New Construction Home Inspections

A home inspection should never be skipped, even if it is new construction.  There are a lot of moving parts when a home is built – and they all need to come together in the right sequence and correctly.  Things happen, things go wrong.  And that’s why it is important to have a home inspection, even on new construction.

Here is a short list of some of the things that I have seen:

no insulation over the living quarters

• The insulation was never installed.  The new homeowners will be wondering why the house never seems to warm up in the winter if this isn't fixed.

trim edges were not painted

cut edges on the siding were not painted

• No paint on the cut edge of the siding and trim.  These edges will soak up moisture, resulting in deterioration.

auto-reverse sensors installed too high

• Auto-reverse sensors being installed too high.  They should be 6 inches off the ground for safety reasons.

upper level bathroom tub leaked into the basement

• When inspecting the plumbing fixtures, I fill sinks and tubs and then drain.  Sometimes they leak and I find water in the basement.

sump pump discharge too close to foundation

• Sump pump discharge pipes should be at least 6 feet away from the foundation.  This helps in preventing water from entering the basement.

duct not connected

• Duct work not being connected. The room above this is going to get cold this winter if not fixed…

​I have also seen missing shingles and siding, broken sump pumps and garage walls not fastened to the foundation properly just to name a few more issues.  Please, always have a home inspection, including new construction.  It is so much better to learn about issues before you buy the home then after you move in.