Building a home appeals to some buyers since the house is brand new and won’t have wear and tear like a pre-owned home. However, this doesn’t mean that they are perfect. There might still be mistakes with the construction and defective materials. Order a home inspection on new construction before you close on the deal so you won’t have to repair construction-related issues once you’ve moved in.
A Home Inspection on New Construction Vs. a Builder’s Warranty Inspection
Some buyers of new homes skip the new construction inspection and wait for the 11th month of living there to schedule a builder’s warranty inspection. The purpose of a warranty inspection is to look for problems that should be filed as a claim before the one-year builder’s warranty expires.
A home inspection on new construction is focused solely on the condition of the components and systems of the build before the owner moves in. This inspection should be completed before closing and the builder’s warranty inspection should be scheduled in the 11th month.
Go Beyond Building Codes with a Home Inspection on New Construction
The building codes vary by location and they cover only minimum standards. All newly constructed buildings need to be inspected by the city or county for building code compliance, but this inspection is not complete or sufficient.
A home inspection on new construction takes a close look at all components of the home. Municipal code inspectors perform several inspections per day and are allocated a short amount of time to complete each one. An independent home inspector makes his or her own schedule and will spend more time inspecting your property.
What if an Issue is Discovered?
Always have the home inspection on new construction completed before you move into the home. Schedule it as close to the completion date as possible and before the closing date. Once the home inspector has assessed the visible and accessible components of the home, you’ll receive a full report of their findings.
You can then present the report to the builder and request that certain problems are fixed. Making construction-related repairs is the builder’s responsibility before you move in. Once you move in, some issues will be covered under the warranty, but you will have to file a claim and then have repairs made while living there. It is more convenient to have problems addressed before you take ownership of the home.
Catawba Island Home Inspections serves Northwest Ohio. Contact us to schedule a new construction inspection for your home.