Professional Home Inspection in Philadelphia, PA

InterNACHI-certified home inspection serving Philadelphia and all of Philadelphia County. Bob personally inspects every major system — structure, roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, foundation, and exterior envelope — against ASHI and InterNACHI standards. Full 24-hour photo-documented report. 4.9★, 159 Google reviews.

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Inspections typically scheduled within the week. Bob returns every call within 24 hours.

4.9 on Google
★★★★★

"Easy scheduling and detailed inspection at an affordable price. Would definitely recommend!"

— Pravin Wilkins, via Google Reviews
★★★★★

"Bob was very helpful with my home inspection. He prepared a detailed report that I am currently using for closing on my first property. Would recommend!"

— Ferdia Kenny, via Google Reviews
★★★★★

"Bob was extremely thorough, professional, and knowledgeable throughout the entire inspection process. His attention to detail gave us confidence in our purchase and helped us make informed decisions moving forward."

— Brandon Mole, via Google Reviews
★★★★★

"Bob was able to step in on very short notice, which we truly appreciated during such a time-sensitive process. Despite the quick turnaround, he was incredibly thorough and didn't miss a thing."

— Charles Brownstein, via Google Reviews
★★★★★ Read All Our Google Reviews

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County

What does a home inspection in Philadelphia include?

A home inspection in Philadelphia, PA is a top-to-bottom evaluation of a single property — foundation, structure, roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and exterior envelope — performed in person by Bob against ASHI and InterNACHI standards, with a full photo-documented digital report delivered inside 24 hours.

Philadelphia is not one housing market, it is thirty housing markets stitched together inside one city limit, and that is why an inspector who only works the suburbs will miss things here. A Society Hill federal-era townhouse from the 1810s has almost nothing mechanically in common with a Mayfair post-war Cape, a Manayunk millworker rowhouse from the 1880s, a Wissahickon-schist stone single in Chestnut Hill, a Spruce Hill Victorian twin off Baltimore Avenue, or a South Philly brick rowhouse near Passyunk Square built in 1920. Each corner of the city was built by different labor, for different buyers, under different building codes, using different materials, and each corner has aged in its own specific way. Bob has spent 20+ years inspecting homes in every one of those corners, from Rittenhouse Square trinities to Fox Chase ranches, from Fishtown warehouse conversions to Cedar Park rentals near Penn and Drexel, from Germantown stone twins inside the National Historic District to Roxborough hillside singles. When you book Bob for a Philadelphia home inspection, you are not getting a suburban inspector who treats every Philly address as a generic rowhouse, and you are not getting a hand-off to a partner who actually knows the city. You get one owner-operator who has personally walked the same blocks you are buying into and who knows what the specific neighborhood, era, and construction type quietly does over a century of ownership.

The defect patterns shift as you move across the city, and Bob calibrates each inspection to the block. In Center City, Rittenhouse, and Society Hill the recurring issues are trinity-staircase fire-code questions (three-story, one-room-per-floor homes with a single winder stair), party-wall flashing failures where the roof meets the neighbors, and federal-era brick that has been repointed with modern Portland cement that traps moisture and spalls the original soft brick. In Fairmount, Fishtown, and Northern Liberties the warehouse conversions hide deflected steel beams and slab penetrations from the commercial-to-residential retrofit. In Manayunk and East Falls the millworker rows sit on steep slopes with rubble foundations that move seasonally and rear yards that drain toward the basement. In Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy, and Germantown the Wissahickon-schist stone foundations need their mortar joints checked every visit because failed pointing is the single most common reason water ends up in a basement in Northwest Philly. I walked a Mt. Airy stone twin near Germantown Avenue last spring where the owners had spent money on a sump system when the actual problem was 40 feet of open mortar joints on the rear wall, and no one before me had flagged it. In South Philly the pre-1920 brick rowhouses have old cast-iron stacks and galvanized water service that is quietly pinholing, plus flat rear-bedroom roofs that pond after every storm. In Northeast Philly the Mayfair, Holme Circle, and Fox Chase post-war Capes and ranches sit on slab-on-grade construction with early-PVC water service and mid-century panels at or past end of life. In West Philly, Spruce Hill, University City, and Cedar Park the large Victorian twins hide knob-and-tube behind plaster and lead paint on every pre-1978 window sash. Every pattern shows up in the report with photographs and a repair-cost range.

20+
Years of Experience
Pre-1920 to 1960s
Primary Housing Era
4.9★
Google Rating (159)
2
National Certifications

What does Bob check during a Philadelphia home inspection?

Bob approaches every Philadelphia inspection per ASHI and InterNACHI Standards of Practice. With Pre-1920 to 1960s housing stock dominant in Philadelphia, he focuses on the era-specific concerns that affect late 19th and early 20th century construction in Philadelphia County.

Stone & Rubble Foundations

Pre-1920 homes commonly have stone or rubble foundations with lime mortar joints that deteriorate over a century of exposure. Bob checks for shifting stones, mortar erosion, water seepage pathways, and structural settlement that can indicate foundation movement requiring professional stabilization.

Knob-and-Tube Wiring & Gas Pipe Conversions

Original knob-and-tube wiring is one of the most critical findings in pre-1920 homes — especially when insulation has been blown over active K&T, creating a fire hazard. Bob also evaluates gas pipe conversions from original coal or oil systems, checking for proper sizing, venting, and code compliance.

Original Slate Roofs & Historic Exteriors

Many pre-1920 homes retain original slate or clay tile roofs that, while durable, require specialized maintenance. Bob inspects for cracked or missing slates, deteriorating flashing, and aging copper gutters — plus original wood siding, decorative trim, and masonry that may show a century of weathering.

Lead Paint, Plaster Walls & Coal Chute Remnants

Original plaster-and-lath walls, lead paint on trim and windows, and sealed coal chute openings are hallmarks of pre-1920 construction. Bob documents these conditions and evaluates whether past renovations addressed or inadvertently worsened historical hazards.

What are common issues in Philadelphia homes?

Based on 20+ years inspecting late 19th and early 20th century homes in Philadelphia County, these are the issues Bob finds most often in Philadelphia's Pre-1920 to 1960s housing stock:

  • Knob-and-tube wiring still energized behind walls and under blown insulation
  • Stone foundation moisture intrusion and mortar joint deterioration
  • Lead paint on original trim, windows, and exterior surfaces
  • Gas pipe conversions from original coal or oil systems with improper venting
  • Original clay sewer laterals with root intrusion and bellied sections
  • Aging slate or clay tile roofs with deteriorating flashing

Ready to schedule your Philadelphia inspection?

Inspections typically scheduled within the week. Bob returns every call within 24 hours.

Also Available: Mold Testing & Air Quality in Philadelphia

In addition to home inspections, Bob provides professional mold testing and air quality analysis for Philadelphia properties. PRO-LAB certified lab results starting from $275.

Learn About Mold Testing in Philadelphia

Schedule Your Home Inspection in Philadelphia

Same-week appointments available. Bob personally oversees every inspection — you always know who's walking through your home.

610-348-6728

Mon–Sat, 7am–7pm • Urgent pre-closing available

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Inspection Services in Philadelphia

  • Residential Home Inspection
  • Pre-Listing Inspection
  • New Construction Inspection
  • 11-Month Warranty Inspection
  • WDI / Termite Inspection
  • Radon Testing

Pricing for Philadelphia

Home Inspection
Full inspection + 24-hour report
From $375

Every home is different. Call Bob for your specific quote — he'll give you an honest number on the spot.

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"24-hour report. You always get Bob. My name is on every inspection I do."
InterNACHI Certified • 20+ Years Experience • No Conflict of Interest
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Why Choose Bob

Why do Philadelphia homeowners choose All Seasons?

01

You Always Get Bob

When you hire All Seasons, Bob personally oversees your inspection — start to finish. No corporate dispatch, no unknown inspector. You know exactly who's walking through your Philadelphia home.

02

InterNACHI Certified

InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector with 20+ years of specialized expertise in Philadelphia County's Pre-1920 to 1960s housing stock.

03

24-Hour Reports

Your detailed, photo-rich inspection report delivered the same day. No waiting — so you can make decisions within your contract timeline.

04

Late 19th and early 20th century Expertise

Bob has inspected hundreds of pre-1920 homes across the Philadelphia region and understands their unique construction — from rubble stone foundations to knob-and-tube wiring to original slate roofs. He knows where these homes hide problems and what's normal aging versus what needs immediate attention.

From the Blog

What should Philadelphia homebuyers know about inspections?

Issues Other Inspectors Miss on Philadelphia Homes

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What Should a Home Inspector Actually Check?

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How to Evaluate a Home Inspector

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Get in Touch

How do I schedule a home inspection in Philadelphia?

Same-week appointments available throughout the Philadelphia region.

Serving Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester & Delaware Counties. All major credit cards accepted.

Tell Us About Your Property

Bob returns every call within 24 hours. Inspections typically scheduled within the week. No spam, no email lists.

Common Questions

What are common home inspection questions in Philadelphia?

Questions buyers and sellers in Philadelphia ask us most often — answered directly.

Home inspections in Philadelphia start at $375. Final pricing depends on square footage, property age, number of outbuildings, and whether add-on services (radon, sewer scope, termite, mold air sampling) are bundled. Call Bob directly at 610-348-6728 — he gives honest per-property quotes on the first call, not a menu price list.
Every Philadelphia inspection is run against ASHI and InterNACHI standards and covers foundation and structural systems, electrical panel and accessible wiring, plumbing supply and waste lines, HVAC equipment and distribution, roof and attic, exterior envelope and grading, interior finishes, windows and doors, and insulation and ventilation. You receive a photo-documented digital report within 24 hours.
Most Philadelphia inspections run 2-3 hours on-site depending on square footage and property age. Bob encourages buyers to attend — the in-person walk-through at the end is where the report becomes useful, not just something you read later.
Every home inspection in Philadelphia is performed in person by Bob Klebanoff — the same licensed InterNACHI- and ASHI-certified inspector who shows up to every appointment. No rotating technicians, no subcontractors, no handing the job off once you book. Findings are documented with photographs and a plain-language repair-cost range, sorted into immediate safety concerns versus planned-maintenance items, so you can decide whether to negotiate, accept, or walk. Nothing gets buried in jargon.
The party wall itself cannot be physically opened during an inspection, so Bob reads it indirectly. He checks both long walls of your unit for differential settlement cracks, evaluates where the rafters meet the party wall in the attic for flashing and fire-stop continuity, looks at the roof drainage pattern to see whether water sheds onto the neighbors or theirs sheds onto yours, and documents any visible staining or efflorescence that suggests moisture migration between units. In Center City, Society Hill, Fishtown, and South Philly rowhouses, the telltale signs are a sagging ridgeline that only sags over your unit, a crack that runs floor to ceiling at the party wall face, or brick spalling on the neighbor side of a shared parapet. Bob photographs all of it and tells you which patterns are cosmetic and which mean the two houses are moving at different rates.
A trinity is a three-story, one-room-per-floor Philadelphia townhouse with a single narrow winder staircase connecting all three floors. You find them densely in Society Hill, Queen Village, Old City, and Bella Vista, most built between 1780 and 1860. They do need a careful inspection because modern fire code expects a second means of egress on upper floors and these homes almost never have one. Bob evaluates the stair framing (often undersized original oak that has been repaired multiple times), the smoke alarm and interconnection layout, the kitchen location relative to the single stair, and any rooftop deck access that could function as a secondary egress. He also checks for the common trinity structural pattern where the rear wall has pulled away from the side walls over two centuries, which shows up as gaps at the top-floor ceiling corners. None of this fails the house, but you should know what you are buying.
On almost every Philadelphia home built before 1920, the sewer lateral from the house to the city main is original — vitrified clay tile, roughly 100 years old, with joints sealed by mortar or hemp and tar that have long since failed. Tree roots enter at the joints, the pipe develops bellied low spots that collect solids, and sections eventually collapse. Bob flags lateral age and access during every pre-1920 inspection and strongly recommends a separate camera scope by a licensed plumber before closing, particularly in Fishtown, Kensington, Point Breeze, Graduate Hospital, South Philly, and Spruce Hill where the laterals have had the longest time to fail. A scope is typically 200 to 400 dollars and it is the single highest-value follow-up test on an older Philly rowhouse. Replacement costs can run 5,000 to 15,000 dollars depending on depth and street-opening permits, so this is not a finding you want to inherit blind.
Yes, and Bob does this as part of every Philadelphia inspection. The Department of Licenses and Inspections maintains an online permit and violation history for every property in the city, and Bob pulls the record before or during the visit. He looks for three things: open or expired permits on work that appears complete (a common failure pattern on flip rehabs in Fishtown, Kensington, and Point Breeze), violations that have been issued but not cleared, and major work that was done without any permit on file. Unpermitted work is not automatically a problem, but it means the work was never inspected by the city and Bob gives it extra scrutiny in the report. He also checks whether the Certificate of Occupancy matches what you are actually buying, which matters on duplex and triplex purchases where the legal use may not match how the building is currently being rented.
Bob checks this at the main shutoff valve in the basement during every inspection. Lead lines are dull gray, feel soft to a fingernail scratch, and are usually found on homes built before 1950 in Center City, South Philly, Fishtown, Kensington, West Philly, and North Philly. Galvanized steel is silver-gray, magnetic, and often shows external rust at the joint where it enters the house — common in 1920s to 1950s homes across Mayfair, Tacony, Olney, and older Roxborough. Copper is reddish-brown and usually indicates either original post-war construction or a past replacement. Early PVC or polyethylene shows up on some Northeast Philly homes from the 1960s and on almost every gut rehab from the last 20 years. Bob photographs the inlet, flags the material, and for lead or galvanized lines walks you through the Philadelphia Water Department Lead Service Line Replacement Program and rough replacement costs.
It depends on what is under the current membrane and how many recovers it has already had. Most Philadelphia rowhouses across South Philly, Fishtown, Kensington, Mayfair, and Tacony have flat or near-flat rear roofs, originally built-up tar and gravel, later recovered with modified bitumen or a single-ply membrane. Bob evaluates the drainage pattern (ponding water shortens membrane life dramatically), counts visible layers at the parapet edge and roof drain, checks the parapet wall cap for open joints, and probes soft spots that indicate saturated insulation underneath. If the membrane is under 10 years old and there is only one recover layer, targeted repair and better drainage is usually the right call. If there are two or more layers, visible ponding, or soft spots across more than 10 percent of the field, full tear-off and replacement is the honest answer. Bob gives you the specific condition findings and a repair-vs-replace range so you can negotiate the purchase with real numbers.
Federal law requires the seller of any pre-1978 home to provide a lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA Protect Your Family From Lead pamphlet before you sign. In Philadelphia that covers the overwhelming majority of homes outside far Northeast Philly and some of Roxborough — effectively all of Center City, South Philly, West Philly, North Philly, Fishtown, Kensington, Mt. Airy, Germantown, Chestnut Hill, and most of Mayfair and Tacony. Bob does not do EPA-certified lead paint risk assessment during a standard home inspection, but he does document visible deteriorating paint on window sashes, door jambs, porch railings, and exterior trim, and he calls out the areas most likely to have lead dust (friction surfaces on original double-hung windows are the single biggest exposure source). If you have young children or you are planning renovation that will disturb painted surfaces, Bob will refer you to a Pennsylvania-certified lead risk assessor for a separate follow-up test before you proceed.
Every neighborhood. Bob has personally inspected homes in Center City, Rittenhouse, Society Hill, Old City, Queen Village, Bella Vista, Passyunk Square, Pennsport, Point Breeze, Graduate Hospital, Fairmount, Brewerytown, Fishtown, Northern Liberties, Kensington, Port Richmond, Manayunk, East Falls, Roxborough, Wissahickon, Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy, Germantown, Spruce Hill, University City, Cedar Park, Powelton Village, Mantua, Mayfair, Tacony, Holme Circle, Fox Chase, Rhawnhurst, Somerton, Wissinoming, and Olney, among others. The variety of Philadelphia housing stock is the reason experience in the full city matters — a Chestnut Hill schist single and a Mayfair post-war Cape share almost nothing beyond a zip code prefix. Bob does not hand Philadelphia work off to a subcontractor and does not refer out of city limits. One owner-operator, one report, one phone number for follow-up questions at 610-348-6728.
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