313-510-0284
Inspecting homes in St. Clair Shores
St. Clair Shores home should have an inspection done because the housing stock is older and they can have some issues related to their age.
St. Clair Shores has large mature trees which are very nice. However, the roots of the trees can get into the sewer lines and plug as well as damage the lines.
The basements and crawlspaces in St. Clair Shores homes can leak water. There is clay soil in the area and clay soil doesn’t drain well. The added moisture in the soil can end up in your basement or crawlspace.
In the picture, I am using a moisture meter in a St. Clair Shores basement during a home inspection. This basement had obviously leaked in the past but was dry at the time of inspection.
Hello, I am Matt Fletcher President of Belle Isle Engineering LLC and Matt Fletcher Home Inspections LLC. I perform home inspections all over the Detroit area. My father was a contractor and I grew up working on old houses. I put myself through college rehabbing homes. I graduated with honors from Macomb Community College with an AA Degree. Then received a BA degree from The University of Detroit with honors, and a Masters degree from Wayne State University and have been involved in renovation, construction education and inspection business for over 30 years.
St. Clair Shores Home Inspection Prices
Our Rates for single-family homes are as follows:
0,000 Sq Ft – 1,500 = $ 425.00
1,501 Sq Ft – 2,000 = $ 450.00
2,001 Sq Ft – 3,000 = $ 475.00
3,001 Sq Ft – 4,000 = $ 525.00
4,001 Sq Ft – 5,000 = $ 600.00
5,001 Sq Ft – 6,000 = $ 700.00
We have a sewer camera and can scope your sewer line for an additional $150.Sewer scopes are $150 during the time of the inspection, $275 as a standalone inspection. Testing for radon is generally $175 to $250
Over 6,000 Sq Ft – please call for rates. Multi-unit building are slightly more. For a commercial price quote, we will need the address, listing ticket, or loopnet link to the property Call 313 510 0284 InspectDetroit313@gmail.com
Saint Clair Shores commercial building inspection.
 | We also perform inspections on commercial buildings all over metro Detroit. Visit our commercial inspection site HERE . We perform facade inspections to ASTM standard, E2270-05) as well as full inspections from foundation to roof-top. We can do a full inspection to ASTM standard, E2018-08, or a cursory, less involved inspection. However, Matt Fletcher is a general inspector and not necessarily an expert in any single filed of construction. We always recommend a full inspection to ASTM standards where we bring in a team of experts to evaluate the building. An inspection like this may include: Matt Fletcher as inspector and team leader along with a structural engineer, commercial electrician, commercial plumber/boiler expert, commercial heating and cooling professional, flat roof extert. Also, if the building has maintenance staff, they should be on the site the day of the inspection to answer any questions and unlock secured areas. Any items we cite as “marginal” or “defective” should be reviewed by a qualified contractor in that field. We do not claim to be experts in every area of contruction and a expert in a particular filed may find expensive issues that we did not. In the photo to the left we are on the roof if a commercial building in Detroit. We bring ladders to gain access to the roof or make arrangements to gain access to roofs too high for extension ladders. Most commercial buildings in Detroit have the HVAC system on the roof. When doing a commercial inspection we like to have the building maintenance staff there so we can consult with them on various issues. |
St. Clair Shores Crawlspace Inspection.
 | I have been in a lot of crawl spaces over the years. This is a picture from a crawl space in St. Clair Shores Michigan. The joists were so rotten I could push a screwdriver right through it. Crawl spaces can have a lot of issues in St. Clair Shores because there is a lot of clay soil which holds water resulting in a wet crawl space. Dampness attracts wood destroying insects and causes rot. When looking for an older home to purchase, the buyers should look for an inspector who is familiar with these homes. Many times these homes have steam or hot water boilers which may contain asbestos on the boiler or pipes. Other issues in historic Detroit Homes include: lead paint, flooring containing asbestos and asbestos vermiculite insulation in the attic and walls. Old clay and cast iron sewer lines that can cost $5,000 to $15,000 to replace. |
Mold testing in St. Clair Shores
 | When we inspect a building we do a visual assessment for mold. However, mold testing is not part of a standard inspection. We have done environmental testing in homes and commercial buildings all over the Detroit area. Mold is a natural part of the environment and EVERY building we have tested, has contained mold. Typical molds in normal amounts are generally not harmful to healthy people and are not a concern. We restrict our mold business to testing only. We do not do any sort of mold remediation, removal or clean-up. Since we only do testing, there is no conflict of interest and we have no reason to try and scare customers into expensive clean-ups which they may not even need. Outdoor Detroit area mold testing reveals that mold levels are typical to the mid-west. The mold inside your building should equal to or less than the outdoor levels. In the photo at left I am taking a sample of the air for mold in a hundred year old building in the Detroit area. Ideally, the mold spore count will be in the hundreds, not in the thousands. When you can see large amounts of mold on surfaces as seen in the photo, the mold spore count will generally be in the tens or hundreds of thousands. We also test buildings for radon gas. The Detroit area does have pockets of radon gas and radon is the number two cause of lung cancer in the United States. |
My background.
 | I have been a guest on ABC’s “Detroit Radio 97.1 FM Talk” discussing the home and commercial building inspection process, construction and the real estate market in the Detroit area. Although we do environmental testing such as mold, radon and lead, we are not in the environmental clean-up business and do not try to scare customers into expensive clean-ups. All test results are presented with comparison data and EPA guidelines so you can make informed decisions. |
Detroit real estate investors
| I was also featured in Deals That Make Sense by Harvard MBA, John T. Reed (www.JohnTReed.com). There is a story about a rehab project I did on page 32 called “$80,000 Rehab Profit.” I was also featured in John T. Reed’s news letter, “Real Estate Investors Monthly” October 1999 issue. I have noticed that most people rehabbing homes underestimate the cost of repairs by HALF. In other words, if buyers think they can rehab a home for $20,000…it will probably cost more like $40,000. I use my renovation experience and software to give buyers rough estimates on “cost to cure” the properties they are considering. |
Teaching construction
 | I am a certified Construction Trades teacher and volunteer my time to high school building trades programs. I was a judge at the 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2018 MITES competition. Please view the photos of homes I’ve personally restored in and around Detroit. When I am not inspecting or renovating I use my teaching degree to instruct building and construction courses. |
St. Clair Shores home inspectors
313.510.0284
DetroitHomeInspector@Yahoo.com
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Home page
Structural Issues With Michigan Homes
Construction Science and Education
Before & After Photos
Fletcher Family Genealogy Tree
macomb county michigan homes inspectors
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