Summerville is situated mostly in Dorchester County with small portions in Berkeley County and Charleston County.  Summerville began as a pineland retreat in the late 1700s and is currently home to both historic houses and modern housing developments.  The historic district of Summerville is largely comprised of winding roads populated with single-family homes featuring varieties of architectural elements and cultural influences.  There is a grid-like layout of streets in a portion of Summerville with many houses reflecting the housing booms from the Reconstruction Era through the 1950s with "Carolina-I-Houses", Bungalows, and Cottages.  Subdivisions like Newington, The Ponds, White Gables, Ashborough and Ashborough East are of the more modern developments, built since the 1970s, with both starter homes and dream homes. The grounds of Newington and The Ponds have roots in colonial history, and White Gables was designed with the specific vision to emulate classic "Charleston Houses" following the template of a narrow facade with front gable on a narrow lot.

 The long history of this region involved many destructive and compelling events that greatly altered the image of the architectural landscape, creating a cornucopia of building types and construction methods.  The age of some the houses will undoubtedly present opportunities for an inspector to discover outdated and unsafe building methods and materials.  Age isn't the only thing that can muddy the waters when considering the condition of a home, when someone lives in a home for many years the probability increases that they will make repairs or additions, possibly incorrectly or inadequately.  When making repairs themselves, a homeowner may use an unapproved material or inadequate building method, or they may hire a cheap contractor who cuts corners and doesn't pull permits. Unfortunately buying a brand new home still doesn't guarantee a flawless home.  When these possibilities for defects occur in an area often and over different eras they present a laundry list of different things to look for in a home inspection, making a broader general knowledge of construction styles more advantageous for the home inspector and in effect the client.   

Priding Diligence in Our Many Home Inspection Services

Even dream houses have defects.  New construction, houses over 100 years old, beach houses and log cabins all have in common the need to maintain and repair from time to time.  Mold can grow virtually anywhere, causing structural damage, mysterious smells and increased allergy symptoms in your family home, without ever being visible.  Well water can be contaminated with E. choli or have elevated levels of nitrates and nitrites.  Owning a home adds to your assets but that comes with greater responsibilities and reasonable risks, and getting any of our various home inspection services can help you manage and maintain your investment.  Inspection reports are often many pages long and can call out many things that one may not find as important as others, so it may be helpful to keep in mind what matters in a home inspection.  The services we currently provide are:

Complementary 120 Day Warranty on Our Standard Residential Home Inspections

Sometimes even preparing as much as possible wont prevent new defects from showing up after the inspection.  After closing on a new home the last thing you really want is to incur more home owner expenses early on.  Unfortunately we dont have x-ray vision and some defects can understandably slip by, so our home inspections include a 120 day warranty on items that were reported as working during the inspection.  There is also the option to extend the warranty in many situations.

Summerville Government

Town of Summerville Building Code Requirements

Town of Summerville Website

Questions About Home Inspections? Talk to an Inspector

Aside from the added value of our various ancillary Home Inspection Services, we aim to be a source of general information for you moving forward as a home owner. Check back with us soon for the start of our regular "Home Making, Maintenance and Monitoring" articles or get them sent directly to your email by subscribing below. We give you the information you need to make an informed decision, as well as to properly maintain and repair a home. Call (843) 806-0757 to talk to a Licensed South Carolina Home Inspector Now!