What is a new construction inspection?
A New Construction Inspection is an inspection of a home that has just been built, but before you are officially the owner. We follow the same stringent standards as if we were inspecting a previously owned home.
Why should I have a new home inspected?
We find a lot of problems in new homes. Having an inspection done before you sign on the dotted line is a great way to get these things handled before you move in. If you don’t, you may not discover them until it’s too late!
In the last 5 new homes we’ve inspected, we found over 75 defects.
It’s best to have your new home inspected before you occupy it, and before you own it. That way repairs can be made without disturbing you. They’ll also be taken care of at a much higher priority than repairs after you own it. Smaller items that a builder may balk at fixing will be fixed immediately just to get you to closing.
What are some of the problems you’ve found in new homes? Here are a few lists:
Safety Problems We’ve Found:
- Gas leak
- Hot and cold reversed in a shower (As the valve is turned to the off position the water gets hotter. It should get colder to prevent a kid or disabled person from being scalded.)
- Garage firewall not complete
- Structural columns installed wrong
- Broken windows
- Ground wires not connected inside the electrical panel
- Uncapped gas line. Bumping into the valve and fill the home with explosive gas.
- Window won’t lock
- Handrail loose
- Electric eye on garage door too high – kids or animals may not be detected
Conditions that may cause damage in the future:
- The pan that furnace is installed in (to contain water leaks) is crushed or has gaps that will leak. The homeowner won’t know about this until there’s a problem with the furnace, AC or humidifier. When one of these starts leaking the pan won’t hold the water. Water will leak out of the pan and potentially damage the home.
- Water dripping under a sink. If not caught early mold and moisture damage may result.
- Cuts in roof shingles from contractors putting ladders on roof
- Sump pit pipes pointing up instead of down (water should be able to run into the sump pit)
- Furnace filter missing
- Window well pulled away from the foundation. Water, dirt may leak into the home.
- Debris in a sump pit may prevent pump from starting or stopping
- Floating walls in a basement are blocked so the floor can’t float up and down to prevent damage.
Functional issued discovered:
- Water heater, furnace, AC or gas fireplace doesn’t work. I’ve found all four.
- Inoperative outlets
- Wall mounted TV outlet on wrong wall (antenna and network outlets on another wall)
- Door won’t open
- Bath fan doesn’t work
- Gutter leaks
- Sliding door jumps off the track
- Loose roof shingles
- Window won’t open
- Windows that don’t open or close properly
- Roof shingles buckling from improper installation
- Plumbing vents on roof are capped. They should be open so that drains in the home work properly.
- Doors that don’t latch
- Screens missing
- Tub stopper doesn’t work
Problems that will cause a home to be more expensive to operate:
- No insulation in 2nd attic space. The installer missed it.
- Insulation walked through making it much less effective.
- No insulation on attic hatch. It makes a difference!
- Ducts in attic not insulated. It makes a big difference.
- Weather stripping on exterior door missing