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Home Inspection Notes from the Field 10-19-07

By Jeffrey Owen

Home Inspector with IonHomeInspection.com - Houston Metro Home Inspection

October 19, 2007 11:28 AM

New Construction Home Inspection 10-19-07

I completed a new construction phase home inspection today in Richmond, TX which is on the West side of Houston. Here are a few of the issues and items I found while on site. The buyer has an agent and called us after they started to notice problems. These problems serve to support why buyers should have home inspections throughout the entire building process. The buyers are upset, stressed, and disappointed. This was the first time we were on the construction site. For further research on new home construction buying I would refer you to the JD Power New Home Builder Rankings for your area and Homeowners for Better Building at hobb.org. This is a national builder.

The wall on the left is not plumb. The wall runs left to right and is not straight. The hall is smaller at the end than at the start.

Same Wall But Notice the Angle to the Ceiling At the Second Door

Large Plumbing Leak in the Wall Leaking to the Exterior

Same Leak. Also Notice the Sprinkler Head is much to close to the foundation.

Hmmm. I wonder if this wall is plumb...

The foundation does not meet with up the brick correctly, so they used portland cement to "smooth it out." Soil is also a little on the high side I would say....

Several Broken Windows....

Entry Door was way off center. Notice the satellite windows. Terrible workmanship. Looking Straight on.

You have to love that "Old World" Craftsmanship! You can see the back side of that board from the living room.

They did not read the plan changes for the foundation pour for the utility room off the garage, so they went in and did a second pour to correct it. That seam is right at the door from the garage.

Jeffrey

IonHomeInspection.com

Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, The Woodlands

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Margaret O'Daniel

NM Notary Loan Signing Agent - Albuquerque, NM

Gret Post! What a shame that contractors like that are building houses. Thank you for doing your part to bring to light these problems. We need to know about this when we buy a home.

Oct 19, 2007 11:38 AM

Bob Elliott

Elliott Home Inspection - Chicago, IL

Chicago Property Inspection

Is there ever one guy to supervise and get this stuff cordinated?

Oct 19, 2007 02:22 PM

Jim Ellis

Ellis Home Inspection Services - Pensacola, FL

It's a shame and should be a crime to build that way. I have seen some of those same builders in this area. Many buyers are already stressed out over the little things such as paint colors, what kind of flooring, they shouldn't have to worry about the construction. I often hear, "it should be ok the city inspected it". I get a lot of strange looks from builders, buyers, Realtors and whoever may be around after I inspect a new home.

Oct 19, 2007 10:25 PM

Jeffrey Owen

IonHomeInspection.com - Houston Metro Home Inspection - Katy, TX

Oh yea this house is from a huge national builder. It supposedly had a construction supervisor. The buyers have been talking to the salesman and he has been agreeing with them, but nothing was being done.

This house passed the code inspections...

Oct 20, 2007 04:47 AM

Steven Turetsky

Comprehensive Building Inspections & Consultants - Staten Island, NY

Building Moisture Analyst

Unfortunately, this type of shoddy workmanship is quite common. It will continue until folks stop accepting it and make builders rip it out and replace it. They in turn will have to call it the sub-contractor that built it and make him repair it at his own expense.

Those are exactly the type of things that a job-site super is supposed to catch. I have seen this on row houses and custom construction too.

My carpenters hate me for this reason. Although I don't catch everything, I catch quite a bit. I make them rip it out and redo it right there and then, rather than wait to be embarrassed by the client or have to rip out alot more when it is finished.

Oct 20, 2007 05:04 AM

Erby Crofutt

B4 U Close Home Inspections&Radon Testing (www.b4uclose.com) - Lexington, KY

The Central Kentucky Home Inspector, Lexington KY

Sad but true. Super was probably spending more time at the beer hall than at the job site.

Subs know who they can get away with what when. And do.

Oct 20, 2007 10:44 AM

Scott Patterson, ACI

Trace Inspections, LLC - Spring Hill, TN

Home Inspector, Middle TN

Most of what you are showing is not even covered by codes. It is all workmanship. The best thing is that they can still walk away.

Oct 21, 2007 02:32 PM

Jeffrey Owen

IonHomeInspection.com - Houston Metro Home Inspection - Katy, TX

Oh sure it passed the codes. I try to explain this is to people all the time that home inspections are different from the city inspectors. Tough nut to crack sometimes. The buyers do not really want to walk away as they have 11K down in option monies that were paid up front that they would loose. Of course here in Texas with our lax buyer rights, they have signed away their rights to sue. It has to go to arbitration. With arbitration people that are choosen by the builder and work for the builder on a regular basis....

Oct 21, 2007 03:53 PM

Bruce Pinel

S & B Services LLC - North Kingstown, RI

$11K will seem cheap when all of the ***t you can't see starts to surface. Just curious, what jurisdiction do the HI's come under in Texas? (Here in RI, we are under the Contractor's Board of Registry made up of, well, ex-contractors!)

Oct 22, 2007 10:39 AM

Jeffrey Owen

IonHomeInspection.com - Houston Metro Home Inspection - Katy, TX

Bruce,

Yea I agree with you. That is just their motivation behind not walking away. Texas HI's are licensed by the State through the Texas Real Estate Commission. Check out more Texas "issues" at hobb.org.

Jeffrey

Oct 22, 2007 10:51 AM

James Quarello

JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT

Connecticut Home Inspector

Jeffery,

Unbelievable! I have had the building inspector conversation with many potential clients. They just don't get the difference between home inspectors and building officials. What it really always boils down to is money. Home inspectors cost them money, building officials are free. Another great example of you get what you pay for!

This is something I wrote on new construction inspections; Connecticut New Construction Progress Inspections If anyone would like to read it.

Oct 23, 2007 01:11 AM

Ann Krewson

A.L.I. Designs, Inc. - Houston, TX

A.L.I. Designs; Staging Houston Homes; Allied Member of A.S.I.D.

Jeffery,

Those pictures are unbelievable. I can't believe that the building inspectors let all of that just go by the wayside. I would be furious if that was my home. Can you guys have any say so down at city hall?

Nov 12, 2007 02:57 AM

Dale Baker

Baker Energy Audits and Commercial Properties Inspections - Claremont, NH

New Hampshire Relocation Real Estate Information

Howdy Jeffrey

You done another very fine blog post. Very good info for folks to knoe about.

Have a good one

Dale

Nov 28, 2007 09:27 AM

Erby Crofutt

B4 U Close Home Inspections&Radon Testing (www.b4uclose.com) - Lexington, KY

The Central Kentucky Home Inspector, Lexington KY

I'm a little more fortunate. There are "some" good builders in my area.

Though there are also those like above.

Keeps me in business. I'm not complaining.

Nov 28, 2007 10:51 PM

Andy Chaudoir

Professional Inspection Services - Georgetown, Texas - Georgetown, TX

Your Home Inspection Connection in Central Texas

Hey Jeffrey - I've seen a few like this the past few weeks. It seems that around here much of the poor craftmanship I'm seeing is over in Sun City. Make sure you get your phase inspections done when building that dream home!

Dec 09, 2009 04:46 PM

Baker Home Inspection and Commercial Properties Inspections

Baker Residential and Commercial Properties Inspections - Springfield, VT

Home and Commercial Properties Inspections Vermont

Jeffrey, I'm stopping back by in-order to check to see if you had started being active on your blog here agin or not. But it sure looks like you are not.

Jul 26, 2013 11:18 PM