"There is no substitute for experience!"
Mike Bryan and Martha McClerkin provide over sixty years of collective experience in the real estate and home inspection professions and twenty-two years of ‘hands on’ building construction experience. Expect a thorough inspection resulting in a detailed, concise yet easy to understand building inspection report – all intended to assist you in making a well-informed real estate purchasing decision. Professionalism throughout the process is our goal.
Mike has been inspecting homes and light commercial buildings since 1993. He also offers the experience of a twenty-two year construction background, which includes fifteen years as a journeyman mason followed by years of residential and commercial Design/Build and disaster restoration contracting.
Martha (Mike's wife) was trained by Mike and has been working with him since 2015. She has been a Realtor since 1993 and still has her license.
Mike (Michael Bryan) and Martha (Martha McClerkin) are licensed home inspectors in the Commonwealth of Virginia. They both have the NRS (New Residential Structure) certification as well.
Michael's VA Lic. #3380000608-NRS (Expiration 1/27)
Martha's VA Lic. #3380001798-NRS (Expiration 2/27)
We're thankful you've come to our web site!
Martha and I work together as a team to thoroughly yet efficiently inspect your prospective residential or light commercial building. The report you recieve will conform to the Regulations of The Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) and both the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics of the InterNational Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) and the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) to the best of our ability. Mike, over the years, has developed his own custom inspection templates within the HomeGauge Reporting System to be concise, informative and easy to understand.
The service you recieve is the product of twenty-two years of 'hands on' construction experience, including fifteen years in the masonry profession as a journeyman mason and six years in disaster restroration and Design/Build construction (Mike) and decades of building inspections (30+ for Mike and 10 for Martha).
If the condition of the foundation of a building is one of your concerns, Mike is well qualified to address your concerns. He puts his founation knowledge and experience to work offering insight into the severity, most likely contributing factors, and most practicable solutions to adverse foundation conditions. Surprisingly, an engineer's report regarding adverse conditions, according to the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), does not typically meet the standards required to be considered truly 'engineering', but rather simply a professional 'opinion'. An engineer's report therefore is only as reliable as that engineer's years of field experience and understanding of the materials and system. MIke's foundation inspection and report is based upon fifteen years of masonry and reinforced concrete experience - all enhanced by five years in disaster restoration contracting and over thirty years of inspecting approximately 18,000 buildings as of January of 2025.
Inspection Services of Central Virginia has proudly served the real estate community since 1993 while maintaining a solid reputation including an uninterrupted A+ rating during the twenty years it was a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB). No one in Richmond has a more extensive fully related 'hands on background than Mike. But, don't take our word for it. Consider Mike and Martha's extensive resume's and then shop experience levels among inspectors in the Richmond area, and we're confident that you'll conclude that we are the right choice, because professionalism throughout the process is our goal and...
there is no substitute for experience!
The Bottom Line:
Inspection Services of Central Virginia is proud to be known as one of the oldest and most trusted real estate inspection service providers in the Richmond Metropolitan area. Mike is a graduate of The Professional Home Inspection Institute, and Martha is a graduate of Virginia Home Inspector Training. They each earn more than the required hours of continuing education annually through: InterNACHI®—the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (www.NACHI.org); the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI at www.ashi.org); and the Virginia Association of Real Estate Inspectors (VAREI at varei.org). InterNACHI® - as the world's largest nonprofit association for property inspectors, and ASHI as the oldest nonprofit association together set the standards for education, training, and certification in the field.
Mike is currently an active member of InterNACHI and VAREI. He believes it is paramount to be a member of professional associations to fellowship with other professional inspectors thereby sharing information and education, promoting professional standards and keeping informed regarding the most recent requirements for the profession in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
What You Can Expect
Some home inspectors divide their time between inspecting a building, sharing their findings on the fly, and offering educational and maintenance tips. You might initially think this is great, but we know it's a recipe for disaster, because distraction is very often the mother of errors and omissions. Purchasing real estate is generally one of the largest single expenditures and investments of a lifetime, and you can count on us to be ardently focused on the task at hand - inspecting, testing, and evaluating the condition of your prospecteve building's systems, materials and equipment, and documenting the visible or apparent major defects and deficiencies present on the day of the inspection. That is what you are paying for and that's what we strive to deliver.
At the conclusion of the inspection, we always verbally present our findings, answer your questions, and offer maintenance and energy saving tips. A link to a detailed inspection report will be emailed to you typically within twenty-four hours. Click on the link below to review a sample of our work.
Sample Report
Our inspections conform to the best of our ability to the Standards of Practice of The Internation Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACH) and The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) - most importantly The Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) Minimum Standards for Conducting Home Inspections.
I Educate My Clients
I’ll show you how everything works, how to maintain it, and how to save energy. You’ll also get a 100-page home maintenance book with your inspection report, packed with tips on keeping your home in top shape. The condition of your home can impact your health, so I make it a priority to check for anything that might affect your living environment.
Maintaining your home means taking simple, proactive steps to avoid bigger problems down the road. I’ll share easy maintenance tips and ways to save on energy costs, like optimizing your HVAC and insulation, to help you keep things running efficiently and sustainably. At (Company Name), I’m here to help you make smart decisions about your home and keep it in great condition.
How It Works
I'll show you how your home's systems operate so you can manage them effectively.
How to Maintain It
Learn practical tips to prevent costly repairs and keep your home in solid condition.
How to Save Energy
I'll provide straightforward ways to improve efficiency, like optimizing your HVAC and insulation.
What We Inspect
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Roof: Inspect for damage, missing materials, drainage, flashing, and overall condition.
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Exterior: Inspect siding, windows, doors, and foundation for structural integrity and weatherproofing.
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Foundation & Structure: Inspect for moisture, structural issues, and ventilation.
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Heating & Cooling Systems: Inspect components for safety, efficiency, age, and condition.
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Plumbing: Inspect pipes, fixtures, and water heater for leaks, pressure, and functionality.
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Electrical: Inspect service panel, wiring, outlets, and safety devices.
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Fireplace: Inspect chimney and fireplace for safety and operation.
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Attic & Insulation: Inspect insulation, ventilation, and signs of moisture.
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Interior: Inspect doors, windows, walls, floors, ceilings, and safety features.