NEW CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS
There are several inspections that a purchaser of a new home may choose to have done by a professional inspector during the construction process. Of these, the most common are the foundation, framing, pre-drywall, final “punch list” and warranty inspections.
Do New Houses REALLY Need to be Inspected?
Yes. Even if the builder is a well known for high quality work, you should keep in mind that they do very little building. There are approximately 20 different trades or specialized skills required to construct a new home and most are usually subcontracted out to the lowest bidder.
Some people assume that the builder and contractors are overseen by government officials and that the local building (code) inspector checks the house out. The fact is that few spend anywhere near enough time in the home to fully check it out. And most important is there could be problems that are not necessarily code violations, yet have serious consequences for the new home owner. The code inspector’s purpose is to determine if the house meets the minimum building standards.
When it comes to buying a brand new home, there are some additional considerations involved than in, the purchasing a new vehicle. Most people wouldn't think to take a new vehicle from the show room floor to their local mechanic and ask for a complete mechanical inspection before they buy it.
Well, new homes are different. They aren't built by the thousands, by machines, in a controlled environment with strict quality control standards in place. They're unique one of a kind, and built by many subcontractors, working at the same time with various delays and overlaps, mis-continuities and interfaces, which may result in lapses in quality that ordinarily would not occur in a controlled factory environment. Things get overlooked, not finished and sometimes hidden.
What’s involved in a New Home Inspection?
The best way to ensure that a house is well built is to review it several times throughout its construction. Called “Phased Inspections”, the house is examined during various stages or milestones of its development.
Phase 1) Completion of the foundation before back fill.Phase 2) Completion of the framing and roof.Phase 3) Pre-Drywall after all the mechanicals are installedPhase 4) Final inspection after completion of the House.The foundation inspection is done to view and evaluate the footings, exterior foundation wall, and exterior drain tiles prior to the replacement of the backfill soil around the foundation.
The Framing inspection is done after all roof trusses are in place and the roof decking is installed.
The pre-drywall inspection gives the buyer an opportunity to understand how the structure works, and to discover conditions that are not visible once the flooring and wallboard are installed. The purpose of the pre-drywall inspection is to ensure that contractors have not created any significant structural changes to the framing when installing the plumbing, electrical, and air conditioning systems. It’s very important that "rough ins" of these systems be completed before we conduct this inspection.
Plumbing systems are examined for slope and support. Electrical receptacles are examined to determine if a desirable location may have been overlooked. Bathroom and laundry ductwork is examined to determine that it is properly exhausted to the atmosphere. Exterior walls are examined to assure that voids are filled with insulation. The roof covering is examined for proper installation and flashing. The attic is inspected for adequate insulation and ventilation and an emphasis is placed on looking for broken truss members and missing gussets.
This is the most difficult inspection to schedule because there is only a short window of opportunity to complete the inspection before the drywall is installed.
The final inspection is of the ready-to-move-into house. The water, gas and electric utilities are all on and all systems within the house are connected. This inspection and “punch list” should be completed prior to your walk-thru with the builder so any areas of concern can be addressed on the spot.
WARRANTY INSPECTIONS
If a home buyer has missed the opportunity to have inspections performed during the construction and final walk through, there may be time to have the home inspected afterwards.
When you purchased your new home, your builder provided you with a warranty guaranteeing most aspects of your new home for a period of time.
It's wise to have an independent evaluation of the home conducted prior to the expiration of the warranty !
The Buyers Eye inspector will come out and spend between two to four hours evaluating your new home from the foundation to the chimney. This inspection is a thorough top to bottom inspection that will allow you to discuss any warranty-related concerns with your builder. When inspecting your home, we will generate a report that not only includes obvious defects which you are aware of, but will contain those that may not be so obvious, and you may otherwise be responsible for after the warranty period is up.
Why should you be left holding the bag on potentially expensive repairs when you can obtain an independent evaluation of the home, and turn over a list of problems to your builder to fix before your warranty expires?
Our written reports are clear and concise, detailing all issues discovered. This will minimize any confusion your builder might have with the inspection. Be sure to schedule this inspection well in advance of the expiration of the warranty, in time to give the builder a written list of deficiencies.
It is important that you obtain an inspection based on an independent opinion. Do not allow your warranty to expire without a professional evaluation.
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