homes to Postwar Builds

A town with real history in its housing

The City of Plymouth has some of the oldest housing in western Wayne County. Near Kellogg Park and in the Old Village area you'll find homes from the 1800s and early 1900s. Two Victorian-era houses on the National Register of Historic Places stand out: the Italianate Henry W. Baker House from 1875, built for the president of the windmill company that later became Daisy, and the Charles G. Curtiss Sr. House from around 1890. Most Plymouth streets are not museum pieces, though. The city also has plenty of early twentieth-century homes and postwar houses, and the surrounding township added newer subdivisions.

Inspecting a century-old house

Older homes reward a patient inspector. In pre-war houses we look for remnants of knob-and-tube wiring, undersized electrical services, and two-prong outlets, and we recommend an electrician's evaluation and an insurance check when we find them. We check fieldstone, brick, or block foundations for movement and moisture, old cast-iron and galvanized plumbing, chimneys that may need relining, and framing that's been cut or notched by decades of remodeling. Lead paint and asbestos-containing materials are possible in homes of this age. We'll point out suspect materials, but lab testing is a separate service.

Inspection scope: For any homeowner, whether you're buying, selling, or simply maintaining your home. Our home inspection is a visual inspection of the home's readily accessible systems and components.

Newer Plymouth homes need attention too

Postwar and later homes bring the usual Michigan list: basement seepage, sump pump age and operation, roof condition, furnace and water heater age, and exterior drainage. We tell you which findings are typical for the home's era and which are unusual for it.

Thoughtful advice for historic properties

If you own or are buying a home in or near a historic district, check with the city before changing windows, siding, or other exterior features. We're not a historic commission, but we'll flag items that may require approval so you don't get surprised later. Our handyman service can handle small repairs, and Cozy & Clean can get the house ready for showings or for moving in.

Services for Plymouth homes

• ICA certified home inspections
  For any homeowner. A visual inspection of readily accessible systems and components.
• Light handyman
  Inspection-report fixes and punch lists.
• Small engine repair
  Mowers, snowblowers, generators, and more.
• Cleaning coordination
  Move-in and move-out cleans with Cozy & Clean.

Also serving: Livonia · Westland · Canton · Farmington Hills · Novi · Redford · Dearborn