Troy, Birmingham, Novi, Farmington Hills, Rochester and Royal Oak. One county, three very different inspections: older bungalows, 1990s production homes and lake properties.
Illustration of an Oakland County lakefront home. Not a photo of a property we inspected.
Oakland County's housing stock skews newer and more affluent than almost anywhere else in Southeast Michigan — the median home here was built around 1975, and Oakland led the entire region in new residential construction permits in 2023 with over 2,500 issued, nearly 60% of them single-family. Communities like Troy, Novi, and Rochester Hills are still actively building, and lake communities throughout the county (White Lake Township alone has 21 lakes) bring their own specific inspection considerations — seasonal moisture exposure, dock and shoreline structures, and septic systems in the less-developed pockets that never connected to municipal sewer.
Newer construction doesn't mean fewer findings — it means different ones. Production-built homes from the '90s and 2000s are old enough now for original mechanicals (furnaces, water heaters, roofing) to be reaching end of service life at the same time across entire subdivisions, and builder-grade materials from that era show their own predictable wear patterns. Knowing the difference between "this house is aging exactly as expected" and "this house was cut a corner somewhere" is what the inspection is actually for.
Established neighborhoods with older bungalows and colonials, many updated over the years. Expect a mix of original and renovated systems in the same house.
Mid-century and later suburban homes. Troy publishes its building inspection and permit requirements online, which helps when a seller has done their own work.
City of Troy building department ↗Newer subdivisions where original furnaces, water heaters and roofs are reaching the end of their lives at the same time.
Lakefront and lake-access homes bring moisture, shoreline structures and, in some pockets, private septic systems.
In 1990s and 2000s subdivisions the furnace, water heater and roof often reach the end of their service life together. We date them and give you a realistic replacement budget.
Seasonal moisture, docks, seawalls and drainage get specific attention on lake homes.
Parts of the county never connected to municipal sewer. When a home has its own well or septic we flag it and point you to the county health division, which regulates both.
Newer does not mean problem-free. Flashing, grading and attic ventilation are the places we most often find skipped corners.
Oakland County inspections start at $350, with larger homes and lakefront properties priced to the work involved. If the home has a private well, drinking-water testing ($99) fits in the same appointment. See pricing · See a sample report
Oakland County puts well and septic information online through its health division. The city and state links are below it. These are outside links to official sites and may change.
Yes. Lakefront and lake-access homes are a regular part of our work in White Lake, Waterford and similar communities. Ask us about adding water-quality testing if the home has a well.
The county's health division handles private well and septic programs. Links are on this page. We inspect the visible condition and tell you when to bring in a specialist for a full evaluation.
Radon is present across Michigan, and testing is the only way to know a specific home. Radon testing is $145 as an add-on to your inspection, and the state radon program has more guidance.
Yes. Condo inspections cover the unit and the visible parts of the building systems that serve it.
One inspection. One complete report. Every finding, every cost, every photo — organized so you can act on it before closing.
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