Rod Inspects · Serving San Marcos
Home Inspection in San Marcos, TX
Rod Inspects provides home inspections in San Marcos, TX for buyers, sellers and owners of new and older homes on both sides of the Balcones Escarpment, from stony Hill Country lots on the west side to clay ground on the east and homes near the San Marcos and Blanco rivers. Its three inspectors are licensed through TREC.
What Should Buyers Know About Homes in San Marcos, TX?
San Marcos is built where the water comes up. San Marcos Springs, the second-largest spring in Texas, rises from the Edwards Aquifer at the bottom of Spring Lake and is the headwaters of the San Marcos River. The San Marcos and Blanco rivers shape the land, the flood maps and the homes around it.
The housing is a mix of eras. Census estimates put the median home at about 2001. About half of all homes were built in 2000 or later and about a third in 2010 or later, while a little more than a third were built before 1980. In one week a home inspector in San Marcos might see a house built in the last few years and an older home in one of the city's historic districts.
The bigger difference is the ground. The Balcones Escarpment runs right through the city, and the Hill Country side and the prairie side behave very differently under a house. A good inspector reads the lot and the era of the house, not just the checklist.
How Do Clay Soils, Limestone and Floods Affect San Marcos Homes?
Each one puts a different stress on a house, and a good inspection looks for all three.
- Very expansive clay on the east side. Houston Black, Branyon and Heiden clays cover about two-fifths of the city's land, and federal soil surveys rate all three very high for shrink-swell. Federal soil scientists describe Houston Black as very slowly permeable; in dry months it cracks open, with cracks up to 4 inches wide and a foot or more deep. A slab on this ground moves with wet and dry seasons, and drainage and watering drive much of that movement. The inspector looks for sticking doors, cracks at window and door corners, separated brick veneer, and the grading and gutter problems that make it worse.
- Shallow, stony ground on the west side. West of the escarpment the soils turn stony and shallow over limestone bedrock, about a foot deep in places. Two homes a few miles apart in San Marcos can sit on very different ground. Part of the west and northwest side lies over the Edwards Aquifer recharge and transition zones. The inspector checks retaining walls, decks and stairs on grade changes, and how runoff moves around the house.
- Two rivers with a flood record. On May 24, 2015, the Blanco River at San Marcos crested at 43.08 feet, its record, and the National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Emergency for the city. Five months later, on October 30, 2015, it reached 42.56 feet, its second-highest crest. The San Marcos River's highest listed crest came in October 1998. Roughly a fifth of the city's land is in a FEMA 1% annual-chance flood zone, and a large part of that is mapped floodway. Check the specific 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 San Marcos Commonly Find?
Beyond the ground, these are the findings that come up again and again in San Marcos homes:
- Newer homes on moving clay. About a third of the city's homes were built in 2010 or later, and a newer house is not exempt from clay movement. 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.
- Older homes in the historic districts. San Marcos has seven locally designated historic districts, six of them residential: Belvin Street, San Antonio Street, Downtown, Dunbar, Burleson Street, Lindsey-Rogers and Hopkins Street. Homes here can have crawl spaces, older wiring and plumbing materials, and additions built to different standards than the original house. In a district, exterior changes to design, material or appearance, other than ordinary repair, maintenance and painting, need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the city's Historic Preservation Commission. Windows, additions, accessory structures and fences are examples. If the report points to exterior work, check with the city before you plan it.
- Plumbing by era. With homes from before 1980 next to homes from the last few years, the supply and drain piping, the water heater and past plumbing repairs vary from house to house. The inspector notes the visible materials, leaks and water pressure.
- 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.
- Septic on the recharge zone. Check the listing for a septic system. On the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, Texas rules call for at least one acre per single-family home, with exemptions for some older platted lots, so ask for the permit records. A private well or septic system needs its own evaluation.
Which Home Inspection Services Are Available in San Marcos?
Every Rod Inspects service is available to San Marcos clients:
- Buyer's home inspection for a Hill Country lot, a clay-soil lot or a home near the rivers, done inside your option period
- Seller's pre-listing inspection before your home goes on the market
- New construction inspection at the pre-drywall and final stages of a home being built
- Builder's warranty inspection before your first-year warranty runs out
- Infrared thermal inspection, which identifies surface 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 San Marcos Buyers Choose Rod Inspects?
When you choose a San Marcos home inspector, these are the facts that matter:
- A track record that starts in 2002, with more than 13,000 inspections
- Three licensed inspectors: Rod Stewardson, Derek Saari and Tyler Stewardson (meet the team)
- Reviews written by clients across the area (see the reviews)
- Infrared thermal technology, which identifies surface temperature patterns that may indicate problems the eye alone can miss
- A veteran-owned, 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 did a fabulous job during our inspection. He was very thorough and explained his findings very well... We were able to make a confident decision when purchasing our home.”
Rebecca Shelton
How Do You Schedule a Home Inspection in San Marcos?
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. If the home is in a historic district or near the rivers, mention it when you book.
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 veteran-owned home inspection company serving San Marcos, Texas, from its base in the San Antonio area. Led by Rod Stewardson, TREC License #6291 PI, the company has inspected homes since 2002 and has completed more than 13,000 inspections. Its three licensed inspectors, Rod Stewardson, Derek Saari and Tyler Stewardson, provide buyer's, seller's, new construction, builder's warranty, infrared thermal and pool and irrigation inspections in San Marcos, on both sides of the Balcones Escarpment.
What Do San Marcos Buyers Ask About Home Inspections?
Does Rod Inspects do home inspections in San Marcos, TX?
Yes. Rod Inspects inspects homes throughout San Marcos, on both sides of the Balcones Escarpment, from older homes in the historic districts to homes built in the last few years.
Is my San Marcos home in a flood zone?
A home inspection cannot tell you that. Roughly a fifth of the city's land is in a FEMA 1% annual-chance flood zone, and the Blanco River set its two highest crests at San Marcos in 2015. 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 San Marcos?
On the east side, much of the city's land is Houston Black, Branyon and Heiden clay, rated very high for shrink-swell. These clays swell when wet and crack open when dry, which can move a slab over time. Grading, gutters and watering around the house make a big difference. On the west side, shallow soil over limestone, sloped lots and retaining walls are the bigger concerns.
Is San Marcos on the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone?
Part of it is. The recharge and transition zones cover land on the west and northwest side of the city. Texas septic rules on the recharge zone call for at least one acre per single-family home, with exemptions for some older platted lots, so check the listing and ask for any septic system's permit records.
Can I change the outside of a home in a San Marcos historic district?
Not without city approval for many changes. In the city's locally designated historic districts, exterior changes to design, material or appearance, other than ordinary repair, maintenance and painting, need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission. Windows, additions, accessory structures and fences are examples. Check with the city before you plan exterior work.
Does a standard home inspection cover a pool, well or 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.
Ready to Book Your San Marcos Home Inspection?
Whether the house sits on limestone west of the escarpment, on clay to the east or near the river, get the facts before your option period ends.