Not all new homes are well built, as they are hand-crafted and mistakes can happen. Simply being new doesn’t ensure quality. Each house is constructed by different individuals, and their workmanship may vary. Purchasing a newly built home without an inspection means relying solely on the builders’ expertise. Conducting a new construction inspection allows you to identify any construction issues early on, preventing potential major problems in the future. Remember the importance of a new construction inspection to ensure a solid investment in your new home.
Common Issues for New Construction & New Build Houses
While there are countless opportunities for mistakes to occur during construction, there are a number of issues that pop up more frequently than others. Here are just a few examples:
- Non-functioning electrical outlets and switches
- Non-functioning or improperly installed appliances
- Improperly installed roofing
- Improper grading (ground slopes toward the home)
- Poor insulation
- Plumbing leaks
- Unsealed windows and doors
How Do These Things Happen?
More often than not, problems with a new construction occur through circumstance or human error, rather than malicious intent. Not all builders are equal, with varying levels of experience and professionalism. In addition, problems may occur from rushed work in order to meet a tight deadline.
Protect Your Investment
It is not uncommon to find minor issues with a newly constructed home. However, occasionally a brand-new home can turn out to be an absolute nightmare, despite looking perfectly fine on the surface. Some issues, such as leaks or improper grading, may not become apparent until well after the warranty has expired.
When building a new home, it’s critical to have an inspection before the drywall goes up. A Pre-Drywall Inspection can identify potential problems with the framing, plumbing, and electrical systems in the home before it’s too late. It’s also a good way to get an idea of what repairs may need to be made at this stage of the building process. By catching problems early, you can save yourself time and money down the road.
You’ve nearly gone through the entire homebuying process. From those early days of using a mortgage calculator to see how much house you could afford, to touring homes online or in-person, and then finally and excitedly making an offer on your first home. Now here you are, the home inspection is complete, your bank’s appraiser has submitted their report, and the bank has given the green light to send settlement funds to the title company. All the stars have aligned, and this transaction looks like it’s on track to close without a hitch. Except there’s just one last thing to do: the final walk-through. And luckily for you, we’ve created the ultimate final walk-through checklist to help ensure a smooth closing.
When a brand new home gets built from the ground up, most builders will offer a one-year home warranty on the new home.
So, as members of the Louisiana State Board of Home Inspectors, we have a personal commitment to our Baton Rouge home buyers to ensure their new home remains solid.
We come out during the 11th month of your builder’s warranty and perform a full home inspection before that builder’s warranty expires. Other inspectors perform a limited 4-point inspection.
Our non-invasive inspection is based on observations of the visible and apparent condition of the interior and exterior of the structure, including its major systems and components.
Following your inspection, you will receive a comprehensive report, complete with photos, that includes information on any material defects observed on the date of the inspection.
With this information, you can take any necessary steps to hold your builder and his subcontractors to their warranties while they’re still in force.
