1st choice home inspections

What 1st choice home inspections does

1st Choice Home Inspections is a privately held, owner-operated residential inspection company founded in 2002 and domiciled in Tennessee, providing comprehensive home inspections and specialized environmental testing services to home buyers, sellers, and new construction buyers. The company operates from two regional offices, Knoxville (headquarters) and Nashville (expanded 2021), and serves an East Tennessee footprint covering roughly 14 counties, with reach into the Nashville metro. Core service lines include buyer's home inspections, pre-listing (seller) inspections, termite (WDO) inspections performed in partnership with Tri Star Pest, radon gas testing using RadStar Continuous Radon Monitoring units calibrated annually, well-water testing via a state-licensed Oak Ridge lab, residential mold and asbestos testing, and EIFS/synthetic stucco inspections. The inspection technology stack is equipment-based rather than software-based: infrared cameras, sensitive moisture meters, RadStar Continuous Radon Monitors, and drone photography feed detailed written digital reports with photographs delivered to clients.

The business model is a transactional professional services model with adjacent hardware revenue. Home inspections are priced on a unit basis tied to square footage, ranging from $450 (up to 1,000 sq ft) to $550+ (over 3,000 sq ft, plus $50 per additional 1,000 sq ft) in the Knoxville area, with add-on tests priced individually ($75 termite, $195–$250 radon, $300 well-water, $350 asbestos, $400 mold). The company has diversified downstream into water filtration hardware (whole-house salt-free systems, AIO well-water systems with Vortech backwash, ultraviolet purification) and exterior cleaning services (power washing, soft washing, roof washing, window cleaning), creating higher-margin product and recurring revenue extensions.

Go-to-market is hybrid: Knoxville customers self-serve through a 24/7 online appointment scheduler, while Nashville and custom inquiries are routed through phone-based direct sales. Demand generation is overwhelmingly referral-driven, supplemented by content marketing (educational blog articles and YouTube videos), active Facebook presence, and curated preferred-vendor relationships with real estate agents. The company maintains a referral partner ecosystem of more than 10 complementary home-service providers (mold remediation, waterproofing, electrical, plumbing, roofing, structural engineering, wildlife control, pest control, home warranty) to monetize downstream inspection findings. Brand reputation is a central operating asset: a 5.0 Google rating across 1,962 reviews, six consecutive years of the Angie's List Super Service Award (top 5% of providers), Top Rated Local designation in Knoxville, and a written guarantee on every inspection.

Name

1st choice home inspections

Legal name

1st Choice Home Inspections

Website

https://1stchoicehomeinspections.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Short description

1st Choice Home Inspections is a privately held Tennessee home inspection firm founded in 2002, serving home buyers, sellers, and new construction buyers from Knoxville and Nashville offices with comprehensive residential inspections, environmental testing (radon, mold, well-water, asbestos, EIFS, termite), and adjacent water-filtration and exterior-cleaning services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Home Inspection Services

NAICS

Building Inspection Services (541350), Building Inspection Services (54135), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Exterminating and Pest Control Services (56171)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Pre-Purchase/Real Estate Termite Inspections (WDI Reports) (HSAMABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential House Washing (Siding, Stucco, Brick) (HSAIAMAA), Roof/Attic Visual Check (Leaks, Flashing, Ventilation) (HSAGAOAJ), Roof Inspection, Maintenance & Cleaning (HSAPAKAC)

Keywords

• Residential home inspections
• Radon gas testing
• Well water testing
• Mold testing services
• Water filtration systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Home Inspection Services: One-time fees for comprehensive home inspections covering residential properties. Pricing varies by square footage and location.
2. Specialized Testing Services: Additional inspection services including radon testing, well-water testing, mold testing, asbestos testing, termite inspections, and EIFS/stucco inspections. These are add-on services to core home inspections.
3. Water Filtration Systems: Sale and installation of whole house water filtration systems, AIO well-water filtration systems, and ultraviolet light systems for water purification.
4. Exterior Home Services: Power washing, soft washing, roof washing, and window cleaning services offered through the company.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

1st Choice Home Inspections provides comprehensive residential property inspection services for home buyers and sellers across Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee. The company offers specialized environmental and structural testing including radon, well-water, mold, asbestos, termite, and EIFS/stucco inspections, along with complementary products such as whole-house water filtration systems and exterior cleaning services.

Product overview

1st Choice Home Inspections is a residential home inspection company serving Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee since 2002. The company operates as a single unified service offering (not a platform architecture) with its core product being comprehensive home inspections for buyers and sellers. Additional services include specialty testing for radon, well-water, mold, asbestos, and termites, plus add-on products like water filtration systems and exterior home services. The company guarantees every inspection and provides detailed written reports with photographs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Buyer's Home Inspection Comprehensive home inspection service for prospective buyers, evaluating the property's structural components, systems, and potential safety hazards to support informed buying decisions.
• Seller's Home Inspection (Pre-Listing Inspection) Pre-listing inspection service for sellers to identify and address potential issues before marketing the property, enabling proactive repairs and streamlined buyer negotiations.
• Termite Inspection (WDO Inspection) Wood-destroying organism inspection performed by partner Tri Star Pest to identify termite damage and infestations; typically included with home inspections at $75.
• Radon Gas Testing Professional radon gas testing using RadStar Continuous Radon Monitoring units, monitoring homes for a minimum of 48 hours per EPA standards. Priced at $195 bundled with home inspection or $250 standalone.
• Manufactured Home Certifications Engineering foundation certifications for manufactured homes, delivered in partnership with mfdhomecerts.com.
• Well-Water Testing Well-water quality testing including sample collection and delivery to a state-licensed lab in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. FHA/VA approved testing available at $300 in the Knoxville area.
• Residential Mold Testing Mold testing service collecting three samples (outdoor air baseline, indoor air sample, and swab sample) with results typically returned in 2-5 days; priced at $400 in Knoxville with $75 per additional sample.
• Asbestos Testing Asbestos testing service collecting samples for lab analysis, recommended for homes built prior to 1980. Priced at $350 for three samples with $75 per additional sample.
• Synthetic Stucco (EIFS) Inspection Inspection service for External Insulation Finishing Systems (EIFS) and synthetic stucco exteriors to identify moisture intrusion issues.
• New Construction Inspection Inspection service for newly constructed homes to identify defects before final walk-through and closing, covering the same areas as standard inspections.
• Exterior Home Services Exterior cleaning and maintenance services including power washing, soft washing, roof washing, and window cleaning.
• Whole House Water Filtration System Salt-free whole house water filtration system for city-supplied water that removes chlorine, chemicals, and VOCs while retaining beneficial minerals; virtually maintenance-free for 15 years with automatic cleaning.
• AIO Well-Water Filtration System Well-water filtration system using natural oxidation to remove iron and sulphur contaminants, featuring a self-cleaning daily backwash cycle using the Vortech system for 30% less water usage.
• Ultraviolet Light System UV water purification system that kills bacteria and viruses in well water; can be used standalone or paired with the AIO system for comprehensive water treatment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5.0 Google rating based on 1962 reviews
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Mold Doctors USAminorOthersMold remediation and crawlspace encapsulation services provider founded in 2004 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Also provides asbestos removal, crime scene cleanup, and fire damage restoration. Referrals sent to clients needing moisture/mold remediation services.
• Thomas Waterproofing CompanyminorOthersThird-generation waterproofing expert company founded by Taylor Thomas. Provides basement and crawlspace moisture solutions. Referrals provided to clients with waterproofing needs.
• The Eastenn CompanyminorOthersResidential and commercial electrician services provider covering fourteen counties around Knoxville. Services include basic installations through complete rewiring. Referrals provided for electrical needs.
• Guard Home WarrantyminorOthersHome warranty provider offering free 30-day trial to referrals. 1st Choice receives small referral fee which does not impact customer price. Referrals help clients with home warranty needs.
• Fortify PestminorOthersPest control company owned by Shawn Phillips with years of experience. A portion of proceeds goes to charity. Referrals provided for pest control needs.
• Up N' Running PlumbingminorOthersPlumbing services owned by Mike Artino of Knoxville, Tennessee. Referrals provided to clients with plumbing needs identified during inspections.
• Lee & Owens RoofingminorOthersRoofing company owned by Ben Lee and James Owens providing exceptional service and free quotes in the Knoxville area. Referrals provided for roofing needs.
• TriStar Roofing & RenovationsminorOthersKnoxville-based company installing roofs, siding, decks, and more. Referrals provided for roofing and renovation needs.
• Allen Jacobs (Structural Engineer)minorOthersTrusted foundation/structural engineer in the Knoxville area. Referrals provided when structural engineering expertise is needed beyond inspection scope.
• Elite Wildlife ControlminorOthersLocally-owned family business specializing in wildlife trapping and removal, dead animal removal, odor control, and wildlife exclusion. Referrals provided for wildlife issues found during inspections.
• Tri Star PestminorOthersPest control company performing all WDO (termite) inspections for 1st Choice. Has over 20 years of experience. Termite inspection fee included in 1st Choice bill since October 2021.
• InterNACHIminorOthersInternational Association of Certified Professional Inspectors. 1st Choice Home Inspections is a member providing continuing education, certification, and additional standards of practice.
• International Association of Certified Indoor Air Consultants (IAC2)minorOthersProfessional association for indoor air quality consultants. 1st Choice Home Inspections is a member for mold and air quality testing certification.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pillar To Post Home Inspectors: Largest U.S. home inspection franchise network offering buyer/seller inspections, radon, mold, and specialty testing. Direct competitor in residential home inspections with comparable service menu and real-estate agent channel focus.
• WIN Home Inspection: National home inspection franchise providing buyer and pre-listing inspections plus ancillary services (radon, mold, sewer). Closely comparable business model and customer segments (agents, buyers, sellers).
• AmeriSpec Home Inspection Services: National home inspection franchise offering comprehensive buyer inspections with add-on testing services. Directly comparable on service breadth, pricing structure, and real estate referral channel.
• HouseMaster Home Inspections: One of the oldest U.S. home inspection franchise networks (founded 1979), offering full inspections with specialty testing. Comparable in target customer (home buyers), service menu, and franchise/independent ownership mix.
• National Property Inspections: National home inspection franchise serving residential and commercial clients with buyer/seller inspections and ancillary environmental testing. Comparable business model, service scope, and real estate agent referral channel.
• A Buyers Choice Home Inspections: National home inspection franchise explicitly built around real estate agent referral partnerships, offering comprehensive buyer/seller inspections and specialty testing. Highly comparable on go-to-market motion and service breadth.
• The BrickKicker: National home inspection franchise offering buyer/seller inspections plus add-on services (radon, mold, pest). Directly comparable in service menu, customer base, and franchise distribution model.

Others

• HomeGauge: Leading home inspection reporting and scheduling software platform used by independent inspectors and franchises. Adjacent infrastructure provider — not a direct competitor, but a key technology enabler for the category.
• Spectora: Modern home inspection reporting software platform popular with independent inspectors for digital report generation. Adjacent SaaS provider enabling smaller inspectors to deliver professional reports — a competing channel enabler rather than direct competitor.
• Inspect Point: Inspection business management software used by multi-inspector home inspection firms for scheduling, reporting, and CRM. Adjacent technology provider serving the same customer persona (independent inspectors).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWukuYphJ2S0oP1sNeOIL3Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/1stChoiceHomeInspectionsTennessee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 1st choice home inspections