Historic Home Inspections

Note: The Managing Risk column with InspectorPro Insurance provides home inspectors with tips to protect their businesses against insurance claims

The US may not have Europe’s castles and cathedrals or Japan’s ancient shrines, but tucked among modern skylines are homes that have witnessed generations of change. Some date back hundreds of years and are still private residences today. For inspectors who appreciate old architecture, performing historic home inspections offers a unique glimpse into the lives and structures of generations past.

At the same time, historic properties across the country are gradually succumbing to time and neglect. Younger generations who inherit them often lose interest in or don’t have the resources to research and preserve their historical value, said Scott Collins of Pillar to Post in Georgia. As these houses lose their place in the modern world, inspectors have an opportunity to educate consumers about the challenges and responsibilities of buying a historic home.

What makes a home historic?

Historic homes are older homes by definition. As Bud Rozell of Good Home Inspection in Texas said, “a historic home is an old home with a title.” 

Based on our 2022 article about old home inspections at inspectorproinsurance.com and US Inspect’s piece about the challenges of inspecting historic homes at usinspect.com, both are prone to:

Neglected, outdated, unconventional, or obsolete systems (e.g., buried oil tanks), structures (e.g., settling foundation or decaying wood decks), and materials (e.g., knob-and-tube electrical wiring, stone foundations, and lead or cast iron plumbing). 

Cheap remodeling or house “flipping.”

Pests like termites and powderpost beetles in the home, bats in the attic, or snakes, rats, skunks, and their possible decay in the crawl space.

Water intrusion and subsequent mold.

Less energy efficiency than modern homes.

But not every older home qualifies for historic designation. What makes historic homes unique?

The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) maintains the nation’s official and ever-evolving list of historic or “traditional cultural places” (TCP). Visit the National Park Service’s guides to evaluating properties and identifying traditional cultural places at nps.gov to learn more about its criteria for determining eligibility. 

When considering a “building, structure, object, site, or district” for TCP status, the NRHP looks at three qualities:

Age: Is it at least 50 years old? (Exceptions exist.)

Integrity: Does it reflect its original structure and character enough to convey its historical significance in tangible or intangible ways?

Significance: Is it tied to important historical events, developments, people, architectural movements, or engineering milestones? Does it show promise for yielding valuable insights, like as an archeological site?

For the most part, inspecting a historic home isn’t much different from a regular home inspection. You might need additional disclaimers in your report and pre-inspection agreement about things like not inspecting for code (especially because historic homes rarely adhere to modern building standards). It also helps to know about common features and defects you could encounter. Otherwise, you’re still following your standards of practice.

Unique Risks and Challenges 

Still, many clients underestimate the financial and logistical demands of owning historic homes. This can lead to added complications and even more liability for home inspectors.

The Expenses

For example, not every buyer is equipped for the expenses. Awestruck by the charming facades and mesmerizing backstories, they may not recognize the toll time has taken until they’ve hired an inspector or fully lived in it. Between decades of normal use, home ownership changes, natural catastrophes, unsafe features or conditions, neglectful ownership, or rushed and unprofessional modifications, that seemingly picture-perfect property can be a money pit in disguise, Rozell said. 

“It’s a heartbreaker sometimes. They can see their grandkids playing in the yard. They can see croquet parties, lemonade on the porch. But of those, there are those who can afford it and those who can’t,” Rozell said. “They’re just overwhelmed by the real costs of owning a historic house.” 

If you offer historic home inspections, know that some clients aren’t prepared to adopt the financial burdens of repairing and maintaining, finding insurance for, and even paying more expensive basic utilities for historic homes. And while it’s outside your scope to predict these potential expenses or determine necessary repairs, that hasn’t stopped clients from trying to hold inspectors responsible for higher-than-expected costs.

Maintenance and Modernization

In addition to the costs, the actual logistics of keeping a historic property habitable can catch buyers off guard.

Many local governments require prior historic approval before doing any work that isn’t minor repairs. Failure to obtain appropriate permits or approval can result in fines, Collins explained. Buyers might be upset that they can’t make whatever changes they want.

And even if they get permission, modern features and technology aren’t always compatible with historic properties. Buyers may have to go without some of the conveniences they know and love. Or their efforts to improve may unwittingly make the home’s condition worse.

For example, many owners with good intentions move in and insulate historic homes like modern homes. But imagine the installer isn’t familiar with early-1900s-style roofs and they neglect proper ventilation. In time, the new owners could see mold growing in an attic that worked fine for 100 years, Rozell explained. 

“When people come in and try to modernize a house … where the house has been performing perfectly fine for hundreds of years, they can go in there and really wreck it,” Rozell said.

Difficult-to-Replace Materials

Worse yet, imagine the client tears down antique flooring or wallpaper (or you accidentally damage them during your historic home inspection). Ron Passaro, retired president of Res-I-Tec. in Connecticut, said they would likely want a blind repair, one that blends so seamlessly an untrained eye couldn’t distinguish the original from the patch. To achieve this, they might be required to find original materials, not recreations, Collins described. 

Tracking down a match for those 100-year-old materials can be extremely expensive. And failing to match the original materials could require more extensive repairs, Passaro said. 

“If the floors are wood, and most of the old floors were, you can probably repair them. But I don’t think it would be a blind repair. I think people would be able to see the repair. Wallpaper? Forget it. If the wallpaper’s damaged, you have to redecorate the [whole] house,” Passaro said.

Though that falls under a cosmetic defect and he wouldn’t report it as an inspector, Passaro says it’s another expense clients and inspectors may not anticipate.

Inspection Limitations

You could encounter inaccessible areas in any inspection. But depending on the house’s condition, you may be even more limited with certain historic home inspections. 

For example, if the home has an original asbestos or metal roof, and you’re worried about slipping or accidentally damaging it, you likely couldn’t walk on it. Additionally, some historic properties have repurposed or abandoned storm shelters, stairs you wouldn’t feel safe accessing because they’re so narrow or the dimensions are so inconsistent, and features in places you wouldn’t expect, like a well in the crawl space, Rozell said. 

Managing Risk 

If the creak of original floorboards, the smooth polish of worn banisters, and the earthy scent of aged timber speak to you, you’ll feel at ease inspecting historic properties. Here are some tips to best manage your risk in the process.

1. Educate yourself beforehand.

All the inspectors we interviewed agreed: Do your best to expand your knowledge in advance. 

The more you know, the more confident you’ll be answering clients’ questions and writing your home inspection report. It’ll also help protect you from unnecessary liability. If you can find a mentor, that’s a great start, Collins and Passaro agreed.

“The best suggestion I can make is to take a ridealong with a local inspector and see some of these antique homes and how they’re really built a lot different than by a modern-day carpenter,” Passaro said. 

“Whether you’ve been here for years and you want to get into historic homes, or if you’re moving to the area and you know there are going to be historic homes, find an inspector in the area. Take the time to reach out to these people who have this experience or have this training and knowledge and protect yourself. Because you’re going to get yourself into trouble if you say the wrong thing, or if you don’t say anything at all,” Collins said. “There’s nothing wrong with asking for help or guidance. And maybe get a friendship out of it and pass inspections back and forth to each other.”

Rozell recommends learning about historic properties by watching YouTube videos and reading past issues of Fine Homebuilding magazine or the Journal of Light Construction. A little bit of homework can create opportunities, he and Pasarro said. 

“Take the job and then study it before you go,” Rozell said. “Just don’t go to an inspection blind.”

“If you can’t get [your training] from a local inspector …  then I would suggest you get to the library, get as much antique [home] information you can get, and read about the practices and how they built the antique homes,” Pasarro said.

Familiarizing yourself with historic construction can also inform you about features and defects you can expect to see, like knob and tube wiring, Collins said.

“Going into a house that was built before 1940 … there’s going to be evidence of knob and tube wiring,” he said. “For me, it’s like an Easter egg hunt.”

Moreover, different districts may impose their own rules about federally- and state-protected historic homes. Even if you don’t give clients specific advice about which specialists to consult, knowing about these regulations means you can offer clients a general warning.

“Some of these rules include what color you can paint your house. Some of them say whether you can have a fence or not, [or] what type of fence it is. …  People think they own that home and it’s theirs and they can do what they want to with it on the inside. You cannot,” Collins said. “You cannot [alter them] without permission in certain areas. So I’ll make sure they know that.”

2. Be prepared to set clients’ expectations.

The key to setting clients’ expectations is to prioritize communication, both verbally and in your home inspection report. Try to anticipate their misconceptions early on so you can dispel them.

For example, Passaro would start by talking to the client and finding out how much they know about historic houses. Some topics you might discuss:

Are they expecting the house to be in stellar condition because it’s on the historic register? Or are they familiar with the common problems of 100-year-old homes?

Are they expecting modern amenities, like high-demand electricity?

Do they understand and feel equipped for the costs of repairing and running a 100- to 300-year-old house, including higher energy bills? Or that their dream renovations need prior approval and could be vetoed entirely?

Does the home’s age and region suggest an increased possibility of wells, septic tanks, knob-and-tube wiring, mold, lead, or buried oil tanks? Are they aware of these possibilities? (And, if so, are you offering an additional inspection service? Or disclaiming them in writing so they know you aren’t reporting these things?)

And, as always, educate them about home inspections in general. 

Explain the visual and limited nature of an inspection so they know you can’t catch every safety concern or see through walls. Consider telling them what is (and isn’t) included in your scope, like mold if they didn’t pay for a mold inspection. Setting these expectations verbally and in your signed pre-inspection agreement offers extra protection.

3. Don’t rush your historic home inspections.

Quality communication takes time, so don’t rush. Give yourself ample time to inspect the home and chat with clients, Rozell said. 

“These older homes are full of [defects] and it takes time [to inspect them]. Even if you weren’t talking to the client, it’s going to take some time to peel an onion like that,” Rozell said.

Charge appropriately for that time, too. Don’t sell yourself short.

4. Use visual aids.

Visual aids are always important for a visual home inspection. But with historic home inspections, photos and videos are more than just a reporting tool. They also help bring the home and all its rich history to life.

Rozell uses these tools so clients can see the inspection in real time through his eyes. In doing so, he can point out observations and provide more visual and contextual clues than are possible with written words alone. But he always gives a disclaimer that the photos and videos are supplemental to his home inspection report—not a replacement. With written and visual mediums at their disposal, ideally buyers will have a clearer idea of what they’re getting into, he said.

Meanwhile, take photos and videos of defect and non-defect areas. If you ever need to prove which defects were visible or which spaces you couldn’t access, visual evidence can shut down frivolous accusations with ease. 

5. Suit up.

Since historic home conditions run the gamut, always come prepared with the right personal protective equipment (PPE) and tools to protect yourself and the home from harm.

For example, if the grass is long overgrown, consider wearing boots and coveralls. Use a flashlight or even a crawl space robot to check for snakes, raccoons, and other critters before entering the crawl space. And if you can’t walk on the roof due to fragile roofing materials or heights, consider a drone, pole cam, and/or binoculars. Whether it’s new construction or a historic home inspection, no inspector should be caught without options, Passaro said.

“You can’t climb every roof. Climbing a slate roof is dangerous, not only to you but to the roof.  You’re going to put your foot on a slate roof, you’re going to break a slate every time you do it. Asbestos roof, the same way. So some roofs are just not safe for you or the roof to go on. But every inspector I know of has another way to look at a roof,” he said.

Remember: If you can’t access an area or you use an alternate inspection method, you should document why in your report. Write down why you couldn’t get your boots on the slate roof and what you did instead. Documenting limitations and articulating your methods can defend you in court.

6. Adjust your perspective.

Some inspectors, like Collins, argue you can’t evaluate historic structures through the lens of modern construction. 

Instead, he says it’s like inspecting on a curve. You aren’t ignoring a historic house’s foundation cracks or safety concerns, for example. But take some defects with a grain of salt. You can’t expect a historic home to meet standards that didn’t exist when the house was built, he said. 

“When you go to a historic home inspection, you have to completely change your mind. Stop thinking code. Obviously, you have to write up some safety issues … But don’t try to act like it has to meet current code. It’s just not ever going to, because of the historical value of the building. They will not allow it to be altered,” Collins said.

Instead, Passaro recommends asking: Is it doing its job and doing it safely? 

“[The house] stood there for 100 years, 150 years, 200 years. So you’re going to say it’s wrong because we don’t do it that way today? No. It did its job the way it was supposed to do it. A new, young inspector may not recognize it because the house is unique to itself. You can’t put it into any category [or] any chart that’s on the books today,” Passaro said.

But don’t adjust your scope.

At the same time, don’t lose sight of your scope. Ultimately, your job is to report the historic home’s condition like you would with any other inspection, US Inspect explains in their blog article on usinspect.com.

Don’t take on unnecessary liability by trying to report what’s original and what isn’t, which deficiencies were grandfathered in or not, or what was deficient back when the home was built. You can even include a disclaimer in your report that you won’t address historic home requirements, US Inspect suggests. 

For the purposes of your inspection report, what matters is what’s deficient now per your current standards of practice, Rozell said. As a historic home inspector, leave the translation to the client and their agent.

“I can’t stress how important it is to not limit yourself to the standards of practice. But definitely don’t make your own up. Don’t fly free. When you’re inspecting an old house, if it wasn’t a deficiency when the house was built, if it was grandfathered in, it doesn’t matter. It’s still a deficiency,” he said.

7. Invest in the right insurance.

If you want to perform historic home inspections, make sure you have the appropriate insurance for the risks you’re taking on.

Given the heightened risk of concealed defects, hazardous materials, and outdated systems, errors and omissions (E&O) is an essential safety net for all inspections, historic or otherwise. If you accidentally break an expensive antique, general liability can help cover the losses, too.

Don’t forget about ancillary services like mold, lead, septic, and pest inspections. You can face claims for these out-of-scope issues even if you aren’t paid to report them as an ancillary inspection service. For the most robust coverage and peace of mind, ask your insurance provider about endorsements for these common client complaints.

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Alyssa Cink is the Marketing Content Editor for InspectorPro Insurance, which offers ASHI members exclusive benefits through its program: InspectorPro with the ASHI Advantage. Through risk management articles in the ASHI Reporter and on the InspectorPro website, InspectorPro helps inspectors protect their livelihood and avoid unnecessary risk. Get peace of mind and better protection with InspectorPro’s pre-claims assistance and straightforward coverage. Learn more at inspectorproinsurance.com/ashi-advantage.

Opinions or statements of authors are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the opinions or positions of ASHI, its agents, or editors.
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