Home Inspections in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Serving Portsmouth, the Seacoast & Rockingham County
Portsmouth is one of the oldest housing markets in New England, and it shows in the inspection: 18th- and 19th-century homes in the South End and downtown, mid-century neighborhoods off Route 1, waterfront and Pease-area construction, and a deep condo market. Buyers here move fast and pay a premium, so they need a same-day report that separates safety items from defects from maintenance, written by an inspector who knows how New Hampshire coastal homes age.
Communities We Serve
Coverage across the Seacoast and inland Rockingham County — one team, every ancillary service, same appointment.
Portsmouth & Coast
- Portsmouth
- New Castle
- Rye
- Hampton
- North Hampton
- Seabrook
Inland Rockingham
- Greenland
- Newington
- Stratham
- Exeter
- Newfields
- Brentwood
Across the Bridge
- Kittery, ME
- Eliot, ME
- York, ME
- South Berwick, ME
One Appointment, Everything Covered
Maine transactions stack up fast: the inspection, the radon test, the water sample, the septic evaluation — and every added vendor is another schedule to juggle and another report to chase. FPI does it differently. One call, one appointment, one team. Our inspectors handle the full ancillary stack in the same visit, so your buyer gets one coordinated set of findings instead of five vendors’ worth of paperwork.
What We Recommend in Portsmouth
Sewer scope
Portsmouth's older neighborhoods still run on original clay and cast-iron laterals. A camera inspection of the line from house to street is done during the inspection and costs a fraction of a lateral replacement found after closing.
Radon in air
New Hampshire's granite bedrock puts a large share of homes above the EPA action level, and NH DHHS recommends every home be tested. FPI places and recovers the continuous monitor and reports the result with the inspection.
Well water panel
Step outside the city water districts into Rye, Greenland and Stratham and private wells are common. New Hampshire lowered its arsenic standard to 5 parts per billion in 2019, and NHDES estimates roughly one in five private wells in the state exceeds it. FPI collects the samples and coordinates the lab analysis.
Wood-destroying insect inspection
Carpenter ants and powder-post beetles are routine finds in older Seacoast framing. Most lenders want the report, and it is done in the same visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast will we get the inspection report?
Same-day in most cases, always within 24 hours of the inspection. Agents and TCs receive it with the buyer when authorized.
Can radon, water, and septic testing happen at the same appointment?
Yes. FPI handles the full inspection plus radon in air and water, water quality, PFAS, wood-destroying insect, sewer scope and septic in one coordinated visit, so your transaction runs on one schedule instead of five.
How do I schedule an inspection in Portsmouth?
Online in about two minutes at our scheduler, or call (207) 839-6595.
Do Portsmouth homes need a radon test?
Most should have one. New Hampshire sits on granite bedrock and radon is common across the Seacoast. The monitor goes in at the inspection and the result is reported with the findings.
What should I know about buying a historic home in Portsmouth?
Expect the report to focus on the foundation and framing, knob-and-tube or staged electrical updates, the age of the heating system, moisture in the basement, and the original sewer lateral. Every finding is separated into safety, defect and maintenance so your buyer can negotiate from facts.
Does my buyer's well need to be tested?
If the home has a private well, yes. FHA and VA loans require it, and NHDES recommends every well be tested for bacteria, arsenic, nitrates, radon and uranium. FPI collects the samples during the inspection and coordinates the lab analysis.
Every Service, One Visit
One team, one appointment, one report. Every service below is scheduled with the inspection, so your buyer is not chasing a second and third vendor before the contingency date.
| Service | What it covers | Typical for |
|---|---|---|
| Home inspection | Roof, structure, exterior, electrical, plumbing, heating, interior, attic, basement or crawlspace | Every purchase |
| New construction and 11-month warranty | Pre-drywall, final walkthrough, and a full inspection before the builder's one-year warranty expires | New builds |
| Pre-listing inspection | Same report, before the home goes on the market | Sellers and listing agents |
| Wood-destroying insect inspection | Termite, carpenter ant and other WDI evidence | Most loans, older homes |
| Septic evaluation | Tank, distribution box and leach field evaluation | Portsmouth lots outside the sewer district |
| Sewer scope | Camera inspection of the lateral from house to main | Older Portsmouth neighborhoods |
| Radon in air | Continuous monitor placed and recovered by FPI, result reported | Every Maine home |
| Radon in water | Sample collected at the well, lab analysis coordinated by FPI | Every private well |
| Water quality testing | FPI collects the samples and coordinates the lab analysis: bacteria, arsenic, uranium, nitrates, PFAS | Homes on private wells |
| Manufactured-home foundation letter | HUD foundation certification | FHA and VA loans on manufactured homes |
What Buyers Say
“Courteous, professional. Showed up on time, did thorough inspection, explained findings and recommendations, received report extremely fast.”Jean Wheat
“We had an excellent experience with Focused Property Inspection. Their scheduling and communication system was efficient and made the entire process seamless.”Google review
“Wonderful customer service from the speaking with the office to our inspector!”Google review
5.0★ across 1,700+ Google reviews in Maine and New Hampshire →
Ready to Schedule a Portsmouth Inspection?
Same-day scheduling available. Reports delivered within 24 hours of inspection. Call (207) 839-6595.