| Many home builders will convince a buyer that there | | | | few years down the road. Many of the other more |
| is no need for a home inspection at a new home. | | | | serious problems found at new houses are also |
| The builder will even dangle a carrot in front of the | | | | typically down in the crawl space: dirt packed around |
| buyer - who is likely to be feeling a cash crunch -- by | | | | posts and other structural wood that will rot; |
| offering a one-year warranty on the home. Now, | | | | plumbing pipes that leak or drains that are not |
| stop and think about it. If the builder is so sure that | | | | hooked into the system, which can be nasty. |
| the home is properly built, and the project is | | | | One thing you can count on is that, one year later, |
| completed, why is he or she so worried about having | | | | unless the buyer finds and reports problems, the |
| an independent home inspector go through the | | | | builder is not going to drive out to the house and |
| property? In my experience, the answer is simple: | | | | seek out trouble. As a safeguard, some people will, |
| The builder knows there will be problems found and, | | | | eleven months after they move in, hire a home |
| almost always, these issues will require the builder's | | | | inspector to find issues to report to the builder at the |
| crew to come back on site to make modifications or | | | | eleventh hour. The problem with that has to do with |
| repairs. That costs the builder time and money. | | | | "clout." The buyer has lots of power prior to closing |
| Understand this: The builder makes a living by moving | | | | -- when he or she has control over hundreds of |
| his crew to new jobs, finishing and selling those | | | | thousands of dollars that the builder wants. After |
| houses. The builder does not benefit financially if it is | | | | closing, the circumstances change and the builder has |
| necessary to linger at any one job. Therefore, a | | | | the money, and the clout. |
| home inspector's findings and repair recommendations | | | | In fact, I know of a situation where the buyer, a |
| are likely to slow down the builder by making it | | | | year later, was completely ignored by the builder, |
| necessary to send a crew back to a previously | | | | despite having valid worries. That particular builder |
| completed project. Obviously, the builder does not | | | | knew that, even though there were legitimate |
| like that! I always keep forefront in my mind that my | | | | problems that were aggravating, it was not likely that |
| client is the buyer, not the builder. Realizing that, I | | | | the buyer would spend the money to file a lawsuit. In |
| always recommend that my clients get an | | | | one case I know of, a buyer had been told before |
| independent home inspection by a competent | | | | closing that he was being provided with a one-year |
| residential home inspector who is also a licensed | | | | builder's warranty. Eleven months later, when a home |
| structural pest inspector. I want problems identified, | | | | inspector reported significant standing water in the |
| and or repaired, prior to closing in both older homes | | | | crawl space, the homeowner could not find anything |
| and new homes. | | | | in writing to support his understanding that there was |
| Without going into too much detail, here are some of | | | | a builder's warranty. The builder was unresponsive to |
| the complications involved if one is counting on a | | | | repair requests. This scenario might lead to lawsuits |
| builder's warranty as a substitute for a proper home | | | | that draw into the mess parties that should have little |
| inspection. In my market, a large number of the | | | | or no blame in the dispute, such as realtors or title |
| problems found at new homes are concealed and will | | | | companies. |
| not manifest themselves as issues until some time | | | | It is, because of complications like this, that I |
| down the road - likely more than a year away. For | | | | recommend the simplest and the correct path: I urge |
| example, people do not go into their crawl spaces | | | | all of my buyers to have an independent home |
| and significant standing water in the crawl space is | | | | inspection prior to closing. That advice applies to |
| one of the most common problems with new | | | | those purchasing brand new homes or older homes. I |
| construction. | | | | believe that, in all cases, my clients are better off |
| From day one, as this water evaporates up, it will | | | | negotiating solutions to problems prior to their closing |
| lead to excess moisture in the structural wood, | | | | the deal and moving in. That scenario is preferable for |
| insulation and up inside the home. Over time, this is | | | | the clients, the realtors involved and everyone -- |
| likely to attract wood destroying organisms such as | | | | except maybe some of the builders. I like to see all |
| rot, or even wood destroying insects that favor | | | | of the problems put on the table early in the |
| moist environs. Excess moisture is a prime contributor | | | | negotiations so I do not have upset, angry or |
| to eventual mold growth in the crawl space or even | | | | discouraged clients down the road. If you enjoy |
| up inside the house or walls. Yet, unless there is a | | | | repeat business and happy clients, it is just good |
| musty odor, or some obvious clue at some point, this | | | | business - that creates goodwill -- to protect your |
| problem would not be identified or even noticed by | | | | clients by seeing to it that they know the benefits of |
| the average homeowner. Make no mistake about it, | | | | having a competent inspector do an independent |
| the problem will make itself known, but it could be a | | | | home inspection prior to buying any home. |