Newport’s Main Street has been the commercial spine of the town since before the Civil War, and a fair amount of the brick along it dates back to the 1820s, not long after the town became the county seat. In-town, that means older buildings that have been converted, subdivided, added onto, and rewired more than once — two-family homes and old mill-worker housing that have absorbed a lot of decisions from a lot of different owners, some of them better documented than others.

Move a few minutes out from downtown and the picture changes fast. Newport sits along the Sugar River as it flows out of Lake Sunapee on its way toward the Connecticut, and outside the village center you’re looking at private wells, septic systems, longer driveways, wood heat, and a site that has as much to say about the condition of the house as the house itself does.

There’s also new construction going in around town, and I look at it just as closely as anything built a century ago. New doesn’t mean problem-free — I’ve spent twenty years watching where corners get cut when a crew is moving fast, and a new house with a bad inspection is still a bad inspection. It just photographs better.

During the inspection, I evaluate the visible and accessible structure, chimney, roof, exterior, foundation, electrical system, plumbing, heating and cooling equipment, insulation, ventilation, interior components, garages, porches, decks, stairs, drainage, and other conditions that may affect safety or the practical experience of owning the place. I open accessible electrical panels and inspect them closely. I get into attics, basements, and crawlspaces. I look hard at repairs, transitions, additions, stains, movement, and moisture patterns — the details that don’t quite add up.

Sometimes the issue is obvious. Sometimes it’s a small clue pointing at something bigger that isn’t visible yet. Either way, I tell you what I’m seeing and whether I think it needs a closer look from a specialist.

Why Buyers End Up in Newport

A lot of buyers end up in Newport after spending time looking at Sunapee or New London first and doing the math on the price difference. Newport gets you close to the lake, the mountain, and the ski area without lake-adjacent pricing, and that trade-off draws people who want the region without paying for the water view.

Others are simply looking for an in-town house within walking distance of Main Street, the library, or the Opera House — something with sidewalks and neighbors, not acreage. And plenty of buyers want the opposite: land outside the village, a well and a septic system, and enough distance to not hear a neighbor’s dog. Newport and the towns around it — Croydon, Goshen, Unity — cover all three of those buyers without much overlap between them, which is part of why the town doesn’t fit neatly into one category.

Radon & Water Testing

New Hampshire sits on granite, and that bedrock is a big part of why the state runs some of the highest indoor radon levels in the country — roughly four times the national average. Most people opt in for radon testing on the inspections I do around Newport, using continuous electronic monitors that log hourly readings for the full test period, with a complete report on the results.

Water testing depends on where you are. In the village, municipal water is common, but move out toward Croydon, Goshen, or Unity and a private well becomes the norm rather than the exception. I offer several testing panels depending on what the property and your lender require — bacteria and nitrates cover the standard requirements, and I can add arsenic, radon in water, or other parameters as desired or required.

Bundle radon and water testing with your inspection and the combined price drops by $100. Both are worth doing on most properties out here, for a simple reason: you can walk a basement all day and still learn nothing about what’s actually in the air or the water. That’s what the testing is for.

What to Expect the Day of the Inspection

When I arrive at a property, I like to get my bearings first — walk the exterior, get a feel for the lot, and if you or the agent is there, spend a few minutes talking through the property before I start. That early conversation often surfaces useful context: recent work, things worth a closer look, and a better sense of what you’re hoping to learn.

Once I’m underway, I do my best work moving through the house without interruption. A thorough inspection takes sustained focus, and if I’m splitting that between the house and being a good host, something’s going to get the short end.

What I’d ask is that you join me at the end — that time matters to me. Once I’ve been through the whole property, I’ll walk you through the important findings in context, and not from a rushed summary. You’ll get my full attention, a plain-language overview of the house and its systems, and as much time as you need for questions.

If you can’t be there in person, that’s no problem. I’ll follow up with a call to walk through my findings, answer your questions, and give you whatever context you need. That conversation won’t be rushed either — it’s part of what you’re hiring me for.

Reports Written to be Used

You’ll receive a digital inspection report with photographs, explanations, and practical information about the conditions observed. I don’t write reports just to prove I looked at everything. The report should help you understand which findings need immediate attention, which need further evaluation, which belong in future planning, and which are ordinary maintenance items.

When specialist evaluation seems warranted, I say so and explain why. When something looks concerning but is still serviceable, I explain that too. I don’t give exact repair quotes, and there’s a good reason for that — I can help you understand the scope of most issues and a realistic path forward, without pretending a visual inspection can price out a repair.

The goal is a report you can actually use — during negotiations, in a conversation with a contractor, months after closing when you’re deciding what to tackle first.

What Does It Cost?

Most inspections run between $500 and $900 depending on the size of the home. A standard inspection for a home up to 1,500 square feet is $600. Larger homes step up from there in $100 increments by size tier. Homes over 3,500 square feet are quoted individually. Homes built before 1950 carry an additional fee reflecting the added complexity and time involved.

Multi-family properties are quoted individually, since they’re essentially multiple homes under one roof — two or more sets of systems, living spaces, kitchens, bathrooms, panels, and heating equipment to inspect. Estate properties with extensive or complex systems, and larger homes generally, are quoted individually as well.

To get 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.

Serving Newport and Nearby Communities

I inspect throughout Newport and the surrounding Sullivan County towns, including Sunapee, Croydon, Goshen, Unity, Springfield, Grantham, Claremont, Charlestown, Acworth, Lempster, Washington, and throughout the Upper Valley.

I also cross the Connecticut River regularly for inspections in Springfield, Chester, and surrounding southern Vermont towns.

Frequently Asked Questions: