Inspections for Newly Constructed Homes Part 1: Pre-delivery Inspections

By Frank G. Ross

A common misconception in the minds of many homebuyers and even real estate professionals is the notion that newly constructed homes do not need a professional home inspection. After all, the various phases have been "passed off" by the local building department and the builder has assured you at the walk-through that if any problems are discovered then he will have them fixed for you.

Hold on just a minute. There is a difference in the type of inspection performed by an independent inspection and one by a county or municipal inspector. The government employee focuses mainly on code violations, not workmanship. A municipal inspector won't note minor flaws like a door that won’t latch closed, but an independent inspector will. Construction progress inspections performed for lenders update the lender on the progress of the project as it releases construction money in draws, but those aren't full-fledged inspections, either.

Every newly built home should be inspected, either by the buyer or a hired inspector. Such inspections of newly built homes focus on finding the inevitable errors and omissions that occur during months of construction by laborers of varying experience and language.  Inspectors seldom find life-threatening mistakes in new homes. I mainly look for problems with fit and finish (such as walls that aren't straight or a toilet not square to the wall), potential for leaks (such as a loose sink trap or a cracked bathtub), mismatched electrical breakers (often found in the connection to the air conditioning compressor), or hot and cold water lines that are reversed.  I also keep look for faults such as the air conditioning unit not hooked up to the house, gas inserts not connected to the gas pipe, missing handrails, trip hazards caused by floors that aren't on the same level from room to room, and bathroom vents that exhaust moisture into the attic instead of outside.  Every now and then I will find a concern in a new home such as a furnace not connected, exterior doors that won’t seal tightly against the weather stripping, interior doors that don’t close properly, bathroom exhaust fan vents covered over with stucco, and the eaves missing the stucco finish coat.  On occasion I have also seen counter top corbels not touching the counter top they are intended to support, attic hatches sealed shut with paint, and closets missing base trim and inside door trim.  In one home I found two sliding windows installed upside down while in another a floor joist was notched ¾ of the way from bottom to top to allow plumbing lines to pass through.  Now, not all homes have these defects, but so far I have not found a newly constructed home without any defects at all.

The systematic process of inspecting a new home is exactly the same as for one that was built 50 years ago. The main difference is the expected standard of the buyer. The new home buyer is in a position to demand near-perfection. In some new homes I’ve inspected I have observed blue masking tape painstaking placed by the client marking scratches, dents, chips, runs, etc.  In turn, I inspect and report on the attic, the tile roof, the electrical panel and the kitchen sink, among other things.  The combined team effort of the buyer’s careful assessment and my inspection result in a thorough picture of the condition of the home.  The deficiencies can then be addressed by the builder. 

As long as the builder and his associated sub-contractors are still "in the picture", a buyer is well served by having the home thoroughly inspected by a qualified, professional inspector. The documentation will send a strong message to the builder that the buyer has done his homework and expects the home to exhibit proper building standards and to more than adequately perform its most important function.

If you, as a buyer, skipped the inspection on your newly constructed home, fear not. You may still have recourse through your builder.  Recommended course of action? Schedule a visual home inspection before the one year warranty expires.

Frank Ross is a Certified Utah Home Inspector for Pillar to Post Professional Home Inspection and a full member of the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors.  Readers may contact Mr. Ross at (435) 867-6400 or frank.ross@pillartopost.com.  You can learn more about Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection at www.pillarposthomeinspection.com