What kind of damage could we have if this was not caught?

David Lelak, I am an Atlanta Home Inspector and I'm here once again talking about the home inspection process, and reminding home-buyers the importance of getting a brand-new home inspected.  Most first-time home-buyers failed to realize that they need a home inspection on a brand-new home.  They're more worried about is the home Cute, will my furniture fit and can I make the payment.  Some don't think about the issues that can be hidden or overlooked by even the most thorough builder.  Most of the small things that are overlooked on a brand-new home are not purposefully done and should not be a reflection of the builder. 

Have you ever written a paper and you read over it several times and then as a safety net you have someone else read over it for you and check for mistakes?  When this person reads over that paper they find a few minor errors, and you wonder why you didn't see.  I can tell you why, it's because the project is too familiar and your eyes automatically see what your brain is thinking it sees.  And now I can hear you saying a lot, how does this pertain to the home building and the home inspection process, it is simple.  The builder has been on the project from the beginning, and he sees the same thing every day to the point where minor things can now look correct or just be overlooked.  I've also had this situation happen around my home I'll see a problem or a situation that needs correcting.  And I will think "I'll get to that in a minute" only to get sidetracked by one of my kids or my wife and completely forget about the situation.  The next thing that happens is somebody comes in (usually my father in law) and says "hey man, did you notice that ____________________ needs fixed and you fill in the blank?"

Then there are some things that if left unnoticed, you can have a mess.  Below are two different pictures where it's a little thing until it is not caught and it leaves a really big mess.  In the first picture you have a washing machine over flow pan drain line that is not tight. If some thing ever happens to the washing machine and it leaks into the overflow pan it would run out into the floor instead of out the pipe like it is suppose to. 

 The next picture is that the drain line going from the dishwasher is not connected to the plumbing system.  Surely someone would have called this one without a home inspector, but the new homeowner of this home was a single young lady, who had never owned a home. She may or may not have caught it.

All of these pictures above are simple problems with simple solutions and most item were fixed before I even left the inspection.