There are many fantastic reasons to buy a newly built home, but saving money on a home inspection shouldn’t be one of them. In fact, licensed home inspectors often report more issues with new construction than older homes.
If you are in the early phase of construction, it’s best to have a licensed home inspector begin his work 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 before you close. Relying on county inspectors or the builder’s walkthrough is not enough when you have hundreds of thousands of dollars and your family’s safety on the line. You need a licensed professional looking out for your best interests. Here are the top five reasons you need to schedule your new home inspection
1. New Construction Homes Have All Kinds of Problems.
Building a home is a complex orchestration involving many different subcontractors and their employees, each working on a different system of the house generally without regard to the other house systems. With all the separate activities occurring at the same time, it is nearly impossible for the builder to carefully check all phases of construction. Even the best builders are human and will likely miss something. Here are a few examples of problems inspectors have reported in newly built homes:
- Broken roof trusses
- Missing siding
- Ducts completely unattached to the heating and air conditioning unit
- Missing insulation in homes being sold as Energy Star energy-efficient homes
- Raised roof shingles allowing water to penetrate underneath the shingles
2. Municipal building inspections are not the same as home inspections.
Municipal building inspectors make sure that the building follows the current building codes. Building codes are the minimum standards. While most municipal building inspectors are doing their best, factors beyond their control prevent these inspections from being enough.
3. Problems found can be fixed before moving in to your new home.
While most builders offer warranties, the process for repair can be messy, inconvenient and time consuming. By catching mistakes before you buy, you can have them corrected before you move in. While it’s likely some minor touch-ups will be needed after you move in, make sure the builder to fixes any significant issues immediately.
4. Defects can be repaired before they do major damage.
Safety items such as gas leaks need to be addressed to protect you and your family. Missing attic insulation that will result in higher utility bills can be installed. Raised shingles which can lead to rotted roof sheathing can be repaired before purchasing your new home.
5. It’s an Investment in the Future.
One day, you might decide to sell your previously new home and the buyer will likely get a home inspection. Problems that occurred during the original construction will be discovered even if you never knew about them. Unfortunately, it’s too late to get the builder involved at that point. You are the only one responsible for those issues and their costly repairs.
Hiring a professional licensed home inspector to check your new dream home can pay for itself many times over, both monetarily and in peace of mind. While you could save a little money now, it might cost you thousands later. Don’t take the chance. Hire an inspector before you close on your new construction.
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