Houston homes may be constructed differently than houses elsewhere in the country.
Houston homes are built to weather the heat. Several features contribute to lower utility bills, such as proper attic ventilation and insulation. Deep porches and wide overhangs provide welcome shade (and energy efficiency) to your windows.
The coastal plain on which Houston lies is an alluvial plain, which means we have lots of underlying sand and clay but no bedrock (such as granite.) That is good news in that we really don’t have issues with radon. Houston homes are typically built on piers, slabs, or a combination of both. Look for large garages, attics or “bonus rooms” (workshops, media rooms, game rooms, craft rooms, exercise rooms, studies, garage apartments, etc.) which substitute for the basements found elsewhere.
Houston houses are primarily “stick built” (a wooden frame with a weather-proof coating.) So a “brick” home here is usually a thin brick veneer on a wooden structure -- not the load-bearing brick walls found elsewhere in the country.
Before buying a Houston home, its structure, foundation, framing, roof, heating and cooling equipment must all be inspected. The inspectors should be those of your choice. Ask a friend or coworker if they know a good inspector. We can also provide a list of inspectors that our customers have used in the past. Be aware that if we recommend anyone (an inspector, a lender, a title company, or other service provider) our company does not have or allow “affinity relationships.” Neither Roger Martin Properties nor our agents receive compensation from service providers… we only ask that these vendors take kid-glove care of our clients.