What Is A New Construction Home Inspection?

During a regular home inspection, the buyer and seller both have inspections done. The inspector goes over everything from the basement and tiny crawlspaces to the attic and roof and even looks outside the home. This allows the parties to negotiate about the property for what’s wrong and who is responsible. Normally when people picture that scenario, they think of a property that was built decades ago and is changing hands. But the reality is, it's important to have a home inspection done even on a home that was newly constructed, even before the foundation ever goes down. Just because things are being built new doesn't mean they're being built properly; like any other person, construction crews can make mistakes. 

Licensed professionals like those at ProPrecise Home Inspections come out to a property and go over a lengthy list of things to check on. We make sure things are up to code based on your city, county, and state standards and look for potential safety or mechanical issues. Hazardous items and those that are not working or otherwise deficient go on the list. That could include things like water damage or plumbing problems, infestations, structural issues, and more. Based on the agreement, it may include cosmetic issues as well.

A new construction build can consist of 3 inspections, the pre-pour, framing, and final inspection. That gives the construction company time to remedy the issues an inspector finds before the final touches are put on the house. The things we may notice during a review of a brand-new home tend to be different from the problems an older home might face. The issues won't be due to wear-and-tear so much as poor workmanship or a skirting of local codes. The construction of a new house involves many details, and they should be checked to make sure it's built and delivered properly. You also can have specific designs beforehand that must be followed. A home inspector can notice imperfections in flooring, poor wiring, or if seals around windows and vents are not quite holding. Our professional home inspectors at ProPrecise Property Inspections are trained to look for the minute details that the average eye might not catch. 

Mistakes are common from the ground-up in new construction, and we can spot them – even if a construction company has tried to hide them. In the structure of the building, we might find cracks in the foundation or improper framing. Drainage issues could lead to flooding or the buildup of mold and mildew. Improper sealing could let hot air in and cold air out, along with dust and pests. There are a huge range of plumbing issues home inspectors often see, from major faults like leaks to small oversights like the reversal of the hot and cold lines in faucets. Electrical issues are similar – they could include big problems, like bad wiring that creates a fire risk or a light switch that doesn't function properly.

Over time, buildings and appliances can become worn down from use, the climate, and so on, and the home should be built with protection against the weather. If the gutters aren't working properly, it can create a flood risk in warmer months and ice dams in colder months. If things aren't sealed up, rain can seep in regardless of a storm’s severity. That can also give way for mold to develop. Once it begins to grow within the house, the spores spread. 

The whole point of a home inspection is to keep the person in the house protected. You might not have noticed that the trees in your yard that looked so pretty as you purchased the home are planted too close to the foundation, setting you up for future damage. Limbs growing directly over the roof can break during a bad storm, act as a conduit for pests, and create an environment for moss and mold growth on the roof. The property can have a pest infestation, even if it's brand new. Depending on the critter, pests can eat away at the walls and put the home's structural integrity at risk. Chewed-up wires can put the property at risk of fire, and they can track around bacteria and disease, too. https://www.epa.gov/ipm/introduction-integrated-pest-management

ProPrecise Property Inspections goes over more than 600 different building components before handing over a thorough and honest report. When we're out there, we're working for you, and our success is measured in our ability to warn you about the issues. Our only goal is to make sure that your property is as you expect it.