Home inspections in Idaho Springs.
Idaho Springs grew up around an 1859 gold strike, and much of the town still stands on what was built in the decades after. Old buildings in a narrow canyon make for a particular kind of inspection.
- County
- Clear Creek County
- Who issues permits
- City of Idaho Springs in town; Clear Creek County outside it
- Water and sewer
- Ask whether the address is on city service or on well and septic
- Septic at sale
- County rules include a transfer-of-title septic inspection — confirm with Environmental Health
What’s different about an Idaho Springs property
Age is the headline here. The questions that follow from it are mostly about what has been updated, when, and by whom.
A genuinely old town
Gold was found where Chicago Creek meets Clear Creek in January 1859. The downtown commercial district has been on the National Register since 1984, with 46 contributing buildings. Houses from the same decades are still lived in, and they were built long before modern wiring, plumbing or insulation.
Updated in layers
A 130-year-old house has usually been rewired, replumbed and reroofed more than once, and rarely all at the same time. What matters is where the old system ends and the new one starts, and whether the work was permitted.
Canyon lots
The town runs along a narrow stretch of Clear Creek Canyon. Lots are steep and tight, so retaining walls, hillside drainage and how water leaves the lot carry more weight than they would on flat ground.
Septic at sale, outside town
Clear Creek County’s wastewater regulations include a transfer-of-title inspection for septic systems, carried out by a qualified transfer-of-title inspector. Ask county Environmental Health whether and when it applies to your purchase before you set a closing date.
What we look at closely
Everything gets inspected. In an old mountain town, these are where the surprises usually are.
Foundations of stone and brick
Mortar condition, bulging, moisture, and whether later additions sit on anything comparable.
Wiring generations
Old wiring types still in service, ungrounded circuits, overloaded panels and amateur extensions.
Piping and drains
Galvanized supply lines, cast-iron and clay drains, and evidence of freezing in unheated spaces.
Roofs, chimneys and heat
Layered roofing, masonry chimneys, older furnaces and boilers, and wood or coal-era flues adapted to newer appliances.
What a home inspection doesn’t cover
Old buildings raise questions a visual inspection can flag but not settle. These are the usual follow-ups.
Lead paint and asbestos
Homes of this age may contain both. We note materials that are commonly suspect; confirming them takes laboratory testing by a specialist.
Inside the sewer line
A sewer scope is a separate camera inspection, and on a house this old it’s the first add-on we’d suggest.
Inside the flue
We check wood stoves, clearances and the visible chimney. A camera inspection of the flue (a Level 2 chimney inspection) is a chimney sweep’s job.
Engineering opinions
We report what we see — cracks, movement, sagging, undersized framing — and say when a structural engineer should take it further. We don’t size beams or certify a structure.
What you can book
Full home inspection
Every major system, a walkthrough on site, and a photo report the same day.
Radon testing
A 48-hour continuous monitor, alone or alongside the inspection.
Sewer scope
A camera through the main sewer line, from the house to the street.
Commercial inspection
Scoped and quoted for the building. Written proposal first.
Go deeper
Nearby communities we cover
- Georgetown, Empire and Silver Plume — farther up Clear Creek
- Black Hawk and Central City — over the hill in Gilpin County
Idaho Springs, answered.
Do you inspect historic homes in Idaho Springs?+
Yes. An older house takes longer, and the report separates what is normal for its age from what needs repair or a specialist. We’d rather you know exactly what you’re buying than be scared off by a list with no context.
Do you inspect commercial buildings downtown?+
Yes. Commercial inspections are scoped and quoted individually. Tell us about the building on the commercial quote page and we’ll send a written proposal.
Should I add a sewer scope and a radon test?+
On an older home, we recommend both. Old sewer lines fail in ways you can’t see from inside the house, and about half of Colorado homes test above the EPA action level for radon. Both can be done in the same visit as the inspection.
- National Park Service — Idaho Springs Downtown Commercial District, National Register listing (1984)
- History Colorado — Idaho Springs Downtown Commercial District
- Clear Creek County — Environmental Health: operating permits and transfer-of-title inspections
- CDPHE — Half of Colorado homes have elevated radon levels
County and utility rules change. Checked November 2026; confirm current requirements with the agency before you rely on them for a closing.
Book the inspection. Know the house.
Pick a date and time — you'll get a confirmation email right away, and we'll reach out only if something needs to change.