New Build Inspection
“Why should I get an inspection on our newly built home?’
That is a question we often get. Our question back is why not have a 3rd party certified inspector with no ties to the builder help you go through the home and document all discrepancies? We provide a non-bias assessment of the home with the knowledge of how a home is built and the tolerance that apply to the trades.
Buying a new home is an exciting experience with the opportunity to pick out paint colors, floor coverings, light fixture and other building material and upgrades. In all the excitement of this process it is easy to get overwhelmed with everything that needed to be done and by hiring a 3rd party Certified Home Inspector to help with the inspection of the home and verifying that the builder and contractors have used the best material and used the best craftsmanship will help relieve some stress.
It’s best to have a certified home inspector inspect a new home during early phases of construction when more of the house is visible. But, if the house is almost complete when you decide to buy it, it’s still important to get a home inspection on a new home. The walk-through with the builder is not enough. You need a professional looking out for you. Here’s why you should get an inspection on a new home:
New construction homes are not perfect and immune to defects and issues.
Many builders do their best to produce an incredible home, but with multiple contractors, employees, material vendors and short deadlines many mistakes are going to pop up. There will be an oversite of defected materials or rushed contractors taking shortcuts to meet a deadline.
Here are some examples of problems we've found in newly built homes:
- Broken roof trusses
- Missing siding
- Ducts completely unattached or leaking seams and joints to the HVAC System
- Missing insulation in the attic
- Exteriors not protected with paint or caulking
- Loose or leaking toilets or plumbing fixtures
- Poor quality craftsmanship
The home has a municipal building inspection, isn’t that good enough?
The job of municipal building inspectors is to check for compliance with applicable building codes. Building codes are minimum standards. With the large volume of homes being built the building inspectors can not keep up with the demand and often rush to get to the next inspection. We only schedule a few inspections per inspector per day to give ourselves the appropriate amount of time to thoroughly go over a home and all its components.
What are our procedures and reporting?
We will issue an emailed report that fully documents the home and all components within the home. All reports are issues the same day. We will provide tape to document all discrepancies for the builder to repair.
What do we do once we find and document discrepancies within the home?
Once we have issued you the report, your realtor and yourself will discuss the issues with the builder to have all items repaired, replaced or properly adjusted. The best part is you won’t have to deal with the dust and noise from repairs, or the inconvenience of having to stay home from work while workers are in your house. While there will likely be some minor touch-ups that will need to take place after you move in, you will want the builder to fix any significant repairs right away.
Is there anything else we should do after we have moved in?
It is recommended that you stay up on your home maintenance and preventative maintenance as well as keep documentation of issues you may have come across. Notify the builder as issues arise. Most builders offer a 12-month warranty at which time you would be responsible for all future repairs. We offer an 11-month warranty inspection where we will reinspect the entire home for any defects as the house settles in to place.
Schedule Your New Build Inspection
With Northern Colorado's Best Inspection Team.
