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New Construction - had been "pre-inspected"

I inspected a new home today. The sign outside proudly said it had been "pre-inspected".

I have to say that this is a pretty good builder. I really didn't have a bunch of stuff on my list, however, I think a couple of them are 'Inspection 101" kind of things. Here is some of the things I found...

1. The hot and cold was reversed at the master bathroom shower.

2. The sensors for the garage door were over 12" above the floor.

3. The pull down attic ladder not only didn't have enough fasteners, they were drywall screws. There was a huge label on the ladder saying the fasteners must be 16d nails or 1/4"X3" lag screws, AND they needed to be installed in the places indicated by some arrows.

4. Open electrical junction boxes in the attic.

5. Three interior doors would not latch, and some dragged on the carpet.

I consider these pretty important things for a new construction home. I would thing they should have been pointed out - but were not.

Maybe I'm too picky.

Posted by Jack Feldmann on 03/04/2009 05:17 PM

Comments (7)

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7 Comments on New Construction - had been "pre-inspected"

MAR

Jack, I think you are NOT too picky----all of those things should have been picked up on. Those "Pre-Inspected" signs are about marketing----not inspecting----and should mean nothing to the consumer in my opinion.

MAR

Too picky? No way. If you're not going to call that stuff out, what are you going to call out?

I agree, some of those pre-inspections are worthless. If someone is going to use a 'soft' inspector, why both doing it at all? I actually followed one inspection on a home that had all aluminum branch wiring, and the bozo that pre-inspected it listed it as copper. You've heard of the company this inspector was from.

Jack, you're right that stuff is inspection 101. I would have called it out too. Reuben, you aren't serious are you? Called it copper?

MAR

Hi Jack. Great points. Haven't inspected a new home yet that didn't have at least a half-dozen such issues.

Say, on the garage optic sensor, I've been looking for info on how far above the slab that should be mounted. Max or minimum. Striking out so far. Do you have a source?

Richard

HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC

Hi Richard.

Yes I do have a source, the BEST one. The installation guidelines form the manf. In fact I used my camera to shoot a photo of the graphic in the manual and use it in my reports. There is a very cool graphic of a little girl trying to reach the button (they have to be 60" from the floor). I'm not on my work comutper right now, but I will send you the graphics I use later.

It's always funny (in new homes) when I pull out their (the builders) own owners manuals and show them how something is installed wrong.

MAR

Hi Jack, you did the right thing by calling out those problems with the new home. I just did a inspection for my client who just had her 2 family home totally redone. It was a nightmare I do not know how the town inspectors allowed it and did not shut it down here are some pictures take a look.

They did a triple tap on one breaker.

All of the new hard wood floors are warping.

Hot water temp

The deck and balcony.

My client said my knees hurt walking up these stairs.

No caulking around any window.

The cables were not installed to hold the bay windows in place.

MAR

Hi: Jack, that one 20 amp breaker supplies 2 GFCI in the kitchen and the refrigerator on the same circuit. When I tested the GFCI's the refrigerator turn off, and there are no arc fault breakers in the panel box.

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What does the graphic say?