Do New Homes Really Need a Home Inspection?

Consumers have many choices when purchasing a home. They can build new, buy an existing resale, or buy a foreclosure property. Each purchase has its pros and cons. However, many people are often choosing new homes because they want to have more options than they can find in an existing house. However, more choices mean more decisions when purchasing a brand new home. It can be one of the most confusing – not to mention expensive – things a home buyer can do. Yet one of the easiest decisions is quite often overlooked – having a professional home inspection performed to verify the quality of the overall workmanship and construction of a brand new house.

Reliance on the builder’s one or two year warranty is the most common reason why buyers of new homes forego home inspections. In many cases, this has proved to be a costly error. Buyers assume that all significant defects will become apparent during the warranty period. However, how many people crawl through the attic of their brand new home to verify the insulation, wiring, ductwork, framing, and plumbing are in proper order? Faulty foundations, moisture intrusion, improper ductwork, drainage, and flashing are some of the most common issues inspectors find in new home construction today. Many times these defects show up months, or even years, after the buyer has moved in. Inadequate or missing insulation may not ever be noticed by a home owner, but why waste the extra money on heating and cooling if there’s no need to? Is the home builder going to fix the improper flashing on a roof three years after someone has moved in? What if it took three years for a water leak to develop enough to be noticed inside the home due to the relatively small amount of precipitation in that area of the country?

Many home inspectors offer to inspect the home for the buyer at the various stages of construction to ensure nothing is overlooked. Once the drywall is installed it is very difficult to find issues within the walls such as improper wiring or inadequate insulation. Some builders are hiring home inspectors themselves to produce a better quality home. Home inspectors, while working directly with the builders, provide an unbiased, third-party assessment, verifying a builder’s quality of construction. Sometimes builders hire an inspector to only inspect certain areas of the home such as the attic, or they may hire the inspector to do a full home inspection at various phases of the construction. New home inspections can drastically reduce customer call backs and strengthen a builder’s reputation, ultimately helping consumers purchase better homes.

Buyers often assume brand new homes are exempt from any defects. But when making such a large investment, why not invest in a home inspection to identify defects that might otherwise become hidden or difficult to repair? A small investment of a few hundred dollars could potentially save tens of thousands of dollars in the long run for both home buyers and home builders.

Justin Washburn

Licensed Home Inspector

WIN Home Inspection – Goodyear

(623) 399-6222

(623) 399-8984 Fax

www.wini.com/goodyear