Inspections · August 27, 2026
What an island home inspection should cover
Wells, septic systems, bluffs and salt air: the four checks that a mainland inspector may skip.
A general inspection is a good start. On the islands, add four checks: a well flow and water quality test, a septic inspection with a pump-out, a bluff report for any home near a bank, and a look at metal that salt air has eaten.
The well test is the one buyers skip most often and regret most. A shared well needs a written agreement; ask to see it before you make an offer.
Book inspectors early in summer. There are few of them, and they work on ferry time too.