Watkins Home Inspection

11/13/2025

A sewer scan/scope is great piece of mind. I found this blockage after a plumber had “snaked” the drain. This is 100% blockage at about 36’ into the pipe. Its difficult to see , but it appears to be rags blocking the pipe.

10/22/2025

If you have concrete block or poured concrete foundation walls,horizontal cracks are an indication of pressure being applied to the walls. The recommendation is to have a structural engineer or foundation company inspect the structure. Horizontal cracks almost always require a repair, often a very costly repair.

Sometimes the seller will have painted over or tried to conceal an improper repair. What at a first glance looks fine can be hiding severe foundation issues. Using a flashlight to side light the foundation walls can help identify concealed issues.
If you find a horizontal crack look along the wall for bowing. If bowing is present there is pressure on the exterior of the wall that needs to be dealt with.

06/08/2024

03/14/2024

A common issue I find during inspections is GFCI (Ground Fault Current Interrupting) outlets that won’t test or reset.
GFCI outlets detect a difference in current between the conductors and trip ( shut off) when a difference is detected.
GFCI outlets have “test” and “reset” buttons on the face of the outlet.
Occasionally you should test these outlets. They should trip with the test button and reset easily with the reset button. If they will not do either it is time to replace them.
You should see GFCI outlets at a minimum in your kitchen and bathrooms. Any outlet within 6’ of a sink or water source is recommended to have a GFCI outlet.
When you test your kitchen GFCI’s check to see if one controls your refrigerator. I have a found few that do and the homeowner didnt know. Knowing which outlet to watch and reset could save you from a smelly fridge clean up and loss of food.
The pictures are examples of typical GFCI outlets.

03/04/2024

For our followers in and around Hillsdale county listen to WCSR for our radio ad during Tiger games.

03/01/2024

In 2023 we earned the Angie “Top Rated” badge.

The criteria for the badge are:
-Minimum of 5 reviews
-Minimum overall rating of 4.0 or better
-More than 90% of homeowners that have left you a review would recommend you
-No homeowner complaints in the last 6 months
Reviews from homeowners you've done work fo

03/01/2024

In 2023 we earned the Angie “Elite Service Professional”badge.
The criteria for the badge are:
-Have a minimum of five reviews with a 5-star rating
-Overall customer service rating of 4.5 or better
-No homeowner complaints in the last 6 months
-Reviews from homeowners you've done work for

03/01/2024

For 2023 we earned the Angi “Super Service” award for the second year in a row.

03/01/2024

Spring rains are approaching. Now is a great time to test your sump pump.

Take the lid off of your basin, lift the float. The pump should start and then stop when you release the float. If there isn’t any water in the basin, pour some in.
If your pump doesn’t have a float it starts by pressure, pour 3 to 5 gallons in the basin, the pump should start and then stop when it pumps enough water out.
If you have a backup battery pump that you have a hard time keeping up with changing batteries or you don’t have a backup, a water backup sump pump could be a good option. If you have public water a water backup will work for you. A water back pump uses water pressure to power the pump. As long as you have water presure the pump will operate, no electricity needed.