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