Mount Clemens, Michigan
Looking for a Mount Clemens home inspector? We do certified home, commercial, mold and radon inspections in Mount Clemens, seven days a week. Home inspection reports come back in 24 hours.
Schedule your inspectionCall 734-331-3269
Services
For buyers, sellers, and homeowners keeping an eye on the place they already own. On new construction we also do pre-drywall inspections and 11-month builder’s warranty inspections. Our certified inspectors walk every major system in your Mount Clemens home and tell you plainly what they found — then put it in a photo-rich digital report within 24 hours.
Following the InterNACHI Standards of Practice:
Included free with every home buyer inspection— and none of them require us to sell your information.
SatisfactionIf you are unhappy with your inspector on the day of the inspection, before you have seen your report, tell us and we will make it right — or you owe us nothing.
30-Day WarrantyA free 30-day Guard home warranty trial, negotiated for you with no obligation. Activate it whenever you are ready.
$100 OffThe buyer’s protection guarantee: if the first home we inspect for you does not make it to the closing table, for any reason, we take $100 off any further home buyer inspection within 30 days of the original.
Optional services at an additional cost — not part of a standard inspection. Tap one to see what it covers.
A camera down the main sewer line, watching its condition from the inside — roots, breaks, bellies and blockages no visual inspection can find. More about sewer scope inspections
The wood-destroying organism report VA buyers are typically asked to provide, on the federal NPMA-33 form. Carried out during the same visit. More about Veterans WDO inspections
Up to five air samples sent to an accredited laboratory, added to the same appointment rather than booked as a second visit. More about mold inspection and testing
View a sample report
Offices, retail, multifamily and warehouses in Mount Clemens and across Macomb County. Know what condition a building is in before you sign — or stay ahead of problems in the one you already own. Reports in 24 to 72 hours depending on size.
Following the CCPIA commercial standards:
Commonly added to a commercial inspection at additional cost.
Commercial laterals are longer, older and carry more. A camera is the only way to see the condition of the one you are buying. More about sewer scope inspections
Air samples to an accredited laboratory, which matters most in buildings that have sat empty or had a roof or plumbing leak. More about mold inspection and testing
View a sample report
Add either to a Mount Clemens home or commercial inspection, or book it on its own. We test and we never remediate, so there is nothing to sell you on the back of a result — the number you get is just the number.
Radon measured in house on a professional continuous monitor; mold samples to an accredited laboratory:
The other things worth testing while somebody is already there.
Carried out after remediation on the treated area and the areas next to it, to confirm what was found. More about mold inspection and testing
A damp basement can have several causes, and the buried sewer line is the one a visual inspection cannot check. A scope rules it in or out. More about sewer scope inspections
View a sample reportMount Clemens housing stock
Mount Clemens has roughly 6,888 housing units and about 65% of them are single-family detached. Homes built in a single stretch tend to wear out in the same places at the same time. That is why when somewhere was built is the first thing worth knowing about it.
The busiest stretch of building here was the years before 1940: 2,084 homes, about 30% of everything standing today.
The median owner-occupied home here is valued at $150,900. Around 734 homes sit in two-to-four unit buildings, where a shared roof, a shared wall and sometimes a shared furnace mean the report has to be clear about where one unit stops.
None of this says anything about the specific house you are buying. It is the shortlist a Mount Clemens home inspector works through in a home of this age, and every item on it gets photographed and written up whichever way it turns out.
Housing figures: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2022 five-year estimates.
When Mount Clemens was built
86% of homes here run on utility gas, and 7 still heat with oil. If yours is one of them, the tank is the thing to ask about — where it is, and whether it was ever buried. Another 99 use bottled or LP gas.
Local knowledge
Mount Clemens has a requirement that catches buyers, and it turns on something almost every sale involves: an empty house.
The City requires all residential and commercial buildings that have been vacant for at least 30 days to be registered, and a Certificate of Occupancy is required before a vacant building is re-occupied. There are separate re-occupancy ordinances for residential and non-residential property.
Read that against how a typical sale actually goes. A seller moves out. The house sits through a listing period, an inspection period and a closing. Thirty days is not a long vacancy — it is an ordinary one. If you are buying here, ask the City early where the property stands rather than discovering the requirement in the week you were planning to move in.
This is not a general point-of-sale inspection of the kind some nearby communities run, and we are not going to describe it as one. The trigger is vacancy and re-occupancy. Confirm your own situation with the Community Development Department, because the difference matters.
The housing itself is old and almost entirely settled: of about 6,888 units, 2,084 predate 1940 and 1,571 date from the 1950s, with only 171 units built since 2000. Around 65% is single-family detached, which for a city this size leaves a substantial share in two-family and multi-unit buildings.
Before you buy
Old stairs
Among the guidance Mount Clemens puts out for homeowners is an illustrated stairs, handrails and guards document reproducing the residential code section with photographs. On a city where 30% of the housing predates 1940, that is a well-chosen thing to publish.
The numbers it sets out are worth carrying into a viewing. A stairway should be at least 36 inches in clear width above handrail height, with handrails projecting no more than four and a half inches. Headroom should be at least six feet eight inches. The maximum riser height is eight and a quarter inches and the minimum tread depth nine inches.
But the requirement that actually matters is the uniformity rule: within any flight, the greatest riser height may not exceed the smallest by more than three eighths of an inch, and the same tolerance applies to tread depth. That rule exists because people do not fall down stairs that are uniformly steep. They fall down stairs where one step is different from the others, because the body learns the rhythm of a flight in two or three treads and then stops looking.
Old stairs fail this constantly, and usually for understandable reasons: a floor was refinished and the top riser shrank, a basement slab was poured and the bottom riser shortened, a landing was rebuilt. Winders, common in houses of this age, have their own rules — a minimum ten inches of tread at the walk line and six inches at any point.
We measure and report stairs as part of a buyer’s inspection, along with handrails and guards, headroom, and the condition of treads, stringers and landings. On a house from the 1920s or 1930s, the stairs to a basement or a finished attic are frequently the least code-compliant part of the building, and also the part everyone uses every day.
Commercial occupancy
For commercial property, Mount Clemens publishes a procedures document that is unusually frank about how demanding the process is, and anyone buying or leasing a commercial building here should read it before signing anything.
You may not open a business in the city without a Certificate of Occupancy and a business license. Certificates expire on any change in use, ownership or occupancy, and they are not transferable — so the previous tenant’s certificate is worth nothing to you. The application carries a $300 fee, and to obtain the certificate every inspector — building, fire, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and code enforcement — must perform and pass a property maintenance inspection. Six sign-offs, and the applicant is responsible for scheduling every initial and follow-up inspection. Where applicable, corrections must be made by a licensed contractor. The City is candid that how long it takes depends entirely on what is found.
The line worth memorizing is this one: verify permits were pulled for any equipment that looks new before you occupy. New-looking rooftop units, new-looking electrical service, a new-looking kitchen hood — if a previous occupant installed them without permits, the problem lands on whoever is trying to get a certificate now.
The City’s published list of common problems is a useful pre-viewing checklist in its own right: egress signs and emergency lighting operational and egress paths clear; exit doors swinging outward with panic hardware, closers and no interior keyed deadbolts; fire extinguishers mounted, sealed and currently tagged; fire doors with closers on mechanical rooms; sprinkler, alarm and suppression systems including kitchen hoods tested, operational and connected to an alarm company; interconnected smoke detectors on each level and carbon monoxide detectors on every level; electrical panel covers with labeled circuits and covers on switches, outlets and junction boxes; a 30-inch minimum clearance at panels, water heaters and furnaces; and a contrasting address on the front of the building rather than on glass.
One more procedural trap: since December 2022 all fire protection system plans must go to a third-party reviewer first, then to the Fire Department in duplicate for the Fire Marshal, with one set returned to the applicant and one to the Building Department — and only then may you apply for the permit.
Commercial building inspections follow the CCPIA standard for offices, retail, multifamily and warehouse property, and on a building heading into this process, knowing what six inspectors are likely to find is worth knowing before you commit rather than after.
Rentals and utilities
If you are buying to let here, the rental registration and inspection program is part of the arithmetic. Residential rental structures must be registered annually and maintain a certificate of compliance. Invoices go out each September with payment due by 30 November for the following calendar year, the registration fee is $75 per unit, and properties are inspected on a two-year cycle with inspection hours from 9 to 11 in the morning.
That is a predictable, scheduled municipal inspection of the building. Knowing what it will find before you own the property is straightforwardly useful, and it is a different exercise from the walkthrough most buyers do.
On the utility side, Mount Clemens runs both its own water treatment plant and its own wastewater treatment plant, and publishes water quality reports, a stormwater management plan and water main break guidance. For a city of this size that is unusual — most buy their water, treat nothing, or both — and it means the same government is accountable for what arrives at the tap and what leaves the drain.
Inspections generally are contracted to a code services provider working with the City, covering building, rental and vacant property inspections. Requests go by email with the address, permit number and requested date at least 24 hours ahead; building inspections run Monday to Friday and the trades Tuesday to Thursday between 9 and noon, with trade inspector office hours at City Hall first thing.
The buried line
Of the roughly 6,888 housing units in Mount Clemens, 2,084 predate 1940. On those properties the lateral running from the building to the sewer main has been in the ground for the best part of a century.
That is long enough for anything. Roots find joints. Ground moves. Sections get repaired and the repair is forgotten. Street trees planted when the neighborhood went up have had a hundred years to reach the line. We will not name a material from a build year, because no authoritative source establishes what Mount Clemens laterals are generally made of — and on a stock this old the honest answer is that more than one material is likely present across the city, sometimes within the same run.
The buried lead is the one component no visual inspection reaches. Nothing you can see from inside the house tells you what condition it is in, and on an older property in an older city it is among the more consequential unknowns you can resolve cheaply.
A sewer camera inspection records what is actually inside: roots, cracks, displaced joints, bellies or blockages where they exist, and a clear run where they do not. It is added to the same visit rather than booked separately. Alongside it, radon testing or mold inspection and testing can be added to a residential or commercial visit. Get in touch to talk through a particular property.
Local information from City of Mount Clemens — inspections, rental registration and vacant registration · City of Mount Clemens — certificate of occupancy guidelines and common problems · City of Mount Clemens — stairs, handrails and guards information · City of Mount Clemens — applications, forms and permits. Municipal requirements change — verify current details with the municipality.
Radon in Macomb County
Zone 3 is the lowest of the three EPA categories — the predicted average indoor level across the county is below 2 pCi/L. So Mount Clemens is not where the state’s worst readings turn up, and we would rather say that plainly than imply otherwise.
We place a continuous monitor for 48 hours and read the result on site — no mail-in kit, no lab wait. How radon testing works · Macomb County radon and inspection coverage
Zone from the EPA Map of Radon Zones.
Why choose us
Five reasons people here pick us as their Mount Clemens home inspector.
Family owned since 2009, more than 16,000 inspections completed and over 2,000 five-star reviews across Michigan. We also handle home buyer inspections, commercial building inspections, mold testing and radon testing.
We do not sell mold remediation or radon mitigation, so there is nothing to gain from a result that comes back bad. The number you get is just the number.
Radon, mold, sewer scope and wood-destroying organism inspections go on the same appointment as the home inspection rather than costing you a second morning.
Most people do, and it is the most useful hour of the whole purchase. Ask anything while we are standing in front of it.
InterNACHI and CCPIA certified, with four Certified Master Inspectors and National Home Inspector Examination passes on the team — none of which Michigan requires. The standards we inspect to are published and you can hold the work against them.
Including weekends, because inspection windows sit on closing dates and closing dates do not care what day it is.
Reviews
Mitch did our inspection for the sale of our home and he was professional, efficient and friendly. The report was sent to me and my agent in a timely fashion and I appreciated how quickly the appointment was made and everything was finished! Would recommend to others.
Kendra AllenRoseville, MII recently hired Trademark for a full home inspection on a new purchase, including sewer scope and radon testing. It was a phenomenal experience from beginning to end. Our inspector, Mitch, did a fantastic job explaining all the findings, and the digital report with photos and videos was superb. Would definitely recommend without hesitation.
Salina HamiltonOak Park, MIWe had Mitch inspect our prospective house and he was amazing. He was thorough, patient to answer my questions and provide feedback on what areas he would recommend having a follow up expert and why. The office was responsive and I was able to book multiple services to be done in the same visit (inspection, radon test, sewer scope).
Chris PlaweckiOak Park, MIWhat happens
Questions
It can, and it is the thing most buyers do not expect. Mount Clemens requires all residential and commercial buildings vacant for at least 30 days to be registered, and a Certificate of Occupancy is required before a vacant building is re-occupied. The City publishes separate re-occupancy ordinances for residential and non-residential property. Thirty days is an ordinary vacancy during a sale, so ask the Community Development Department early rather than in the week you planned to move in.
No, and we are not going to describe it as if it did. The published Certificate of Occupancy procedure is the commercial one, and the residential trigger is vacancy and re-occupancy rather than sale itself. Those are different things, and the difference decides whether you need to plan for a municipal inspection. Confirm your own situation with the City.
Consistency, first. The City publishes an illustrated stair guide, and its most useful rule is that within a flight the greatest riser height may not exceed the smallest by more than three eighths of an inch, with the same tolerance on tread depth. People do not fall on uniformly steep stairs; they fall where one step is different. Also check clear width of at least 36 inches, headroom of six feet eight inches, a maximum riser of eight and a quarter inches and a minimum tread of nine inches. We measure and report these.
More than most people expect. You may not open a business without a Certificate of Occupancy and a business license; certificates expire on any change in use, ownership or occupancy and are not transferable, so the previous tenant’s is worth nothing to you. There is a $300 application fee, and building, fire, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and code enforcement inspectors must each perform and pass a property maintenance inspection. You schedule every inspection and re-inspection yourself, and corrections must be made by a licensed contractor where applicable.
The City says it directly: verify permits were pulled for any equipment that looks new before you occupy. New rooftop units, a new electrical service, a new kitchen hood — if a previous occupant installed them without permits, the problem lands on whoever is trying to get a certificate now. A commercial building inspection to the CCPIA standard documents what is actually installed, which is where that conversation starts.
Residential rental structures register annually and maintain a certificate of compliance. The City mails invoices each September with payment due by 30 November, covering the following calendar year, at a registration fee of $75 per unit. Properties are inspected on a two-year cycle, with inspection hours from 9 to 11 in the morning.
Old, and almost nothing is new. Of about 6,888 housing units, 2,084 predate 1940 and 1,571 date from the 1950s, with 871 from the 1970s and only 171 units built since 2000. Around 65% is single-family detached, leaving a substantial share in two-family and multi-unit buildings. Expect systems that have been replaced in stages by different people across several decades.
On a stock this old, yes. Nearly a third of the housing predates 1940, which puts the buried lateral close to a century in the ground with mature street trees over it. We will not guess a material from a build year — on a city this old more than one material is likely present, sometimes within the same run. Putting a camera down the line documents roots, cracks, displaced joints, bellies or blockages where they exist, and is added to the same appointment.
More on cost, timing and what is included on the FAQ page.
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From the blog
October 22, 2017
May 18, 2024
Your local Mount Clemens home inspector, seven days a week. Home inspection reports in 24 hours.
