Why Have A Home Inspection Before Closing ON BRAND NEW HOME?
My experience with builders is that most are not very interested in a third party inspection. It seems that homes two and three years old have the kinks worked out. City Inspectors work by the code book and have been known to overlook or miss a few issues. City Inspectors concentrate on the mechanical and structural code and do a good job of keeping builders in toe with the International Residential Code (building code standards). They do not run the appliances, take temperature readings on air conditioning systems, point out any cosmetic issues or plan flaws, test every outlet . . . the list goes on.
Generally, once you accept the condition of the home, the builder’s pace to get things done usually slows down considerably. Keep in mind that although this is not a cosmetic inspection now is the time for you to point out (blue tape) all of the unfinished details i.e. paint, nicks, stain, caulk, cabinet door and drawer operation, grout flaws that you would like the builder to address. The home should be cleaned before your walk through so that it is easy to identify these types of items.
If you get the Home Inspection up front you immediately will uncover issues that you can focus the builder’s attention on before closing. I believe it is better to hand the builder a list before closing (inspection list and your own cosmetic details) so that there is an understanding that there are items to be completed on the pronto. Without the inspection things that are often discovered later are that the AC system is not cooling efficiently (lack of refrigerant), outlets that are miswired, minor code violations, if the dishwasher completes a complete cycle (wash, drain, dry, no leaks), if the oven temperature is calibrated correctly, the electric panel is grounded properly, minor drip beneath sink connections at p-trap . . . I have had a few big surprises over the years such as water coming through the ceiling from the upstairs bath, leaks in walls, missing attic insulation, an air conditioner that smoked then burned out when it was activated.
A home inspection before the one year home warranty is up is better than none at all but your bartering power with the builder diminishes, warranty or not.
Not every home has a long detail list of incompletion; sometimes it is just a few minor points of interest. I would say that rarely are there any problems with Huntington Homes or Drees, more problems with xxx, I can discuss this with you over the phone.
I hope this has been helpful information for why you should inspect a new home.