Why Oregon Homes Require a Different Kind of Inspector
Oregon's housing stock is unlike almost anywhere else in the country. In the Portland metro alone, you can find a Victorian home from the 1890s, a craftsman bungalow from 1920, a ranch from 1965, a CPVC-plumbed suburban home from 1998, and a brand new build on the same street. Each era has its own specific failure modes — and an experienced inspector knows exactly where to look in each one.
Oregon's wet climate compounds every defect. Rain falls from October through June, and that moisture finds every crack, every inadequate gutter, and every crawlspace without proper vapor management. Homes in the Pacific Northwest collect moisture problems quietly over years. By the time damage is visible, much of it has already happened. Thermal imaging finds moisture hiding inside walls and under floors long before it shows up on the surface, which is exactly why it's included on every inspection.
Oregon law also requires sellers to disclose known defects. But sellers can only disclose what they know. A thorough inspection finds things the seller may genuinely be unaware of — in the crawlspace, the attic, the panel, and the plumbing. That's not a small thing when you're spending $500,000 or more on a home.
Credentials That Go Beyond the License
Oregon requires home inspectors to be licensed through the Oregon Construction Contractors Board. That means passing a state exam, carrying errors and omissions insurance, and meeting continuing education requirements. It's a baseline — not a differentiator.
Russ holds Oregon license #1898 and the Certified Master Inspector credential, the highest designation in the inspection profession. He also holds an Oregon General Contractor license (#254518) with 12 years of active field experience. That background means he doesn't just identify problems. He understands how buildings are actually built, what repairs cost, and which issues are urgent versus which ones can wait.
Oregon Communities We Serve
We serve the full Portland metro across Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties, plus surrounding communities within our 25-mile service radius.
Multnomah County
Radon Zone 2Multnomah County is the heart of the Portland metro and home to some of the oldest housing stock in Oregon. Inner Portland neighborhoods are full of craftsman bungalows and Victorian homes from the early 1900s — beautiful, but 80 to 120 years old. These homes commonly have aging wiring, corroding galvanized pipes, and crawlspaces that have been accumulating moisture for decades.
Newer construction and infill condos present a different set of concerns: CPVC plumbing from the 1990s and 2000s that is now showing its age, building envelope issues in converted lofts, and condo buildings where common systems often go unexamined without an experienced eye.
Multnomah County has documented radon exposure. The craftsman-era crawlspace foundations that dominate inner Portland give radon a direct path into living spaces. Radon testing is recommended on every Portland inspection.
Cities We Serve
Clackamas County
EPA Radon Zone 1Clackamas County is where Trusted Home Inspections is based — Oregon City is our home. We know this county as well as any inspector in Oregon. It's also EPA Radon Zone 1, the highest designation, meaning elevated radon levels are documented county-wide.
The housing stock spans a huge range: historic downtown Oregon City homes from the 1880s, mid-century ranches in Milwaukie and Gladstone, fast-growing newer construction in Happy Valley, hillside homes in West Linn and Lake Oswego, and rural acreage properties with wells and septic systems along the county's edges. Every type demands a different inspection focus.
Every Clackamas County inspection should include a radon test. It costs $150 and takes five minutes to set up. Mitigation, if needed, typically runs $800 to $1,500.
Cities We Serve
Washington County
Tech CorridorWashington County is Oregon's tech corridor. Intel, Nike, and dozens of other companies have Oregon campuses here, driving one of the most active real estate markets in the state. Homes move fast — buyers feel pressure to waive contingencies or rush the inspection window. That pressure is exactly when a thorough inspector matters most.
The dominant housing era is 1990 to 2010, which means CPVC plumbing is widespread. CPVC becomes brittle over time, especially near heat sources, and cracks at fittings. We evaluate every CPVC installation on every Washington County inspection. Clay soils are also a significant factor — the ground expands when wet, shrinks when dry, and that movement creates foundation stress and drainage problems that accumulate over years.
What Every Oregon Inspection Includes
Every inspection covers the full home, top to bottom. Thermal imaging is included on every inspection at no extra charge. Your report is digital, photo-rich, and delivered after the inspection through Spectora — with plain-English explanations of every finding.
🏗️ Structure & Foundation
- Foundation type and visible condition
- Full crawlspace entry and evaluation
- Cripple wall bracing and anchor bolts
- Attic framing and structure
🏠 Roofing & Exterior
- Roof covering condition and estimated age
- Flashing, gutters, and downspouts
- Grading and drainage at foundation
- Siding, windows, doors, decks
🔧 Plumbing
- Supply and drain pipe material ID
- Water heater age and function
- All accessible fixtures and valves
- CPVC evaluation when present
⚡ Electrical
- Service panel type and condition
- Wiring type identification
- GFCI and AFCI protection
- Grounding, bonding, outlet testing
💨 HVAC
- Heating system age and operation
- Cooling system if present
- Ductwork visible condition
- Ventilation adequacy
🔥 Thermal Imaging
- Hidden moisture behind walls and floors
- Insulation gaps and heat loss
- Electrical hot spots
- Included free, every inspection
Oregon Add-On Services
Radon Testing
Recommended on every Oregon inspection. Portland metro homes have documented radon exposure, and Clackamas County is EPA Zone 1. 48-hour electronic monitoring with digital results. If levels are elevated, mitigation typically costs $800 to $1,500 and works reliably. Learn more about radon testing.
Sewer Scope
Essential for any Oregon home built before 1985, strongly recommended for homes before 2000. Oregon's older sewer lines are clay tile and cast iron — they develop cracks, root intrusion, and joint separation over time. A camera down the line shows you exactly what's there. Replacing a failed sewer line runs $8,000 to $25,000. The scope costs a fraction of that.
Mold Air Quality Testing
Recommended when crawlspace moisture is significant or when there's visible staining or musty odors. Oregon's wet climate makes mold a legitimate concern in older homes with poor vapor management. Air samples sent to certified Sporecyte lab with spore counts and species identification. Learn more about mold testing.
11-Month Warranty Inspection
For buyers of new Oregon construction still within their builder's one-year warranty. We inspect the home before the warranty expires and document items the builder is responsible to fix. Builders are required to address warranty items — but most buyers let the warranty expire without using it. Learn more about warranty inspections.
Oregon's Earthquake Risk and What It Means for Homebuyers
Oregon sits above the Cascadia Subduction Zone, one of the most seismically active fault systems in North America. A major Cascadia earthquake is considered a matter of when, not if, by geologists and emergency management agencies. For homebuyers, this means seismic resilience is a real factor in evaluating any Oregon home.
During every inspection, we evaluate the elements that determine how a home will perform in a seismic event: cripple wall bracing at the crawlspace perimeter, anchor bolt presence and spacing connecting the mudsill to the foundation, and the overall structural framing condition. Homes without proper cripple wall bracing and anchor bolts are the most vulnerable to lateral movement during an earthquake.
For many Portland-area homes built before 1980, retrofitting cripple walls with plywood sheathing and adding anchor bolts is a cost-effective upgrade. Oregon's OSSPAC (Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission) recommends this work, and some insurance carriers offer premium reductions for documented seismic retrofits. We document the current condition in every inspection report so you know exactly where the home stands.