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Home inspection
Home Inspection in Arlington, VA
Arlington runs from Rosslyn's condo towers to Westover's postwar bungalows, and the same inspector walks all of it, then ranks every finding so you know what to tackle first.
Read client reviews Licensed and insured inspectors Serving all of Arlington County
What we check in an Arlington 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.
Arlington, a county without towns
Arlington was Alexandria County until March 16, 1920, when the Virginia General Assembly renamed it to end the confusion between the county and the neighboring city of the same name. Unlike its neighbors, Arlington has no incorporated towns inside it: the county government reaches Rosslyn's high-rises and Westover's postwar streets exactly the same way.
Postwar houses, decades of updates
A house in Lyon Village, Ashton Heights, Arlington Ridge or Westover may include an addition or a finished lower level completed after the original construction, so the inspection follows each change to where its framing meets the original structure. The inspector checks the foundation and any crawlspace for cracking or staining, reads the electrical panel and a sample of outlets and switches, tests the heating and cooling on normal controls, and opens the attic to check insulation depth and ventilation.
Arlington was Alexandria County until the Virginia General Assembly renamed it on March 16, 1920, choosing the name of Robert E. Lee's Arlington estate to end confusion with the neighboring city.
High-rises on the Metro corridor
An apartment or condominium near Rosslyn, Clarendon or Shirlington is inspected as its own unit: the electrical panel or subpanel, plumbing fixtures, heating and cooling equipment, and accessible doors, a representative number of windows and visible interior surfaces. Bathrooms and kitchens stacked on different floors often share a plumbing route, so the report notes it where visible, and coordinating access to a shared mechanical room usually goes through the building's own management rather than one owner.
Arlington's own planning history credits local lobbying for an underground Metro line through Rosslyn, Clarendon, Courthouse, Virginia Square and Ballston, rather than a route along I-66 that would have bypassed those areas.
Home inspections around Arlington
The same inspectors cover Arlington and every place listed below, each with its own page.
Home inspections by city
Virginia
Maryland
Washington DC
Arlington home inspection, the direct version
What Arlington buyers ask about the county's government, condos, and older streets.
Arlington has no incorporated towns. What does that mean for permits and records?
Arlington County itself issues every permit and keeps every inspection record, since there is no separate town government layered on top the way Leesburg sits inside Loudoun County or Vienna sits inside Fairfax County. One office handles the whole jurisdiction, so a permit history report for any Arlington address is pulled from the same place regardless of which neighborhood it is in.
Why does Arlington have so many high-rises packed along the Metro?
Arlington's own planning history describes local officials pushing for an underground Metro line through Rosslyn, Clarendon, Courthouse, Virginia Square and Ballston instead of a route along I-66 that would have bypassed those areas. That decision concentrated dense, high-rise development around the stations while nearby single-family streets stayed much as they were, which is why construction age varies so sharply within a few blocks.
What does the inspection cover in a Clarendon or Shirlington condo?
The readily accessible systems and components within your agreed unit inspection: electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, windows, doors and finishes, plus whatever the unit shares directly with the hallway, such as a panel or a balcony structure. The building's roof, elevators, lobby and other shared elements belong to the association rather than to one owner, so they sit outside a single-unit inspection.
My Westover house has a crawlspace. What should I know before the inspection?
Mainly just make sure the access point is reachable and not blocked by storage on the day of the visit. The inspector enters where it is safe to do so, checks the ground cover and any visible moisture, and looks at the framing above it for staining or damage. You do not need to do anything else to prepare beyond confirming access.
Should I plan to attend the Arlington inspection?
You are welcome for the whole visit or just the walkthrough at the end, whichever fits your schedule. Many buyers find the walkthrough alone answers most of what they wanted to know, since the inspector can point at a finding directly in the unit or house instead of describing it after the fact. The full photo report follows online either way.
Explore Our Inspection Reports
- HD Photography
- Commentary & Recommendations
- Grading Scale
- Repair, Safety & Maintenance