3 Inspections For New Construction Homes

If you’re in the market for a new construction home, there are three types of inspections to take into consideration. The type of inspection you need is based on timing, and I’ll go over each one individually. To learn more about new construction be sure to read our New Construction Homes Guide.

Before The Drywall Goes Up

• A Pre-Drywall Inspection is an inspection of a property prior to drywall installation, which is an examination of a property that has already been completed before the drywall is installed.
• The American Society of Home Inspectors has a set of pre-drywall inspection standards that home inspectors may choose to follow, which specifies exactly what is covered.

A Pre-Drywall Inspection, as the name implies, is an inspection of a property prior to drywall installation. This is an examination of a property that has already been completed before the drywall is installed. Some people refer to it as a framing inspection, but it’s more comprehensive than that.

The American Society of Home Inspectors has a set of pre-drywall inspection standards that home inspectors may choose to follow, which specifies exactly what is covered. After the following items have been put in place, they should be inspected as follows:

• Foundation
• Floor, wall, and roof structural components
• Plumbing, electrical, and rough-in components
• Windows and exterior doors

However, this isn’t always the case. A full home inspection can take several hours, whereas a pre-drywall inspection can take multiple trips or extensive hours onsite. Furthermore, post-inspection research is often conducted after traditional home inspections. Home inspectors in Florida are required to be knowledgeable in both the state’s Building Codes and new construction practices. Each county and city may have adaptations of how the code is interpreted for their jurisdiction.

We don’t just inspect the framing, but also take a look at the exterior envelope, electrical and plumbing systems, and HVAC. A pre-drywall inspection can bring to light defects that would be undetectable once the drywall is installed. Also, it usually costs less and is easier to fix any issues we find during a pre-drywall inspection than it would if the home were already completed–and with little disturbance or disruption to the home buyer.

Before Closing on Your New Home

• A new construction inspection is when we check homes that have been completely built and given the all-clear by the city or county. In most cases, these houses are ready to be moved into minus some final cleaning.
• A final walk-through is not the same as a new construction inspection, although some people mistakenly believe it to be.

A new construction inspection is when we check homes that have been completely built and given the all-clear by the city or county. In most cases, these houses are ready to be moved into minus some final cleaning. If you can only get one inspection for your new home, this is the one to choose.

A final walk-through is not the same as a new construction inspection, although some people mistakenly believe it to be. A final walk-through is conducted by the buyer with the builder prior to closing on the property. The main focus of a final walk-through is to ensure that any and all items that were supposed to be completed according to the contract have been done to the buyer’s satisfaction.

Most builders use blue or green tape to mark areas during the quality assurance process, however, many items can be easily overlooked. If any repairs need to happen – and there’s usually a list – it’s much better to do them now while the house is still empty. Having repairmen come in and out of an occupied home is disruptive to everyone living there. Also, some builders seem more responsive and accommodating before the sale takes place than after new owners have moved in. Unfortunately, most builders are in the business of building homes and after your home is built they’re moving on to the next home. The warranty department is responsible for taking care of the few problems that every home has.

Not every builder’s warranty department is great either, when we hear horror stories about builders most of them originated from how the warranty department handled our client’s requests. Be sure to read our guide before closing on your new construction home.

After Move In; The 11 Month Inspection

• If you missed out on having a comprehensive home inspection before closing, the next best opportunity to get an evaluation is before your builder’s one-year warranty expires.

If you missed out on having a comprehensive home inspection before closing, the next best opportunity to get an evaluation is before your builder’s one-year warranty expires. This type of examination is similar to a full home inspection, except that the homeowners are more informed about the property. They are aware of any problems within the home such as the flooring coming up, the door that doesn’t just close right, or one room that is too warm all year round.

We always begin these inspections by addressing our clients’ primary concerns as we guide them around their home. We inspect the house with our clients, showing them any concerns we have and answering questions. Afterward, we give the homeowners our report to share with their builder’s warranty department, and most builders are receptive to our findings.

It’s not unusual for our inspections to cause conversation among the neighbors, especially if they’re finding similar problems in their homes. An 11-month warranty inspection will often turn into a dozen more inspections in the same neighborhood as people start talking.

Conclusion

Whether you’re buying a newly constructed home or an existing one, always get a full home inspection. If you’ve already closed on the home, go for the 11-month warranty inspection to make sure everything was done correctly. If you have questions about new construction or these types of inspections? Contact us – we can help!