Brand new homes are supposed to be perfect from the moment the foundation is poured to the time you move in. But this fantasy of perfection is far from the truth.
All brand new homes should have a new construction inspection, as well as, what is known as a phased inspection.
While we complete new construction inspections quite frequently, I wanted to take some time to discuss our findings and why it is so important.
Reason 1 – Home Inspectors WILL Find Issues
We will find issues with a brand new home. It’s practically guaranteed.
Most of the time, these issues will be with the roof or attic where the building supervisors overlook and the subcontractors typically cut corners.
Just think, when you walk through your home, you are looking at cosmetic items to which the builder, in most cases, will fix. However, you are not walking the roof or attic. Nor, do you understand what professional installation of the materials looks like.
Examples of Issues We Found
The insulation was poorly installed leaving low coverage areas that make a home less efficient.
The flue vent pipe was missing/not installed. This will cause build of carbon dioxide and monoxide in the room. This can be deadly.
Reason 2 – When You Hire a Home Inspector, the Builder Pays Closer Attention to Their Work
As a home inspector myself, I can tell you this is 100% true.
If a building supervisor has half a brain, once they hear a home inspector is coming, they will do one of two things:
- They will try to convince you, you do not need a home inspector. Furthermore, they may try to limit the home inspector from coming or completing their inspection by saying they cannot walk the roof or attic.
- The supervisor will realize someone is coming to grade their work so they will ensure their work is of higher quality.
It is quite common for a builder to be argumentative or suggest a home inspector cannot inspect their home. In these cases, as a buyer you should stand your ground and require a home inspection.
Building Supervisors Are Not Always Negative
On the other hand, it can be common for supervisors to be inviting of home inspectors since it is a third set of eyes to ensure their work is completed professionally.
This is how it should be since it protects the builder from further complaints and helps the buyer’s peace of mind!
Reason 3 – Phased Inspections Find Issues Early On
What Is A Phased Inspection?
If you have not heard of phased inspections, they are stages of inspections in which an inspector will evaluate the home before the foundation is poured, before drywall is installed, and then when the house is complete.
At each stage, the inspector can really dive deep into the installation of each component by practically seeing through walls, on top of, evaluating your foundation underlayment.
Here are some items found during phased inspections:
Before the foundation was poured at this home, the inspector was able to look at the plumbing that would be under the concrete foundation after it was poured. The inspector discovered the plumbing insulation had been torn/missing in some areas.
In this instance of a pre-drywall inspection, the home inspector noted cardboard was being used as a fire barrier. This is most certainly not allowed. The orange foam is the actual fire barrier, but since the gap was too large, they filled it with cardboard. You could imagine the catastrophic events that could occur if this house were to catch on fire without the proper fire barrier installed.
Reason 4 – Peace of Mind
Ultimately, a new construction inspection will cost a few hundred dollars. But that money is well spent knowing the inspector WILL find issues, alongside, peace of mind that you did your due diligence as a new home owner!
Additionally, if you are making a large investment to build a new house, we should ensure it is completed right so you do not have issues later on.
Check Out This Video In Which I Found A Leak On A Warranty Inspection
By the way, here is my warranty inspection checklist. If you have not purchased a new construction home yet, you may also want to check out 7 things to know when buying a brand new home.
Concluding and More Information
Waypoint Property Inspection inspects new homes quite often. You can check out this flyer we made with more issues discovered during phased inspections and new construction inspections.
Moreover, we have another blog that goes into more detail about foundation issues we have discovered and details about phased inspections.
If you ever have any questions, feel free to comment below or contact us!
