A new construction home is a property that is filled completely from the ground up without being a few years old or being owned by someone else. When starting from a fresh slate, you would think that you wouldn’t require the need for a home inspector to see if everything’s in top order, right? However, you would be completely surprised to be proven otherwise.
Although there may be fewer problems than pre-owned houses, there are still a couple of things that may turn up in your brand new house, surprising or better yet, shocking you beyond belief. But that’s the thing with human craftsmanship; mistakes can happen from time to time. Some of these errors could include:
- Cracks and gaps in patios and decks
- Inappropriately applied siding
- Drainage and grading issues
- Drywall cracks
- Water issues
- Flooring Issues
- Nail pops
- Doors sticking shut
- Incorrectly installed appliances
In other words, anything can happen.
Despite new construction projects getting approved by city engineers and coming with their own inspection process, most of the time they’re not looking at the very minute details in the process. That’s why you need the services of a proper, licensed home inspector to examine your new construction house.
Here are the benefits of hiring a home inspector for a new construction home:
Benefits of Hiring a Home Inspector for New Construction
1. Look for Hidden Issues
The downside of municipal inspectors going through your new construction home is that most of the time they are unable to pinpoint certain parts of a household such as an attic or crawlspace areas. However, if a particular builder has been compliant with construction standards and hasn’t found any obvious signs of immediate complications or deficiency, a home inspector may just give it a final walkthrough to ensure everything’s A-OK.
Without a home inspector, you might realize that one room in your house is unable to retain heat as efficiently as the rest and may also find that there isn’t any installation in the attic right over your bedroom. Hiring a properly licensed home inspector can find this in a number of ways.
Some of the more professional inspectors use an infrared thermometer to check the inside of walls for any insulation on electrical issues. Thanks to this, they’ll be able to determine the areas where the wiring can get too hot, or perhaps the installation is either very narrow or missing all at once.
2. Detect Issues Before They Become Your Problem
One of the biggest, if not the biggest headache that new construction home inspections can save you from includes being accountable for the repairs that you may come across later on.
Some of the more common issues may include plumbing or wiring that are encountered in new construction houses and can cause problems to you and your family members when you’re plugging in your appliances or adding a new fan or light.
If you don’t hire a licensed home inspector and catch these defects beforehand, you may experience a power outage in one part of your house, and end up paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for the repair damage.
If you do detect an issue you’d like to address after purchasing the property, click this link to learn about the strategies contractors use to ensure jobs are completed competently and successfully.
3. Municipal Inspectors are not That Thorough
A municipal building inspector’s job is to ensure that they have complied with the proper building standards. Building codes are minor standards. Despite many municipal building inspectors performing to the best of their abilities, there are certain factors beyond their capabilities that prevent them from being thorough.
4. It Can Help With Resale
Naturally, if you hire a proper home inspector to check out your new construction home oh, you’ll be very helpful in enhancing its overall worth when you decide to sell it later on. It’s better to find the problems right there and then instead of you being responsible for the mistakes made by the builder.
5. Building Codes Delay Manufacturer Specifications
There are several new construction home components that need to be installed according to the specifications of a manufacturer, such as siding, furnace, and the roof. Even though there are basic standards that need to be followed, it is pivotal to make installations according to the manufacturer’s directions. Unfortunately, there are times that builders are unable to check whether these systems are properly installed.
Building departments and codes do a great job of ensuring that new construction houses are both safe and reliable. But sometimes, even the best of construction workers with the best practices can experience difficulties in installing things on a residential build. That’s because there is a large gray area that exists between best practices, workmanship and building codes when it comes to building your home.
And that’s exactly why you need the reassuring eyes of a third-party home inspector to ensure that every element in your new house hole is in tip-top shape.
When is the Right Time to Call for a Home Inspector?
You can arrange for a home inspection at any point of your choosing, however, it’s best to do so at two points; once before the drywall is put up, allowing the inspector to take a closer look at all of the plumbing/electrical and the framing and once afterward.
Pre-Drywall Inspection
This inspection should be carried out after the gas, electrical and water lines have been installed all throughout your house.
The benefits of a pre-drywall inspection of a house include the following:
- Structure and framing
- Review building plans that have been submitted to permit ensuring everything is done according to plan
- Inspect roof fastens and trusses
- Provide documentation of where electric and water lines have been installed
- Roof membrane installation
- Proper vapor barrier application
