Why You Need a Home Inspection on New Construction!

New Construction Nightmares...

• Readers will learn the importance of home inspections on new construction.

• They will understand the risks of subpar building standards and lax oversight.

• New Homes can be built badly, getting a home inspection protects you and your investment.

You Need a Home Inspection on New Construction

When you're buying a brand-new home, you might think that a thorough home inspection is unnecessary. After all, it's a new construction, right?

However, getting a professional home inspection on new construction is essential. If not more so than an existing home.

In this article, we'll dig into the importance of having a home inspection on new construction builds, hopefully helping you make an informed decision.

A home inspection on new construction is essential to uncover hidden issues, ensure compliance with building codes, and ensure warranty protection. An inspection ultimately gives you peace of mind and protects the value of your investment.

The easiest and simplest way we can tell you why you need a home inspection on all new construction is that in short – it’s never been used! In an existing home, if a toilet leaked from use, there would be evidence. If your home has never been ‘put through it’s paces’ then you have no idea whether it can perform as it was designed to.

Uncovering Hidden Issues

While new homes are constructed with the latest building materials and techniques, it doesn't guarantee that everything is flawless. Construction projects involve numerous contractors and suppliers, and sometimes errors or oversights can occur.

A comprehensive home inspection can reveal hidden issues that may not be immediately apparent to an untrained eye. From structural defects to faulty electrical or plumbing systems, an inspection can help identify potential problems – so the builder can fix them – before you settle and they become your costly headaches down the road.

Compliance with Building Codes and Standards

Building codes are in place to protect homeowners and ensure that the construction adheres to specific guidelines. Home inspections for new construction ensure that the property meets all local building codes and safety standards.

An inspector will thoroughly examine various aspects of the home, including electrical wiring, insulation, ventilation, plumbing, and more. This inspection ensures that your new home is constructed according to established regulations.

Unless you’re a electrical expert you would have no idea if there is something wired incorrectly in your electrical panel. You might not be able to tell if an outlet is grounded by sight, or tell if an outlet is placed too close to water without being a GFCI outlet.

But your inspector will.

Subpar Building Standards and Lax Oversight in Building Trades

Unfortunately, despite the existence of building codes and regulations, there are instances where subpar building standards and lax oversight happens. There was a new community in our region many many years ago where you could push the wall and it would move a few inches – something that shouldn’t happen.

We want to think that some of these things are accidental and not malicious. We all make mistakes. The question becomes, how good is your builder at finding those mistakes and addressing them. Builders can be notorious for cutting corners to save money. So let’s give everyone the benefit of the doubt and say that we all could use a good checkup.

Quality Control Challenges

The construction industry is vast and complex, involving multiple trades and professionals working together to bring a project to life. With so many individuals involved, ensuring consistent quality control can be challenging.

Mistakes can happen, and sometimes corners are cut to meet deadlines or reduce costs. This can result in subpar workmanship, compromised safety, and lower overall quality of the construction. Sometimes this is a workmanship issue, while other times it’s a materials issue.

With a lot of people working on a lot of homes mistakes can happen. After all, most new homes are built in large numbers in a production line fashion. Individual contractors may not be able to take another day to fix a problem correctly if it arises.

Lack of Attention to Detail

Attention to detail is crucial to ensuring a structurally sound and durable home. However, when builders are focused on meeting deadlines and moving on to the next project, the level of attention given to every aspect of the construction may suffer.

This lack of attention to detail can lead to problems such as improper installation of fixtures, inadequate insulation, or even jerry-rigged solutions that may pose safety risks once the home is finally inhabited. BY that time the contractor is long gone.

Variation in Workmanship

The building trades encompass a range of skills and expertise, and not all professionals deliver the same level of workmanship. While there are highly skilled and conscientious individuals in the industry, there are also those who may lack the necessary qualifications or experience.

Engaging in a home inspection on new construction allows for an impartial evaluation of the workmanship and ensures that any deficiencies are identified and addressed before they become major concerns. More correctly, before they are your major concerns, instead of your builders.

Long-Term Implications

The consequences may not become apparent immediately but can manifest as a growing list of issues, water leaks, or electrical problems over time.

Another item to consider is that there may be products in your home that have warranties. If the product was installing incorrectly, it can void the warranty. So if your HVAC is under warranty, but your builder installed it wrong unbeknownst to you, you could still be on the hook for that repair.

Yes, You Need a Home Inspection for New Construction

While new construction may seem flawless at first glance, a home inspection is a critical step in the home-buying process. It helps identify hidden defects and ensures compliance with building codes and construction standards.

No inspector or inspection is perfect. Even the best inspectors can miss items. But I've never been to an inspection that had a home without flaws. When you're buying new construction you don't even know where the flaws are.

By the time you do, your builder will have their check and less desire to fix what is now an additional cost. The time to require builders to fix your punch-list is before settlement.

By conducting a home inspection on new construction, you have the opportunity to address any potential deficiencies early on, saving yourself from costly repairs or safety hazards in the future. It’s the best way you can safeguard your brand new investment.

You can make sure that your new home is a safe and comfortable place for you and your family for years to come.