“Oleo was helpful and very thorough!”
Ryan R. – Rockville, MD
Homebuyer · Home inspection · 2026 · on Spectora
Montgomery County, MDHome Inspections in
Home Inspections in
Montgomery County, MD
From Takoma Park bungalows to brand-new Clarksburg townhouses, Montgomery County homes span a century of construction. We inspect each one for what its era tends to hide.
Montgomery County is really three housing markets. Down-county, near the DC line, much of the housing predates 1960 and has original plumbing, wiring and basements that have been finished more than once. Mid-county, Rockville, Wheaton and Gaithersburg are mostly 1950s–1980s ramblers, split-levels and townhouse communities on their second or third set of mechanical systems. Up-county, Germantown and Clarksburg hold most of the newer construction. We shift what we look hardest at to match the street you are buying on.
Homes in Montgomery County: what we inspect
Housing eras & styles
Inside the Beltway — Takoma Park, Silver Spring, Chevy Chase, Bethesda and Kensington — you will find early-1900s bungalows, foursquares and Colonials next to post-war brick Cape Cods and ramblers. Wheaton, Aspen Hill and much of Rockville filled in from the 1950s through the 1970s with ramblers and split-levels. Montgomery Village, Germantown and Gaithersburg added large townhouse and garden-condo communities in the 1970s–1990s, and high-rise condos cluster near the Metro stations in Bethesda, Silver Spring and North Bethesda.
Water & sewer
Most of the county is on public water and sewer from WSSC Water, and the City of Rockville and the Town of Poolesville run their own systems. The county’s water and sewer plan deliberately keeps the Agricultural Reserve and other low-density areas on private wells and septic, so a farmhouse near Dickerson or a large lot outside Damascus needs a water test and a septic evaluation. On public sewer, older homes under mature trees are prime candidates for a sewer scope.
Radon
- EPA Zone 1 Montgomery County
Montgomery County is EPA Zone 1, the highest-potential category, and it is one of the few places that writes radon into the sale: county law requires a radon test before settlement on most detached homes and townhouses, with results shared with buyer and seller. Basements here are common and often finished, which is exactly where we place the monitor.
Zone 1 = highest potential (predicted average indoor level above 4 pCi/L). Source: EPA Map of Radon Zones
New construction
Clarksburg has been the county’s main greenfield growth area for two decades, and builders are still delivering homes there. Down-county, teardown-and-rebuild custom homes are common in Bethesda and Chevy Chase. Both are worth a pre-drywall inspection and an 11-month warranty inspection before the builder’s warranty runs out.
What's different about inspecting in Montgomery County
Basements finished, again and again
Down-county basements have often been finished, refinished and waterproofed by different owners over the decades. We look for moisture behind newer drywall and flooring, check the sump pump and visible drainage, and point out work that looks like it was done without a permit so you can ask for records.
Condos near Metro
For high-rise condos in Bethesda, Silver Spring and North Bethesda, we inspect what you will own — the unit’s HVAC, water heater, electrical, plumbing fixtures and windows — and look for staining or leaks from units above that point to a building-wide problem for the condo association to answer.
Common findings in this housing stock
- •Knob-and-tube or ungrounded wiring in pre-1950 homes in Takoma Park, Silver Spring and Chevy Chase
- •Galvanized steel supply pipes and cast iron drains near the end of their service life
- •Basement seepage, efflorescence and tired sump pumps in clay soils
- •Roots and offsets in older sewer laterals under mature trees
- •Federal Pacific and Zinsco electric panels in 1950s–1970s ramblers and split-levels
- •Heating and cooling that was never upsized after an addition
- •Missing insulation, framing shortcuts and grading problems in new up-county construction
We’ve inspected 22 homes in Montgomery County since March 2026
38% of the homes we’ve inspected here were built between 1950 and 1979, so original electric panels, aging drain lines and decades of additions get extra attention.
Towns we’ve worked in
- Gaithersburg6
- Germantown4
- Silver Spring3
- Kensington2
- Rockville2
- Potomac2
- Bethesda2
- Clarksburg1
Year built
Median year built: 1984
- Before 195010%
- 1950–197938%
- 1980–199938%
- 2000 or later14%
Based on 21 homes with a year built on record.
Completed inspections from our records, through October 2026. We never publish addresses.
Reviews from Montgomery County
“Oleo Samuels did a great job.”
Srini K. – Clarksburg, MD
Real estate agent · Home inspection + termite + radon · 2026 · on Spectora
Towns & neighborhoods we serve
Bethesda, Rockville, Wheaton, Takoma Park, Chevy Chase, Kensington, Potomac, North Bethesda, Aspen Hill, Olney, Montgomery Village, Clarksburg, Damascus, Burtonsville, Poolesville, and the rest of Montgomery County.
Inspections Montgomery County buyers add most
Montgomery County Inspection Pricing
| Property Size | Polaris Price |
|---|---|
| Condos & homes up to 1,500 sq ft | $395 |
| 1,500–3,000 sq ft | $459 |
| 3,000–5,000 sq ft | $579 |
| 5,000–7,500 sq ft | $699 |
| 7,500–10,000 sq ft | $849 |
Montgomery County home inspection FAQ
Is a radon test required when you buy a house in Montgomery County?
For most detached homes and townhouses, yes. Montgomery County law requires a radon test before settlement, with the results given to both buyer and seller. Condos and co-ops are not covered, and a few municipalities are exempt. Our 48-hour radon test meets that need and can run during your inspection.
Is the house on WSSC water or a private well?
Most homes are on WSSC Water, and in the City of Rockville many are on the city’s own system. Properties in the Agricultural Reserve and other large-lot up-county areas are often on a well and septic. If there is a well, add a lab water test; if there is a septic system, add a septic evaluation.
Can you inspect a high-rise condo in Bethesda or Silver Spring?
Yes. We inspect everything inside the unit you are buying and anything you have exclusive use of, like a balcony. Building systems such as the roof, elevators and central boiler are the association’s responsibility; we note anything we see that suggests a building-wide issue, and the resale documents and reserve study cover the rest.
How long does an inspection take on an older Takoma Park or Silver Spring home?
Plan on 3–4 hours for a typical single-family home, a bit longer for older homes with crawlspaces, additions or more than one electric panel. You are welcome to attend the whole time, and we encourage it.
Do you inspect new homes in Clarksburg before the builder walkthrough?
Yes. We inspect at pre-drywall, before your final walkthrough, and again before the 11-month builder warranty expires. The pre-drywall visit is the only chance to see framing, wiring and insulation before they are covered up.
Other areas we cover
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