VT licensed Property Inspector – Internachi Certified – serving the greater killington area
I’ve Spent 20 Years Building Homes. Now I Inspect Them.
Inspections in Killington and the towns around it — slopeside condos, sixties chalets, houses on steep dirt roads, rental properties that have hosted a decade of strangers, and old farmhouses that were here long before the lifts were.
Call / Text: (802) 289-0025
Why My Background Makes Me More Useful as a Home Inspector
I owned and ran a general contracting business for more than two decades, and that business is still active today. That’s not a background detail — it’s the thing that makes the inspection different.
It means I managed bids, hired and oversaw the other trades, dealt with building officials, and watched what happens when work is done right and when it isn’t. And because the business is still running, my knowledge of current materials, methods, and building science isn’t frozen in the past.
Here’s the part that matters most. The tools an inspector carries — the moisture meter, the thermal camera, the gas detector — are useful, but they’re not where the value is. The value is judgment. It’s knowing what you’re looking at, why it’s there, whether it’s a real problem or simply how a building of that age and type behaves up here, and what it would actually take to deal with it.
I also don’t perform contracting work on homes I inspect for at least 12 months after the inspection. No repair pitch, no conflict of interest, and no reason to shade a finding in either direction.
The One Person in the Deal Who Works Only for You
Look at how a real estate transaction is arranged and one thing stands out. Your agent gets paid when it closes. Your lender gets paid when the loan funds. The contractor writing your repair estimate has an interest in the size of the repair. Most of these people will deal with you honestly — but almost everyone involved does better if the sale goes through.
The inspector is the exception.
My fee is the same whether you buy the place or walk away from it. I have nothing to sell you afterward and no stake in which way you decide. What I owe you is a careful look at the building and an honest account of it in writing.
That independence earns its keep in a market like this one, where a lot of buying decisions happen fast, at the end of a good weekend, with a view out the window and a mountain doing its best work. The view is real. It also has no bearing on the condition of the roof, the panel, the crawlspace, or the deck you’re standing on while you admire it.
Inspecting Homes in Killington
Killington is a small town that behaves like a large one for about five months a year. A few thousand people live here full time; on a good Saturday in February there are many times that number on the mountain, in the condos, and stacked into houses along the Access Road. Then April comes, the snow melts, the road empties out, and the town goes quiet enough that you can hear the brook again.
Buildings here live that same double life, and it shows up in the inspection.
Most of what’s here was built after the mountain was, which means the sixties and seventies boom left behind a lot of A-frames, chalets, and clever little ski houses designed to shed snow, sleep more people than seems reasonable, and be shut down on a Sunday night. An A-frame sheds snow beautifully and holds heat about as well as a tent, and the ones built in 1971 have had fifty years to demonstrate that. Then came the condos and townhomes, then newer construction on the mountain roads, and scattered among all of it are farmhouses and rural properties that predate skiing entirely and have simply been absorbed into what the area became.
Weather up here is not the weather in the valley. The elevation buys you a great deal more snow, a longer cold season, and freeze-thaw cycling that works on a building the way a slow pry bar works on a nail. Snow load, ice dams, and water that refreezes where it isn’t supposed to go are the defining forces on these buildings, and they don’t damage a house all at once. They do it over twenty winters, mostly out of sight until a ceiling stain shows up, which is the last chapter in a long story that came before it.
There’s also the matter of use. A property that has run as a rental, hosted a rotating cast of guests, and been maintained from three states away has a different history than a house one family has fussed over. Neither is automatically better. But hard use and remote ownership leave patterns, and they show up in predictable places once you know where to look.
Worth mentioning, since I’m licensed on both sides of the river: Killington voted more than once in the early 2000s to secede from Vermont and join New Hampshire. It didn’t take. I’ve decided to be flattered anyway.
What I Look For in a Killington Inspection
Roofs, and everything winter does to them. Coverings, flashing, penetrations, valleys, and the evidence of past ice damming — at the eaves, in the attic, and on the ceilings below. Metal roofs are common here for good reason, but they need to be detailed correctly and they move snow onto whatever is below them, which is worth thinking about when that’s a deck, an entry, a propane tank, or a mechanical vent.
Attics, insulation, and ventilation. This is where a mountain house tells the truth. Ice dams are usually a heat and airflow problem before they’re a roofing problem, so I’m looking at insulation coverage and depth, air sealing, bath and kitchen venting, soffit and ridge ventilation, and any staining, frost, or rot on the underside of the sheathing.
Foundations, crawlspaces, and lower levels. Frost movement, water entry, drainage around the building, vapor control, insulation in crawlspaces, and whether the plumbing running through them has been protected properly. Steep sites move water fast, and where it’s directed matters more than the grade itself.
Heat and chimneys. Boilers, furnaces, heat pumps, propane equipment, and the wood and pellet stoves that back most of them up. Venting, clearances, hearth conditions, flue liners, and evidence of how hard the system has been worked. In a house that sits cold for stretches, I’m also interested in whether the heat can actually reach everywhere it needs to.
Plumbing, with the freeze question front and center. Supply lines, drains, water heating, fixtures, and visible leaks — plus where the pipes run, whether they’re in unconditioned space, whether the system is set up to be drained sensibly, and whether anything shows signs of having frozen and been patched.
Electrical. Panels, service, visible wiring, grounding, outlets, and fixtures. Rental properties and older ski houses often have circuits added over the years for hot tubs, saunas, heat tape, mini-splits, and outbuildings, and additions like those are worth tracing.
Decks, stairs, railings, and hot tubs. These get real scrutiny here. Snow load, rot, ledger attachment, footing depth, guard height, and stair geometry all matter more on a building where forty people might be standing outside at once. A hot tub is a small heated pond you have chosen to keep on a deck, and the deck deserves an opinion about that.
The exterior overall. Siding, trim, windows, doors, and how the building sheds water. Southern exposures, snow-buried lower walls, and long-neglected caulking all show up in the same places year after year.
Outbuildings and the rest of the property. Garages, sheds, barns, and detached structures when they’re included in the scheduling. Driveways and culverts matter here too, since a steep drive is a drainage feature, a winter access question, and a fuel delivery problem all at once.
Wells and septic. Private wells and septic systems are common outside the village and condo areas. I offer laboratory water testing directly. A standard inspection doesn’t include the septic system or the well itself, and where that matters I’ll say so and can point you toward evaluators worth calling.
Condos and Townhomes
A lot of buying here happens in condos and townhomes, and it’s worth being clear about what an inspection of one actually covers.
I inspect the unit and the systems inside your ownership boundary — heating and cooling equipment serving the unit, plumbing and fixtures, the electrical panel and wiring, windows and doors, finishes, appliances, and any moisture or air quality concerns inside. Roofs, siding, structure, common mechanical rooms, and shared systems are usually the association’s responsibility and sit outside the scope, though I’ll note anything visible and obvious.
What I can also do is tell you which questions to take to the association. Building-wide roofing and siding condition, the reserve situation, planned assessments, water intrusion history in other units, and how shared heating or water systems are maintained are all things that will affect you directly even though they aren’t yours to fix. A condo inspection that ends with a good list of questions is doing its job.
Radon Testing
Radon is a soil gas, and it doesn’t care about elevation, price, age, or how new the finishes are. Vermont has plenty of it.
I offer radon testing as an add-on using continuous electronic monitors, which record readings across the full test period rather than handing you one number with no context. That matters in a house that may be closed up, unoccupied, or heated intermittently, because how a building is being run affects what a short test sees. If levels come back high, it’s a fixable problem — the point is knowing before it’s yours.
Water Testing
Plenty of properties here draw from private wells, and some condo and cluster developments run on small shared or community systems. A home inspection tells you nothing about what’s in the water.
I offer laboratory testing for bacteria, nitrates, arsenic, and other parameters Vermont buyers have reason to check, and which panel makes sense depends on the property and the source. On a place that sits unused for long stretches, bacteria results deserve particular attention, since water that has been sitting still in a system for months is a different situation than water in daily use.
Water and radon testing can be bundled with the inspection for a reduced combined price.
Who Is Buying in Killington
For buyers. Most people buying up here are buying a second home, and they’re often doing it on a compressed schedule from somewhere else. My job is to turn as many of your assumptions as possible into information. I’ll ask you to join me near the end of the inspection so I can walk you through the significant findings and show you how the systems work, and you’ll get a detailed digital report with photographs and plain explanations. When getting back here for the appointment isn’t practical, the report is written to stand on its own and I’m glad to go through it with you by phone.
For sellers. A pre-listing inspection tells you what a buyer’s inspector is going to find while you still have room to do something about it. That’s especially useful on a property that’s been rented or maintained remotely, where the seller genuinely may not know the current condition of things. Fix it, service it, document it, disclose it, or price it accordingly — all better than finding out three days before the inspection period closes.
For investors and short-term rental buyers. A house in rental rotation gets used harder than a house someone lives in, and it gets used by people who don’t know it. I pay extra attention to the things that turn into liability and repeat expense under that kind of use: decks, stairs, railings, guards, heating equipment, panels, water heaters, smoke and CO alarms, egress, and the wear items that fail faster with volume. I won’t build you a repair budget off a visual inspection, but I’ll tell you clearly where to look harder before your numbers are final. There’s a separate page on how I approach investor inspections if you want more detail.
For realtors. The inspection support page for agents covers scheduling, turnaround, communication, and what my reports look like inside a transaction.
What Does It Cost?
Pricing follows the size of the home. Under 1,000 square feet is $500, and 1,000 to 1,500 square feet is $600, stepping up by $100 per size tier from there. Homes over 3,500 square feet are quoted individually, as are multi-family buildings and properties with unusually extensive systems or multiple structures. Homes built before 1950 carry an additional fee for the extra time and complexity involved, which around here mostly applies to the older farmhouses rather than anything built after the lifts went in.
Radon and water testing can be added to any inspection, and bundling both with the inspection saves $100 off the combined total.
For a firm number, use the online scheduler or send the address, square footage, year built, and any add-ons you want included. I’ll confirm pricing before anything goes on the calendar.
A Practical Inspection Report
After the inspection you get a digital report with photographs, clear explanations, and findings organized so you can tell what’s serious and what’s ordinary.
Safety issues and major defects get direct attention. When something needs a specialist — an electrician, a structural engineer, a plumber, a chimney professional, an HVAC contractor — I say so plainly and explain why.
The report is built to stay useful long after the closing. You should be able to hand a finding to a contractor, pull it up next October when you’re planning work, or read it six months later at your kitchen table three states away and still understand exactly what I saw and why it mattered.
Serving Killington and the Surrounding Mountain Communities
I inspect properties in Killington, Mendon, Pittsfield, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Stockbridge, Chittenden, Shrewsbury, Barnard, Reading, Rutland, Woodstock, and Ludlow.
I also serve other Vermont markets including Middlebury, Brandon, Windsor, White River Junction, Springfield, Chester, Jamaica, Bennington, Manchester, Dorset, and Brattleboro.
For the full list of towns I cover in Vermont and New Hampshire, visit the Service Areas page.
Schedule Your Killington Area Home Inspection
If you’re buying in Killington or one of the surrounding communities, reach out and connect with me to figure out what scheduling looks like, or use the online tool to book.
Call or text: (802) 289-0025
Email: connect@resonanthomesnh.com
Do you inspect ski houses and vacation homes in Killington?
I do indeed! Killington has a lot of properties that are used hard during ski season, then sit quiet for long stretches. That kind of use can be tough on a house. During the inspection, I’m looking closely at the things that tend to suffer in mountain and vacation properties: roofs, decks, drainage, moisture issues, heating systems, plumbing, insulation, ventilation, and general wear from seasonal use.
What are common issues in Killington vacation homes?
The big ones are roof wear, deck movement or rot, water intrusion, tired heating systems, frozen or poorly protected plumbing, drainage problems, and repairs that were done quickly to keep a rental property running. Some issues are normal maintenance. Others can turn into expensive repairs if they have been ignored for too long. My job is to help you sort out the difference.
Do condos in Killington still need a home inspection?
Yes, a home inspection is still very valuable. A condo inspection is different from a single-family home inspection, but it is still useful. I’m generally focused on the interior systems and components you are responsible for: electrical, plumbing, heating, windows, doors, finishes, moisture concerns, and signs of larger building issues that may affect the unit. I also try to help buyers understand which questions should be directed to the condo association.
Can you inspect a property if I’m buying from out of state?
Yes, this is something I do often. A lot of vacation area buyers are not local. I provide a clear report with photos and plain-language explanations, and I can walk you through the major findings afterward on a phone call. You do not need to be an expert in houses to understand the report. I itemize my findings in clear language, and am always happy to discuss or clarify anything needed.
What should short-term rental buyers pay attention to?
Short-term rental properties need to be looked at a little differently. I’m paying attention not just to whether things work today, but whether the house looks durable, safe, and ready for repeated guest use. Decks, stairs, railings, heating, electrical panels, water heaters, plumbing, smoke and CO alarms, and general wear all matter more when a property is going to be used by a steady stream of guests.
Do you inspect older homes around Killington?
Yes, my experience lends itself especially well to older New England homes, which I’ve spent much of my career working on. Older Vermont homes often have layers: additions, older wiring, stone or block foundations, older framing, past roof leaks, wood heat, and renovations from different eras. My construction background helps because I’m not just identifying defects. I’m looking at how the house was built, how it has changed, and whether the work makes sense.
Do you offer radon and water testing in the Killington area?
I sure do. Radon testing and water testing are both highly advised. Many properties outside village centers rely on private wells, and radon is a common concern throughout Vermont. If you are not sure what testing makes sense for the property, we can talk through that before the inspection.
How is your inspection different from a basic checklist inspection?
I spent twenty years building and repairing houses before becoming a home inspector. That changes how I look at things. I’m still going through the systems carefully, but I’m also thinking about why a problem happened, how serious it is, what kind of repair path it may involve, and whether it looks like normal aging or something more concerning.
Do you serve nearby towns around Killington?
Yes. I inspect homes in Killington and nearby Vermont communities including Mendon, Bridgewater, Pittsfield, Rutland, Woodstock, Ludlow, and the surrounding area. Realistically all of Vermont is within my reach. For the farthest northern towns and communities, it’s best to call me to discuss scheduling.
Also see: Home Inspections · Investor Inspections · Realtor Inspection Support