About Thumb Area Home Inspection

Thumb Area Home Inspection is a single inspector company.

Let me introduce myself,

Walter F Wnuk III, Founder of Thumb Area Home Inspection

Hello, my name is Walter Wnuk. I am an InterNACHI Certified Home Inspector. I have lived and worked in Thumb Area of Michigan all my life. Over the years I have found myself working in many different areas of the construction industry. I am currently using all those years of work experience to build a successful home inspection business called Thumb Area Home Inspection. I also keep busy in the warmer months running Rain Dr, Inc a lawn sprinkler service and repair company. 

I have always had an eye for details. As a young man I was interested in watch and clock repair. As you can imagine working on small gears and springs takes patience, skill and a high level of detail. I started my first business offering watch and clock repair in early 90’s with my best friend at the time David Farker. We opened a booth at the Gibraltar Trade Center in Mt. Clemens to test the business. David and I gave it everything we had for over 3 years.

The watch and clock business didn’t do as well as we hoped so I took a second job with my uncle in his masonry company, Tech Mason. Together my Uncle Eugene and I trenched and poured concrete foundations for residential home additions, porches and sheds. After the footings dried we installed the blocks to meet up with the existing floor height of the building. We also repaired concrete walkways, driveways, chimneys and porches. After 5 years of working with my uncle I said to myself there has to be an easier way to make a living.

Over the years I have worked in basement waterproofing, landscaping, sprinklers, brick paving and others. I have owned and operated many different businesses over the years. W&D Watch and Clock Repair, Brick by Brick Brick Paving, The Sprinkler Guys, Rain DR, Inc. and now Thumb Area Home Inspection.

Please note, reading beyond this point get’s a little personal. It may not be pretty but it is part of who I am.

In 2005  at the age of 31 I had a major life setback when I was diagnosed with Cancer. I had a large tumor in the middle of my chest. It had metastasized to my lower back and my liver. Fortunately my Oncologist was able to use a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation to save my life. All that therapy caused  permanent damage to my lungs and other parts of my body.

I didn’t expect something like this would happen to me ever, especially at such a young age. During this unforeseeable life setback my wife and I lost our house and truck to foreclosure and repossession. The medical bills were piled high and we lost pretty much everything.

Little did I know at the time that I would not be able to go back to work in any sort of capacity for a long time. After about 5 years of healing I decided to try to rebuild what cancer took away from me and my family. I started a small lawn sprinkler company focusing on service and repairs. I figured I could at least get off the couch once in a while. As suspected it really isn’t much more than a hobby.

This is when Rain Dr, Inc. was born. I continue to run this little sprinkler business in the warmer months of year. The sprinkler business may be fun and interesting but it is seasonal here in Michigan. This limits the ability to make any real income.

All of my life experiences come into play during an inspection. My attention to detail is the biggest asset I bring to the industry.

My InterNACHI training filled in the missing pieces of knowledge so I can be the best home inspector in the thumb area of Michigan.

Walter F. Wnuk III
Thumb Area Home Inspection