Ann Arbor's housing stock is dramatically different from the rest of Southeast Michigan — pre-1950 historic homes in the central neighborhoods, mid-century ranches in the surrounding townships, and a steady mix of student-rental, faculty, and family housing throughout the city. Inspections in Ann Arbor regularly uncover issues newer inspectors miss because they don't know what to look for in century-old construction.
The central Ann Arbor neighborhoods — Burns Park, Old West Side, Water Hill, Kerrytown, the streets around Central Campus — are dominated by pre-1950 homes, many pre-1920. These homes commonly have original cast-iron drain stacks, knob-and-tube wiring still energized behind newer plaster or drywall, asbestos-wrapped basement piping, original limestone or sandstone foundations with settlement and mortar deterioration, and decades of bandaid repairs from the long student-rental era. We pay particular attention to documenting what is original, what has been replaced, and what has been improperly repaired.
Outside the central neighborhoods, Ann Arbor's housing transitions to 1950s–70s ranches and split-levels in the Pittsfield, Scio, and surrounding township areas, plus newer subdivision construction on the north and west sides. These homes need a different inspection focus — original roof systems and HVAC at or past service life, fuse panels that were partially upgraded, and the builder-quality issues common to any newer subdivision construction. We tailor every Ann Arbor inspection to the era and history of the specific home.
Yes — pre-1950 Ann Arbor homes are one of our specialties. We know what to look for: original electrical, original plumbing, original foundation conditions, and the bandaid repairs that have accumulated over decades of student-rental and family ownership.
About 30–45 minutes depending on traffic. We schedule Ann Arbor inspections in dedicated daily blocks so we can offer flexible morning and afternoon appointments without rushing.
Yes. Investor and rental-property inspections in Ann Arbor are a routine part of our work. We document conditions clearly so you can plan capital expenditures and maintenance budgets intelligently.