Home inspector serving lebanon, hanover and the upper valley
I spent over 20 years building NH homes. Now I inspect them.
Comprehensive home inspections for buyers, sellers, and investors in Lebanon and the surrounding Upper Valley communities.
Radon Testing – Water Testing – Speedy Reporting
Call / Text: (802) 289-0025
Why my background makes me more useful as a home inspector.
Building things has been a constant throughout my life. I owned and ran a contracting firm for more than 20 years, and that business is still active today. That means I have not just worked on houses — I have written the bids, hired and overseen the other trades, done the physical work, solved problems when things went sideways, talked with customers, and stood behind the finished product.
That experience changes the way I inspect.
Lebanon is the commercial and medical hub of the Upper Valley, and many buyers here are coming from DHMC, Dartmouth, out of state, or careers that do not leave much time to vet contractors or chase down second opinions. When I find something during an inspection, I can often give you practical context: what it appears to be, why it may matter, and what kind of response is realistic.
I will not pretend to give exact repair costs from a visual inspection. A home inspection is not destructive testing, and some conditions deserve evaluation by a specialist. But my construction background helps me explain not just what appears defective, but how the structure, mechanical systems, moisture conditions, and past repairs may relate to each other.
I am licensed as a home inspector in New Hampshire and as a property inspector in Vermont, which matters in an Upper Valley market where buyers often look on both sides of the river — Lebanon, Hanover, Hartford, Wilder, White River Junction, and beyond.
I do not perform contracting work on homes I inspect for 12 months after the inspection. No repair pitch, no conflict of interest.
Home Inspections in Lebanon and the Surrounding Area
Lebanon is the commercial center of the New Hampshire side of the Upper Valley — larger than Hanover by population, with a more varied housing market and a real estate environment that reflects the area’s mix of healthcare workers, Dartmouth-related buyers, commuters, and families who have lived in the region for generations. The range of properties here is wide: older in-town housing, suburban development from various eras, and rural properties in the surrounding hills.
Lebanon’s older downtown and residential neighborhoods include a range of 19th and early 20th century housing — older colonials, vernacular New England capes, and two-family homes that reflect the town’s history as a small industrial and commercial center. These properties have accumulated maintenance histories over many decades of ownership, and the quality of the work done varies considerably.
Moving into Lebanon’s suburban neighborhoods and toward West Lebanon — the commercial corridor near the Vermont border — you find postwar development alongside more recent construction. Ranch homes, split-levels, and newer subdivision housing sit alongside older properties that have been updated to various standards. This mix of ages and renovation histories means that no two inspections here are quite the same.
Rural Lebanon and the surrounding towns — Enfield, Grafton, Canaan, Plainfield — have older farmhouses, properties with private wells and septic systems, and the kind of layered repair history that develops on rural properties over generations. Upper Valley winters are demanding — freeze-thaw cycles affect foundations, exterior trim, drainage, and structural elements in ways that accumulate quietly until something makes them obvious.
Lebanon also has rental and multi-family activity connected to the region’s healthcare and educational employment base. Investor and income properties in this market carry their own inspection priorities: aging mechanical systems, deferred maintenance that accumulated during rental use, and work done at minimum standards to keep units occupied.
What I Look For During a Lebanon Home Inspection
During a home inspection, I evaluate visible and accessible systems and components, including:
- Roof coverings, flashing, gutters, and drainage
- Exterior siding, trim, windows, doors, grading, and drainage away from the foundation
- Foundation, basement, or crawlspace — visible structure, moisture patterns, and drainage
- Electrical panels, visible wiring, outlets, fixtures, and safety concerns
- Plumbing supply, drain lines, water heating, and visible leaks or deterioration
- Heating and cooling equipment — age, condition, and visible function
- Attic insulation, ventilation, and signs of moisture
- Interior rooms, ceilings, walls, floors, windows, doors, and stairways
- Decks, porches, stairs, and railings
- Garages and outbuildings
- Obvious signs of water intrusion, rot, movement, or unsafe conditions
In Lebanon’s older properties, I pay particular attention to foundation conditions, older electrical systems, and the quality of renovations relative to the infrastructure underneath. In multi-family and rental properties, I focus on safety conditions and deferred maintenance that may have accumulated during occupancy. For rural properties, wells, septic systems, and outbuilding condition are inspection priorities.
For Buyers, Sellers, and Investors, and Homeowners
Lebanon’s market draws a range of buyers — people relocating for work at DHMC, buyers priced out of the Hanover market, investors looking at multi-family properties, and families who want Upper Valley proximity without Hanover prices. Whatever brought you here, the goal of the inspection is the same: give you a clear, honest picture of the property before you close.
For sellers, a pre-listing inspection can help you find and address issues before the buyer’s inspector does — giving you more control over timing and negotiations.
If you already own your home, it’s tremendously valuable to book a Home Maintenance Inspection.
For investors looking at multi-family properties in Lebanon and the surrounding area, I focus on major systems, safety concerns, and the deferred maintenance that tends to accumulate in rental properties. I can help you separate routine wear from conditions that deserve a closer look before you commit.
A Practical Inspection Report
After the inspection, you receive a digital report with photos, explanations, and notes that separate significant concerns from routine maintenance. Safety issues and major defects get direct attention. When something appears to need specialist evaluation, I will say so clearly. The report is written to be useful after the appointment — something you can share with a contractor, revisit during negotiations, or refer back to once you own the property.
Serving Lebanon and Nearby Communities
From Lebanon, I serve the surrounding Upper Valley and Connecticut River Valley, including Hanover, West Lebanon, Enfield, Canaan, Grafton, Lyme, Plainfield, Grantham, Plymouth, Lincoln, and Cornish. I also regularly serve nearby Vermont communities across the river, including Bradford, White River Junction, Hartford, Norwich, Woodstock, Windsor, and Springfield.
This page connects with my nearby service area pages for Hanover, White River Junction, Windsor, Woodstock, Springfield, Claremont, Sunapee, and Newport, as well as broader coverage throughout western New Hampshire and eastern Vermont.
For the full list of towns I cover, see the Service Areas page.
Schedule Your Lebanon Home Inspection
If you are buying a home in Lebanon or the Upper Valley, I would be glad to help you understand what you are looking at before you move forward.
Call or text: (802) 289-0025
Email: connect@resonanthomesnh.com
Frequently Asked Questions in Lebanon
Will you tell me whether I should buy the house?
No, and I do not think that is the inspector’s job. My job is to give you a clear, practical understanding of the condition of the home so you can make your own decision.
Some houses have issues and are still good buys. Some houses look clean at first glance but have serious problems hiding in plain sight. I’ll explain what I find in plain language so you are not left guessing.
How fast do you get the inspection report back?
I know buyers in this market are often working under tight deadlines, so I make report turnaround a priority. You will have the report less than 24 hours following the inspection. The report is written to be useful, not just long. I want you to understand the important issues, the lower-priority items, and what questions may need to be answered before the deadline.
Do you inspect condos and townhomes in Lebanon?
I do. Condos can seem simpler, but they are not all the same. The inspection still matters because you are usually responsible for the interior systems, finishes, plumbing fixtures, electrical components, heating or cooling equipment, and sometimes more than buyers realize.
I also try to help you understand what appears to be your responsibility versus what may fall under the association, though the condo documents are what ultimately answer that.
Do you inspect multi-family or investment properties in Lebanon?
Yes. Lebanon and the surrounding Upper Valley can be a tough market for investors because rental demand is strong, but older multi-family buildings can hide expensive problems.
On an investment property, I’m looking closely at the big-ticket systems, safety concerns, maintenance history, and anything that could affect habitability or future repairs. I’m not there to make the deal look better or worse. I’m there to help you understand what you are actually buying.
What should buyers watch for in Lebanon-area homes?
Some of the big things I pay attention to are foundations, drainage, roof condition, old or mixed-era electrical work, heating systems, insulation and ventilation, signs of past water entry, and questionable renovation work.
Every house is different, but in this area I’m often looking for the story of the house. Was it maintained steadily? Was it patched together? Were renovations done carefully? Are there signs that water, structure, or mechanical systems have been neglected?
Do you inspect homes in Hanover, White River Junction, and the towns around Lebanon too?
I do. Lebanon connects naturally with Hanover, West Lebanon, Enfield, Canaan, Grantham, Plainfield, Cornish, Lyme, and the Connecticut River Valley. I also regularly serve the Vermont side, including White River Junction, Hartford, Norwich, Windsor, Woodstock, and nearby communities.
That matters because a lot of buyers search in this whole Upper Valley area, not just one town. The houses, the terrain, the utilities, and the buyer concerns often overlap from one side of the river to the other.
Are you a good fit for people relocating to Lebanon for Dartmouth, DHMC, or the Upper Valley?
Yes, especially if you are coming from outside the area and do not already know the local housing patterns. The Upper Valley has everything from polished newer homes to old farmhouses, rentals, condos, and houses that have been renovated a few times over.
I try to give buyers a practical read on the property, not just a list of defects. That means explaining what I’m seeing, why it matters, and what kinds of things you may need to plan for after closing.
Do you inspect older homes in Lebanon and the Upper Valley?
I sure do, and that is one of the situations where my background is most useful. Older homes can have a lot going on at once: old framing, older wiring, past renovations, stone or block foundations, aging mechanical systems, and repairs from several different eras.
The goal is not to scare you away from an older house. The goal is to help you understand what is normal for the age of the home, what is worn but manageable, and what deserves real attention before you buy.
What makes a Lebanon home inspection different from a generic New Hampshire inspection?
Lebanon is a real mix. You can be looking at an older in-town house, a West Lebanon property near commercial areas, a newer subdivision home, a condo, a rental property, or something more rural just a short drive away. That variety matters.
My background is in building and remodeling, so I’m not just looking for whether something is technically “present” or “working.” I’m looking at how the house was built, how it has been maintained, what has been changed over time, and whether the visible clues point to bigger issues.