New construction homes should be inspected

Similar to the belief that condos don’t need home inspections, home buyers may be under the impression that the brand new home they are building doesn’t need a home inspection either. In reality, even a newly built residence can have its issues.  A recent article on Foxnews.com touted the importance of  hiring a home inspector to inspect new construction homes.

New doesn’t mean problem-free

Just because a home is new doesn’t mean it’s without flaws, according to the article. Because the home has never been lived in, there’s no way of telling if everything works as it should.

“Ever notice how new products can be riddled with flaws that are caught only after they’ve been tried out by consumers? Well, the same is true for homes,” the article stated. “Buy a new one, and you’re essentially the guinea pig testing how well the HVAC system works and whether the basement floods during a storm. An old home, by contrast, may have more wear and tear, but the owner is required by law to disclose any known problems.”

They’re not always built to code

It’s the county building inspector’s job to check that construction on a new home meets the requirements of the municipality, but that doesn’t always happen according to the article. Reuben Saltzman, president of Structure Tech Home Inspections in Minneapolis, Minn., said in the article he discovered that a contractor had failed to install attic insulation in one new house he inspected.

“The code inspectors missed it,” Saltzman said in the article. “It paid off for this buyer to have a home inspection performed.”

Two inspections are better than one 

Newly built homes need not one, but two home inspections, according to the article.

“The first time is so he can look over the home before the walls are closed, and inspect framing and systems installation. The second should be after the home is complete, so he can inspect everything else,” the article stated. The second inspection should be done a few days before the buyer does the final walk through with the builder.

Source: “Should You Hire a Home Inspector for a New House?” Foxnews.com (Oct. 12, 2016)