Driftwood Home Watch · Calvert & St. Mary's Counties
Home watch for Southern Maryland.
Someone's checking your place — and he can fix it.
Scheduled check-ins for vacation homes, second homes and short-term rentals around Solomons, Lusby, Drum Point and St. Mary's County — by a licensed, insured contractor, not a drive-by.
MHIC #117937 · Licensed & insured
Why home watch
Catch the small problem before it's a big one.
An empty house on the water doesn't stay empty of trouble. A frozen pipe, a tripped breaker on the fridge, a slow leak under the sink, a door that didn't latch behind the last guest — any of these can run for weeks before anyone notices. By the time you drive down, the damage is done and the insurance call is harder than it needed to be.
We walk your property on a schedule, photograph what we see, and send you a report the same day. If something needs attention, you hear about it that afternoon, not next month.
Why a contractor, not a watcher?
Most home-watch services are visual observation only: they note the problem and leave, and you're left finding someone to come fix it.
Driftwood Home Watch is run by Bobby Unkle, a licensed, insured general contractor (MHIC #117937). When we find something, we tell you — and with your OK, we fix it, often in the same visit. Plan members pay no trip charge for repairs.
Every visit
What a home watch visit covers.
The same walk-through every time, inside and out, so a change stands out.
- Exterior walkRoof line, gutters and downspouts, siding, doors and windows, deck, dock and any shoreline structures. Storm debris, standing water, anything out of place.
- Interior walkLeaks and water stains, HVAC running with the set-points where you want them, water heater, under every sink, appliances.
- Power & systemsPower on, breakers, fridge and freezer running, sump pump, smoke and CO detectors.
- Pests & securitySigns of rodents or insects, every door and window locked, nothing disturbed.
- Photos + same-day reportA short written report with photos, by text or email, after every visit — so you have a dated record for yourself or your insurer.
- Storm & freeze prepBefore a named storm or hard freeze: outdoor furniture secured, water managed, thermostat checked. On-request check-ins after the weather passes.
Plans & pricing
Simple, month to month.
Pick how often you want eyes on the house. No long-term contract; cancel anytime.
- Full exterior and interior walk-through
- Photos and same-day report every visit
- No trip charge on repairs
- Everything in Standard, every week
- Best for waterfront and winter vacancies
- No trip charge on repairs
- Storm or freeze check-inOn request, before or after severe weather$45 / visit
- Post-guest turnover checkFor Airbnb / VRBO hosts — damage, left-on appliances, locks, basic condition$60 / visit
- Repairs found on a visitDone only with your approvalPosted rates
Repairs are billed separately at our posted rates. Plan members pay no trip charge. Pricing is for single-family homes and townhomes in the service area below; ask about larger properties or multiple units.
Getting started
How home watch works.
Walk-through
We meet you (or your key holder) at the house once, learn the quirks, note your set-points and where the shutoffs are.
Scheduled visits
We come by on your plan's schedule and after any storm or freeze you ask about. Every visit ends with photos and a report.
You decide
If we find something, you get a plain-English note and a price. Say yes and it's handled — usually the same trip.
Home watch services in Solomons, Lusby and across Southern Maryland
Southern Calvert County and St. Mary's County. Nearby and not listed? Just ask.
Solomons, Lusby, Drum Point & St. Leonard
Most of the houses we watch are here: waterfront and near-water homes on the Patuxent and the Bay, Chesapeake Ranch Estates, Drum Point and the creeks around Solomons. Salt air and wind off the water are hard on docks, decks, siding and gutters, and a nor'easter can leave a place with a problem nobody sees until spring.
Prince Frederick & Chesapeake Beach
Bayfront and beach-town homes north of us that sit empty between weekends. Chesapeake Beach and North Beach rentals turn over often, and a freeze in January or a summer storm can go unnoticed for weeks if nobody is driving by.
Leonardtown, California, Hollywood & Lexington Park
St. Mary's County homes on Breton Bay, the Patuxent and the creeks off Route 235, plus houses owned by families posted away from Pax River. We can also do the turnover checks that short-term rentals near the base and Leonardtown need between guests.
FAQ
Home watch questions.
How often do you check the house?
The Standard plan is two visits a month and the Weekly plan is four. Both include a full exterior and interior walk-through with photos and a same-day report. You can add a storm or freeze check-in before or after severe weather, and short-term-rental hosts can add a turnover check between guests.
What do you look for on a home watch visit?
Outside: roof line, gutters, siding, doors and windows, deck, dock, storm debris and standing water. Inside: leaks and water stains, HVAC and thermostat set-points, water heater, under every sink, appliances, breakers, fridge and freezer, sump pump, smoke and CO detectors, signs of pests, and that every door and window is locked. The same walk every time, so a change stands out.
Do you serve Solomons, Lusby and Leonardtown?
Yes. We cover southern Calvert County — Solomons, Lusby, Drum Point, Chesapeake Ranch Estates and St. Leonard — and St. Mary's County, including Leonardtown, California, Hollywood and Lexington Park. Prince Frederick, Chesapeake Beach and other nearby towns: just ask.
What happens if you find a problem?
You hear about it the same day, with photos and a plain-English note. Because Driftwood Home Watch is run by a licensed, insured Maryland contractor (MHIC #117937), we can also quote the repair and, with your approval, fix it — often on the same trip. Plan members pay no trip charge for repairs.
Do you check short-term rentals between guests?
Yes. The post-guest turnover check covers damage, appliances left running, locks and the basic condition of the house, with photos you can keep on file. It is an add-on for Airbnb and VRBO hosts on either plan.
Is there a contract?
No. Plans are month to month and you can cancel any time. We start with one in-person walk-through to learn the house — set-points, shutoffs, quirks — and then visit on your plan's schedule.
Reviews coming soon — ask Bobby for references.
Contact
Set up a plan or ask a question.
Tell us where the house is, how often you're there, and whether it's rented. We'll get back to you to talk it through and set up the first walk-through.
- agent@driftwood.construction
- Phone
- (227) 306-3338 — call or text
- Service area
- Southern Calvert & St. Mary's Counties
- License
- MHIC #117937 · Insured