Rod Inspects · TREC License #6291 PI
Home Inspection in New Braunfels, TX
Rod Inspects provides home inspections in New Braunfels, TX for buyers, sellers and owners of new and established homes on both sides of I-35, from Hill Country lots to homes near the Comal and Guadalupe rivers. Its inspectors are licensed through TREC, led by Rod Stewardson (License #6291 PI).
What Should Buyers Know About Homes in New Braunfels, TX?
New Braunfels is old and new at once. German settlers founded it in 1845 where the Comal River meets the Guadalupe, and it is the county seat of Comal County. Yet most of its homes are recent: Census estimates put the median home at about 2006, with roughly six in ten built in 2000 or later and about one in five before 1980.
So in one week a home inspector in New Braunfels might see an older home near downtown or Gruene, some on pier-and-beam foundations, and several houses in subdivisions along I-35, FM 306, FM 725 and SH 46 that did not exist twenty years ago. Outside the city limits, larger properties in Comal and Guadalupe counties may have their own well and septic system.
The bigger difference is the ground. The Balcones Escarpment runs through the city, and the two sides behave very differently under a house. A good inspector reads the lot and the era of the house, not just the checklist.
How Do Hillsides, Clay Soils and the Rivers Affect New Braunfels Homes?
They each put a different stress on a house, and a good inspection looks for all three.
- Very expansive clay on the east side. Branyon, Houston Black and Heiden clays cover roughly two-fifths of the city's land, and federal soil surveys rate them very high for shrink-swell. Heiden clay is known for gilgai, the small natural humps and hollows that swelling and shrinking leave in open ground. A slab on these soils moves with wet and dry seasons. The inspector looks for sticking doors, cracks at window and door corners, separated brick veneer, and the grading and gutter problems that usually drive the movement.
- Stony Hill Country ground on the west side. West of I-35 the soils turn stony and rubbly over limestone, with sloped lots, cut-and-fill pads and retaining walls. Part of the west and north side lies over the Edwards Aquifer recharge and transition zones, and Texas rules for septic systems on the recharge zone call for at least one acre per home, with exemptions for some older lots. The inspector checks retaining walls, decks and stairs on grade changes, and how runoff moves around the house.
- Two rivers with a flood record. The Comal, fed by the Edwards Aquifer through Comal Springs, most of which rise in Landa Park, and the Guadalupe both run through town. In October 1998 the Guadalupe crested at its highest level since 1913, and the National Weather Service reported homes between Canyon Lake and Seguin being washed off their foundations. In July 2002, water went over Canyon Lake's emergency spillway for the first time. Check the address on the FEMA flood map and ask the seller about past water. The inspector looks for visible signs of earlier moisture, such as staining, efflorescence on masonry and damaged lower drywall.
What Do Home Inspections in New Braunfels Commonly Find?
Beyond the ground, these are the findings that come up again and again in New Braunfels homes:
- Newer homes on moving clay. A house built in the last fifteen years is not exempt. Final grading that has settled, downspouts that empty at the slab and flower beds built up against the foundation are routine findings on the east side.
- Air conditioning under long summers. Systems run hard for months, often with the air handler in a hot attic. Condensate drains, emergency pans, duct connections and equipment age are routine findings.
- Hail and wind on the roof. Storm damage is easy to miss from the ground, and so are patch repairs of uneven quality.
- Pools and outdoor living. Pools, spas and sprinkler systems are inspected separately from a standard home inspection, so ask about a pool and irrigation inspection when you book.
- Older homes near downtown and Gruene. Crawl spaces, older wiring and plumbing materials, and additions built to different standards than the original house.
- Well and septic properties. A private well or septic system needs its own evaluation. Ask about it before your option period starts.
Which Home Inspection Services Are Available in New Braunfels?
Every Rod Inspects service is available to New Braunfels clients:
- Buyer's home inspection for a hillside home, a river-area home or anything in between, done inside your option period
- Seller's pre-listing inspection before your home goes on the market
- New construction inspection for homes going up in the newer subdivisions
- Builder's warranty inspection before your first-year warranty runs out
- Infrared thermal inspection, using infrared thermal technology to identify temperature patterns that may indicate hidden moisture or missing insulation
- Pool and irrigation inspection for the backyard pool, spa or sprinkler system that came with the house
Why Do New Braunfels Buyers Choose Rod Inspects?
When you look for a New Braunfels home inspector licensed through TREC, these are the facts that matter:
- A track record that starts in 2002
- Reviews written by New Braunfels-area and San Antonio clients (see the reviews)
- Rod Stewardson holds TREC License #6291 PI, and Derek Saari and Tyler Stewardson are licensed too (meet the team)
- Infrared thermal technology, which identifies temperature patterns that may indicate problems the eye alone can miss
- A locally run business
We work for you, the buyer or seller, and explain what we find in plain language so you understand the house, not just the report. Want to see what that looks like? Our sample reports and photos show the format.
“Rod Inspects did an amazing and incredibly thorough job... They really put our minds at ease with the quality of the house we are buying.”
Phil
How Do You Schedule a Home Inspection in New Braunfels?
Call or book online as soon as the contract is signed. Your option period is short, and the report needs to reach you with time left to negotiate.
Schedule online in a few minutes, any time, or call (210) 255-3134.
Which Nearby Areas Does Rod Inspects Serve?
Who Is Rod Inspects?
Rod Inspects is a home inspection company serving New Braunfels, Texas, from its base in the San Antonio area. Led by Rod Stewardson, TREC License #6291 PI, the company has inspected homes since 2002. Its three licensed inspectors, Rod Stewardson, Derek Saari and Tyler Stewardson, provide buyer, seller, new construction, builder's warranty, infrared thermal and pool and irrigation inspections in New Braunfels and across Comal and Guadalupe counties, using infrared thermal technology.
What Do New Braunfels Buyers Ask About Home Inspections?
Does Rod Inspects do home inspections in New Braunfels, TX?
Yes. Rod Inspects inspects homes throughout New Braunfels, on both sides of the Balcones Escarpment, from older homes near downtown and Gruene to new construction in the growing subdivisions.
Is my New Braunfels home in a flood zone?
A home inspection cannot tell you that. Part of the city's land is in mapped FEMA flood zones, and the Guadalupe has a serious flood record, so check the FEMA flood map for the specific address and ask the seller about any history of water. During the inspection, the inspector looks for visible signs of past moisture.
Why do foundations move in New Braunfels?
On the east side, much of the city sits on Branyon, Houston Black and Heiden clays, which swell when wet and shrink when dry and can move a slab over time. On the west side, sloped lots, fill and drainage around retaining walls are the bigger concerns.
Is New Braunfels on the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone?
Part of it is. The recharge and transition zones cover land on the west and north side of the city. Texas septic rules on the recharge zone call for at least one acre per home, with exemptions for some older lots, so ask about any septic system's permit records.
Does a standard home inspection cover a pool or a septic system?
No. Pools, spas and sprinkler systems are inspected separately, and a private well or septic system needs its own evaluation. Mention them when you book so nothing is missed.
Who inspects homes in New Braunfels for Rod Inspects?
One of three inspectors licensed through TREC: Rod Stewardson (License #6291 PI), Derek Saari or Tyler Stewardson.
Ready to Book Your New Braunfels Home Inspection?
Whether the house sits on a hillside west of I-35 or a clay lot to the east, get the facts before your option period ends.