Ridgefield spent most of its history as a quiet agricultural community on the Columbia River. Then it became one of the fastest-growing cities in SW Washington. That rapid growth created something you don't see in many markets: century-old farmstead homes sitting a few blocks from subdivisions where the paint is still fresh. Downtown and the original townsite along the Columbia River carry the full rural property profile, including wells, septic systems, outbuildings, and systems that predate modern codes. North Ridgefield's plateau neighborhoods are new-construction territory with a completely different set of concerns.
Not only do I have 10 years of inspector experience, I also worked as a Contractor for 12. I've replaced roofs, run wiring, poured concrete, waterproofed showers, installed drywall, set doors, replaced siding and windows, and done high-end framing on some of the most complex jobs in the metro. That background is what lets me read a rural Ridgefield property the way it deserves to be read, and spot what the builder got wrong in a new-construction platted subdivision up on the plateau.
When I walk an older farmstead in Ridgefield, I'm not just looking at the house. I'm evaluating the outbuildings, assessing the septic field location and the well's relationship to other site features, checking foundation drainage on lots shaped by decades of agricultural use, and looking for galvanized plumbing that's been corroding from the inside for 60 years. On the new side of the city, the focus shifts entirely: grading, ductwork, window flashing, attic ventilation, and anything the builder cut corners on before handing you the keys.
I hold Certified Master Inspector® certification (top 3% of the industry), Washington DOL license #1856, and Oregon OCHI license #1898. Every inspection includes free thermal imaging.
