| Within the real estate industry, there is some ongoing | | | | interior doors, cupboards or closet doors. |
| debate about whether new homes should have | | | | If you look at this list, which is certainly not inclusive, |
| home inspections or not. This debate goes on in the | | | | most of the significant things found are still routine |
| minds of many buyers who want to save any cash | | | | and easy for the builder, or his crew with their tools, |
| they can. And the new home builder is, obviously, all | | | | to remedy. On the other side of the coin, if the |
| for waiving a home inspection. So, often, the decision | | | | average homeowner has to fix some of these issues |
| as to whether the house is inspected or not, comes | | | | after closing, it is a really big hassle that will require |
| down to what is recommended by the buyer's | | | | lots of elbow grease and needlessly spending dollars |
| realtor. As a realtor, who has found myself in that | | | | out of pocket. Since those buyers are my clients, and |
| position more than once, I am going to give you my | | | | I want them to be happy with their purchase and to |
| opinion on this matter. | | | | refer my name to their friends and family, it is my |
| It is my experience that, almost never, are issues | | | | goal to see to it that all of the significant problems |
| found at new homes that are "deal killers." However, | | | | have been discovered and resolved prior to closing. |
| that does not mean that numerous problems have | | | | Let's face it, it is only fair that all of the significant |
| not been found. Usually, the problems at newer | | | | costs should be paid by the builder -- whose role in |
| homes are of the punch list variety -- where the | | | | the transaction was to properly build a home and |
| home inspector's list is given to the builder and the | | | | supply my clients with a house that was ready to |
| crew or sub contractors complete their project. Here | | | | move into. |
| are examples of common new construction issues | | | | Sometimes, mistakenly so, a client who does not |
| found by home inspectors in my market: | | | | want to pay for an inspection, hopes that the |
| Significant standing water in the crawl space because | | | | municipal code inspectors have covered the bases. |
| drainage concerns were not addressed; crawl space | | | | That is seldom the case because those components |
| vents that are below grade; concrete poured up | | | | and systems the code inspector looks for are basic |
| over the wood trim on the home; furnace ducts that | | | | and these people seldom actually get inside crawl |
| are not hooked into the system; condensate drains | | | | spaces, attics and areas a home inspector routinely |
| from the furnace and TPR drains from the water | | | | views. I have written a previous article on this fallacy |
| heater that are routed under the home; missing | | | | of the code inspector being a substitute for a home |
| flashing or loose and improperly nailed shingles; the | | | | inspection. |
| pressure test cap left on the main sewer vent; sinks | | | | Another thought is that the builder's home warranty |
| or toilets with drains that are not plumbed into the | | | | can replace the need for a home inspection. In my |
| system; gutters with inadequate slope; doors and | | | | experience that is a big risk, and not a wise gamble, |
| windows that do not operate; missing or unsafe | | | | and I will be writing another article on that in the near |
| handrails at steps and guardrails on high decks; | | | | future. For now, it should be clear from my |
| appliances not wired or plumbed in; propane | | | | comments here, that I always recommend that my |
| appliances not converted to gas, so they operate like | | | | clients, whether they are buying a new or an old |
| flame throwers; gas fireplaces not hooked to the | | | | home, should pay a few extra dollars and have an |
| gas; whirlpool tubs not wired into the system; dryer | | | | independent home inspection by a state licensed |
| ducts that empty under the home; missing or failed | | | | structural pest inspector who is also a competent |
| GFCI outlets, grounding problems and other electrical | | | | residential home inspector. |
| issues; missing door stops and out of adjustment | | | | |