Do New Homes Need To Be Inspected?

Home inspections are a crucial part of most real estate transactions. The purpose of the home inspection is to identify any hidden defects that may affect the value of the home or the buyer’s enjoyment of their new home. While inspections on existing homes have historically been extremely common, new construction home inspections are rapidly increasing in popularity.

Do brand new homes need to be inspected? It depends on who you ask. Most builders reassure their buyers that between their on-site inspections and the municipal code inspections, an independent inspection isn’t needed. Many real estate agents agree and do not encourage buyers to have their own inspections performed.

On the other side of the coin, there are many home inspectors, real estate agents, recent new home buyers, and even builders who recommend having a private home inspector take a look at the home.

Why would a builder recommend having a home inspector check their work? Homes are constructed by people and people make mistakes. Some builders do not look favorably on having their work inspected by a critical third party, while others are grateful to have another set of eyes on the project to help them ensure a quality home.

Many of the defects typically uncovered during new home inspections are cosmetic, but many others are far more serious and will ultimately affect both the longevity of the home and the buyer’s enjoyment of the home. Minor drywall, paint and tile repairs are uncovered during most final inspections, however we have also uncovered field-modified roof trusses, major plumbing leaks, defective concrete slabs, improperly installed windows & doors, improperly insulated & ventilated homes, and much more!

The report for this newly constructed home included many of the most common defects found in new homes, and a few that were a little more serious. There is no such thing as a perfect home, but buyers of new construction homes are often paying a premium price to get as close to this goal as possible. This is where having the home inspected really benefits the buyer.

Buyers of new homes typically want to take occupancy of the home with little or no work needed on their part, unlike many other buyers who stretch their budget by purchasing a home that needs renovating. No one wants to discover “honey-do” items just weeks or months after moving into a brand new home. Having the home inspected helps keep these items to a minimum. This is also a bonus for the builder’s warranty department in reducing the number of warranty claims that they need to process.

While the final inspection is the most important for newly constructed homes, many buyers choose to have their homes inspected throughout the construction process. These are known as in-progress construction inspections. Each inspection is designed to catch defects in construction that would not be visible during the final inspection.

Pre-Slab Electrical and Plumbing Rough-In Inspection: We will verify proper vapor barrier, steel reinforcement, as well as electrical and plumbing stub-out locations and workmanship. A strong home starts with a strong foundation.

Post-Block Inspection: Once the slab is poured and the concrete block (or wood frame) is erected, we will verify the workmanship and advise on any corrections that would improve the longevity of the home, such as sealing cracks.

Dry-In Inspection: Once the building envelope is complete, we will verify the installation of the roof system, windows and doors. We will also monitor the condition of the slab and walls to catch any defects (like cracks or other damage) that can occur during construction.

Pre-Drywall Inspection: Just prior to the installation of drywall, we will verify all aspects of the home that will become inaccessible once the drywall is installed, particularly the insulation.

Another advantage to buying a brand new home is the warranty. Most builders offer a 1 year warranty on the home, some as many as 10 years. The builder is responsible for correcting most things that go wrong in the home over the warranty period. Many new home buyers opt to have the home re-inspected just prior to the warranty expiration to ensure that any hidden defects in the home are corrected before the warranty runs out.

Have questions about your new home project or new home inspections in general? Call our office at 941-749-1152 and our friendly, knowledgeable staff will put our experience to work for you and answer any questions you may have.

Our website, www.ManateeHomeInspection.com has tons of information about home inspections and home maintenance to help you make the most of your new home.