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Home inspection
Home Inspection in Annapolis, MD
Annapolis runs from a colonial waterfront core to condo towers in Eastport, and your inspector reads each one on its own terms, then writes up exactly what needs attention.
Read client reviews Licensed and insured inspectors Serving Annapolis and all of Anne Arundel County
What we check in an Annapolis home
The inspection follows the same 12 areas, from the roof down to the grounds, within the agreed scope and safe access available. It is visual and non-invasive: finishes are not removed, and personal belongings are not moved. Select an area to see what is checked.
- Range, oven and wall oven run normally
- Dishwasher, disposer and microwave run
- Kitchen exhaust fan and the dryer vent exit
- Service entrance, meter and main disconnect
- Panels, breakers, grounding and bonding
- Sampled outlets and switches; GFCI, AFCI, smoke and CO detectors
- Siding, flashing, trim, eaves, soffits and fascia
- Every exterior door and a sample of windows
- Walkways, driveway, stoops, porches, decks and railings
- Foundation walls, slabs and the basement
- Any accessible crawlspace
- Signs of movement, water penetration and wood touching soil
- Vehicle door and opener on their normal controls
- Auto reverse and photo eye safety sensors
- Walls, ceiling, floor and the fire door into the house
- Grading and drainage at the foundation
- Retaining walls and vegetation against the house
- Downspout discharge, walkways, driveway and steps
- Heating and cooling run on their normal controls
- Energy source, method and thermostat location noted
- Visible ducts, filter, condensate drainage and equipment condition
- Floors, walls, ceilings, stairs and railings
- A sample of doors and windows opened and closed
- Accessible attic: insulation depth, ventilation and framing; fireplace and damper
- Sink, faucet, drain and disposer run
- Dishwasher connection checked for leaks
- Cabinets, drawers, counters, floors, walls, ceiling and exhaust fan
- Main water and fuel shut-offs located
- Water heater, its venting and TPR valve; pipe materials
- Every toilet flushed; every sink, tub and shower run
- Coverings, flashing, vents, skylights and chimney
- Gutters, downspouts, eaves and rake
- Roof structure from inside the attic where accessible
- Visible framing, beams, posts and joists
- Masonry walls and the chimney structure
- Settlement signs: cracks, out of square openings, unlevel floors
Every inspection follows a written standard of practice. Need additional testing? Explore radon testing, termite inspection, mold testing and water testing, then confirm your selected services and timing when booking.
Add a package to the inspection
Three packages built around the home inspection. Package prices are for the add-on services only and are added to the inspection price. The savings are against booking the same services one by one.
Home Essentials
The perfect starting point
Home Advantage
Most popular for homebuyers
Home Enhanced
The ultimate peace of mind
Warranties must be requested when you book, not after the inspection. Radon and thermal imaging can also be added on their own. Read more about each package.
What a home inspection actually involves
No jargon, no surprises. Here is the whole visit, start to finish, so you know what you are booking before you book it.
You book, we confirm
Online or by phone, in a few minutes. Your agent can book for you. Add radon, termite or a package at the same time, and we confirm the appointment with you before the visit.
The walk-around
Roof, siding, grading, decks, the garage and the grounds first. The inspector photographs what they find as they go, so the report shows you exactly where each item is.
Systems and accessible spaces
The inspector checks accessible electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling components and operates equipment with normal controls when conditions allow. The report identifies areas that could not be inspected and any recommended follow-up.
The walkthrough and the report
You see the main findings in the house itself. The written report follows online with photos, priorities and what to do about each item.
Annapolis homes, harbor to Murray Hill
Annapolis holds a small historic core, the working streets of Eastport, and the settled blocks of Murray Hill within a few minutes of each other. A rowhouse near the harbor, a cottage with a rear addition, and a condominium unit each raise different questions, so the inspection starts by confirming which kind of building is actually in front of it.
Cellars beneath centuries-old finishes
Many houses near the harbor sit on brick or stone foundations built long before modern waterproofing, with a cellar that was never meant to be finished living space. The inspection reads the foundation walls for cracking and movement, checks the cellar or crawlspace for signs of active water penetration, and follows the roof covering, flashing and gutters to see where rainwater actually goes once it leaves the roof. Where a residence sits above a ground-floor shop or office, the inspector notes what the unit's own electrical panel, plumbing fixtures and heating equipment cover, separate from anything shared with the floors below.
The City of Annapolis publishes historic district boundaries by street, so a buyer can confirm before closing whether a property's exterior work falls under the city's design review rather than ordinary permitting alone.
Additions behind harbor cottages
Eastport's working waterfront grew into a dense mix of cottages, rebuilt bungalows and newer infill, many carrying a rear addition or an enclosed porch built after the original construction. The inspection follows an addition to the point where its framing meets the original house, tests the electrical panel and a sample of outlets and switches, runs the plumbing fixtures for drainage, and opens the attic access where one exists to check insulation depth and ventilation. A garage door and its automatic opener are tested on their normal controls wherever a garage is present.
Anne Arundel County's own septic testing program notes that the local water table runs highest in February, March and April, which is when a low crawlspace near Eastport's shoreline is most likely to show dampness.
Home inspections around Annapolis
Annapolis sits in Anne Arundel County, and the same inspectors cover the whole county. Every place below has its own page.
Annapolis home inspection, no fine print
The questions Annapolis buyers ask about the harbor, condos and older houses.
Is Annapolis its own government, separate from the county?
Yes. Annapolis is Anne Arundel County's only incorporated city, and it is also the county seat and the state capital, running its own permitting and historic district review apart from the county. That distinction matters for where a permit or a historic-approval record is filed, not for the visit itself. The same inspectors, the same scope and the same pricing serve Annapolis and the rest of the county, so give the full street address when you book and the paperwork will point to the right office.
What does an inspection cover in an Eastport condominium?
Your unit and what serves it directly: the electrical panel or subpanel, plumbing fixtures, heating and cooling equipment, windows, doors and interior finishes. A shared roof, hallway or building exterior belongs to the condominium association rather than to one owner, so those elements sit outside a single-unit inspection. Ask the association for its reserve study or recent repair records before you close, since that tells you more about the building's condition than one unit's inspection ever could.
Does a waterfront lot near the harbor need anything extra?
The inspection itself does not change: the same walk through the roof, foundation, crawlspace, electrical, plumbing, and heating and cooling still applies. What changes near the water is what the inspector is watching for, since a low crawlspace close to the harbor sits nearer the water table than a house set back several blocks. A dock, bulkhead or pier is not part of a home inspection and belongs to a separate marine survey if you want one.
Should I add radon testing to an Annapolis inspection?
It is worth considering for any Annapolis address. Anne Arundel County does not publish its own radon program, and the EPA's zone map is meant to guide broader planning rather than predict one specific house, so the agency recommends testing every home regardless of its mapped zone. A standard home inspection does not include a radon test, but it can be booked as a separate add-on for the same visit, with results reported on their own timeline.
Should I be there for an older Annapolis house's inspection?
It helps, especially in a historic house, where cellar access, an old addition or a converted upper floor is easier to picture once you have seen it in person. You are welcome for the full visit or just the walkthrough near the end, where the inspector covers the main findings before the full written report follows online. Your agent is welcome too, and either of you can ask questions as the inspector moves through the house.
What should I prepare for a home inspection in Annapolis?
If the property is in a historic district, keep available alteration records with the condition report. Tell the office about separate buildings or waterfront features requiring a scope discussion.
Explore Our Inspection Reports
- HD Photography
- Commentary & Recommendations
- Grading Scale
- Repair, Safety & Maintenance