Northville Township, Michigan
Looking for a Northville Township home inspector? We do certified home, commercial, mold and radon inspections in Northville Township, 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 Northville Township 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 Northville Township and across Wayne 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 Northville Township 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 reportNorthville Township housing stock
Northville Township has roughly 13,296 housing units and about 59% of them are single-family detached. Age is the most useful single fact about a house before anyone has seen it. It narrows down what is worth checking first, and it is why two places of much the same size can need quite different inspections.
If the town has a defining decade it is the 2000s, which accounts for 3,624 homes, around 27% of the housing stock. It is also less detached-house territory than most of the area at 59%, so condominiums, duplexes and small multi-family buildings are a bigger share of what we inspect here — and those bring their own questions about what is yours to maintain and what belongs to the association.
The median owner-occupied home here is valued at $490,800. Around 697 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.
Treat this as a starting list, not a diagnosis. A Northville Township home inspector checks these things early in a home of this age and then records what is genuinely there, which is often not what the era would suggest.
Housing figures: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2022 five-year estimates.
When Northville Township was built
90% of homes here run on utility gas. Another 79 use bottled or LP gas.
Local knowledge
Most building departments publish permit forms and a fee schedule. Northville Township publishes a technical explanation of where your sump pump is allowed to discharge — and it is the most useful thing on any city website we have read for this part of the county.
The reason it exists is given plainly: the Township says it receives several calls and complaints every year about the proper discharge location of residential sump pump drainage. So it explains the rules. In most subdivisions a sump lead has been left for every residential lot, and that lead ties directly into a storm sewer. Where no lead was left, the discharge has to be directed away from the foundation, contained on your own site, kept off the neighbor’s property, and kept 20 feet back from the right of way line. Drainage put out to the street, or that affects the adjacent lot, is a violation requiring correction.
That single page changes what a wet-basement conversation looks like here. Elsewhere the answer is a shrug about where the pipe goes. In Northville Township there is a documented right answer, and a Township engineer who can tell you whether your particular lot has a sump lead and roughly where it is.
The housing is comparatively young: of about 13,296 units, roughly 57% were built in 1990 or later, with the 2000s the single largest decade at 3,624 units. Around 59% is single-family detached.
Before you buy
Where the water goes
It is worth reading the Township’s own words on this, because the detail is unusual and it is the detail that matters.
The Building Division explains that the code requires drains around concrete or masonry foundations that retain earth and enclose usable space below grade, and that those systems are typically discharged through a sump pump to an approved drainage pipe. In Northville Township that discharge line is typically a three-inch PVC pipe, buried with at least two feet of cover and a positive slope away from the house. The Township’s word is typically, and so is ours — we will not tell you what is buried at a specific address without seeing it.
Where it goes is the part that generates the complaints. In most subdivisions a sump lead was left for each lot and ties directly into a storm sewer. Where one was not left, the discharge must run away from the foundation, stay on your own property, not affect the neighbor, and sit 20 feet back from the right of way — which the Township describes as one foot behind the sidewalk, or about 17 feet from the back of curb. Water put out to the street is a violation.
On an inspection we report what is actually installed and where it visibly goes: the sump and its pump, the discharge line as far as it can be traced, the grading around the foundation, gutters and downspouts and their discharge points, and any evidence of past water at floor level. Where the line disappears underground, we say so rather than guessing.
The Building Division adds one more drainage note worth having: it asks that landscaping along lot lines be kept clear because it causes drainage problems for you and your neighbors, and that all concrete stay four feet from lot lines under Township ordinance.
The line the Township says is yours
Most municipalities leave the ownership boundary vague. Northville Township publishes it, and it is worth knowing before rather than after.
On its sewer backup page the Township states that repairs and clean outs of the service line from the house to the sewer main are the responsibility of the homeowner, and that water backups are primarily caused by blockages in the home service line. It lists the usual causes — heavy rain overloading the sewer, blockages and debris, tree roots, grease, or a home sewer service line in poor condition.
If the blockage turns out to be in the main, the Township asks to be called. And under Public Act 222 of 2001 — the Michigan statute that sets out when a local government is liable for a backup — a claim requires proving the public sewer had a defect that the Township knew or should have known about and failed to correct, and a written claim form must be filed with the Township within 45 days after the backup is discovered. Forty-five days is not long when you are dealing with the mess itself.
That is exactly why a sewer camera inspection earns its place here. The Township says the homeowner owns that line and that it is the usual cause of backups; a camera is the only way to see inside it before you own it. We will not name a material from a build year — no authoritative source establishes what Northville Township laterals are generally made of — but we can show you what is in there.
Water, sewer and what you are actually connected to
This is a question that does not arise in most of the built-out cities on this list, and it does here.
The Township’s Department of Public Works distributes roughly a billion gallons of water a year to more than 8,968 residential and commercial connections through about 170 miles of water main, supplied by the Great Lakes Water Authority from the Detroit River. Wastewater is handled through the Western Townships Utilities Authority, a partnership between Northville, Canton and Plymouth townships.
The Township also states that residents with well and/or septic systems have those maintained through the Wayne County Department of Environmental Health, and it offers a route for properties interested in connecting to public water and sewer. We are not going to tell you how much of the township is on one or the other, because the Township does not say — but which one a particular property has is a question to settle early, because it changes the inspection, the maintenance and the budget.
A buyer’s inspection reports the condition of what is there: the roof, structure, foundation, drainage, electrical, heating and cooling, plumbing and the accessible interior, with what is failing, what is near the end of its service life, and what to plan for.
A younger housing stock
Newer housing gets treated as a lower-risk inspection, and that is only half right.
About 57% of Northville Township’s roughly 13,296 units were built in 1990 or later, with 3,624 from the 2000s and 2,875 from the 1990s. There is older stock too — 2,101 units from the 1970s, 1,842 from the 1980s and around 1,800 predating 1970 — but the weight of it is recent.
What that means in practice is different, not easier. A house built in 1998 is now near thirty years old: the original roof covering, furnace, air conditioning condenser and water heater are all at or past their expected service lives, and the first round of replacements is either done, part-done or overdue. Newer construction also has its own recurring themes — grading and drainage around a foundation that settled after backfill, attic ventilation, and how well an addition or finished basement was integrated.
And on attached housing, which is a meaningful share here, the question before the inspection is which components are yours and which belong to the association. Roof, siding and windows can sit on either side of that line, and it decides who pays for what we find.
Local information from Northville Township — Building Division, residential sump pump discharges · Northville Township — sewer backup and Public Act 222 · Northville Township — Department of Public Works. Municipal requirements change — verify current details with the municipality.
Radon in Wayne 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 on the state’s map Northville Township sits well away from the worst of it, and we are not going to dress that up into something it is not. What a zone cannot tell you is anything about one house: 17% of tests actually run in Wayne County still came back at or above the EPA’s 4 pCi/L action level, which is about one in six. Zones are drawn around counties, not around addresses, which is why the only number that settles the question is the one from the house itself.
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 · Wayne County radon and inspection coverage
Zone from the EPA Map of Radon Zones. Elevated-result share from the Michigan Indoor Radon Program.
Why choose us
Five reasons people here pick us as their Northville Township 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
Ora from Trademark did an incredible job with the inspection and sewer scope of the home I am in the process of buying. He was very thorough, explained everything to me from the start, and made it all super easy to understand which definitely helped to put me at ease a bit more. Highly recommend this company!
Mariah HartmanWestland, MIJim was prompt and thorough during the mold testing. Clearly gave us an explanation about mold and testing process he was going to conduct. Testing was followed by a written report. I would recommend everyone use a third party to test mold, independent from the company conducting remediation work. I would hire Trademark again and strongly recommend them.
Alberto PicconeNorthville, MICowboy “Jim” just did Mold Testing in my parents’ basement. He was Professional, explained the what, how and yet of everything to my Senior parents. Our results came back super quick. He even referred us to the resources on the Trademark website for me to use to fix the leaky basement. It’s 1 stop shopping with Trademark.
Becky JohnsonWayne, MIWhat happens
Questions
The Township publishes this in detail. In most subdivisions a sump lead was left for every residential lot and ties directly into a storm sewer, and the township engineer can tell you whether your lot has one and roughly where it is. Where no lead exists, the discharge must be directed away from the foundation, contained on your own site, must not affect the neighbor’s property, and must sit 20 feet from the right of way line. Drainage placed to the street, or affecting the adjacent lot, is a violation requiring correction.
The homeowner, and the Township says so directly: repairs and clean outs of the service line from the house to the sewer main are the responsibility of the homeowner. It also states that water backups are primarily caused by blockages in that home service line. That is a good reason to know its condition before you own it rather than after.
The Township asks that you check for electrical and gas hazards before entering, get the affected area cleaned and disinfected quickly, have affected appliances inspected before putting them back into use, keep children and animals out, and photograph everything and keep receipts. If you or your plumber suspect the blockage is in the main rather than your line, call the Township. Under Public Act 222 a written claim must be filed with the Township within 45 days of discovering the backup, and it requires proving a defect the Township knew or should have known about.
No. They are separate governments. The Township is in Wayne County; the City of Northville is its own municipality and straddles the Wayne and Oakland county line. Rules, departments and processes are not interchangeable, so confirm which one an address falls in before relying on anything you have read about either.
Both exist. The Township’s DPW supplies more than 8,968 residential and commercial connections through about 170 miles of water main, with water from the Great Lakes Water Authority sourced from the Detroit River, and handles wastewater through the Western Townships Utilities Authority alongside Canton and Plymouth townships. It also points residents with well and/or septic systems to the Wayne County Department of Environmental Health. The Township does not publish a split, and neither will we — but establish which a specific property has before you go far into the process.
Check first. The Building Division states that cutting down regulated trees in the Township is prohibited without the proper inspection and approval. It also asks that landscaping along lot lines be kept clear because it causes drainage problems for neighboring lots, and that all concrete stay four feet from lot lines under Township ordinance. If your plan for the property involves clearing or hard surfacing near a boundary, that is a Building Division conversation before it is a contractor one.
Younger than most of the area. Of roughly 13,296 housing units, about 57% were built in 1990 or later, with 3,624 from the 2000s and 2,875 from the 1990s, plus 2,101 from the 1970s and 1,842 from the 1980s. Around 59% is single-family detached. A house from the late 1990s is still approaching thirty years old, which is where original roof coverings, furnaces, air conditioning condensers and water heaters reach or pass the end of their expected service lives.
The Township makes the case better than we can. It states that the service line from the house to the main is the homeowner’s responsibility, and that backups are primarily caused by blockages in that line — roots, debris, grease, or a line in poor condition. No visual inspection sees inside it. We will not guess a material from a build year, because no authoritative source establishes what laterals here are generally made of. 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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Permits, assessing and property records for Northville Township are handled by Northville Township, Michigan, not by us.
From the blog
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Your local Northville Township home inspector, seven days a week. Home inspection reports in 24 hours.
