Everyone understands how important it is to engage a home inspector to evaluate a property before making a commitment to buy, especially if it is an older home that the elements and time have worn down. But one issue that comes up a lot is: Should I employ a home inspector for a new house or for fresh construction?
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Regardless matter how bizarre it may appear, the answer to this question is yes. Here are several reasons why a new home or building should be evaluated, along with the best course of action.
New homes may also have issues
A brand-new house might look perfect, but that’s only because no one has lived there long enough to detect any problems. You may have observed that a lot of newly released items contain defects that aren’t even recognized until the customer uses them.
This applies to homes as well. When you purchase a new house, you are essentially evaluating the HVAC system’s functionality and whether the basement floods after heavy rain. Conversely, in the case of an older house with possible signs of wear and tear, the owner is legally obligated to report all known issues.
New Homes Aren’t Usually Constructed Per Code
At this point, you would think that county building inspectors make sure new home construction complies with regulations. Although the county’s construction inspectors ought to ensure it, this isn’t always the case. The municipality employs county code inspectors to make sure new development complies with the minimum building code. They are also employees of the government and do not work for you. Moreover, you could practically screw yourself unless you are a general contractor or you understand the difference between nailed and screwed drywall.
Reuben Saltzman, the president of Structure Tech Home Inspection in Minneapolis, Minnesota, reported that he has discovered serious flaws in every trade related to new building. In fact, he found that the attic insulation in one new home was never installed by the contractor. The state where the home was situated frequently experienced below-freezing temperatures in the winter. In this instance, having a house inspection would have been beneficial for the buyer because the building code inspectors had overlooked this issue.
Justification for Preferably Getting Two Inspections for New Homes
It is really best to engage a home inspector twice if you are buying a house that is still under construction. He can examine the house before the walls are closed, as well as the framework and system installation, during the initial inspection. The second examination should happen once the house is finished to enable the inspection of everything else.
A home inspector’s fee usually ranges from $300 to $500, depending on your location and the size of your house. Although it could seem excessively expensive to hire a single house inspection twice, take this into account: The inspector guarantees that the studs, beams, insulation, posts, and house systems were built correctly if you pay for an early pre-inspection of drywall. The majority of home inspectors are unable to get this exclusive look at houses after the walls are up. In addition, you may present your builder with the list of grievances and issues if any do occur so they can address them before the wall is closed.
Ask your home inspector to check the completed house a few days before you and your builder have your last walkthrough. A house inspector is trained to find nuances that the untrained eye would typically miss. You can add these concerns to your final list, but don’t send in your last payment until every issue has been fixed.
Include a home inspection contingency in the sales contract if you are not involved in the building process and buy a spec house after it is finished. Then, engage an inspector to assess the property before closing. In addition to ensuring that the house and its systems are sound, the home inspector will provide you with maintenance and operation instructions for your new residence.