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Fayetteville New Construction

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Home Inspector with Carolina's Best Home Inspections 1051

SHOULD YOU GET A HOME INSPECTION ON A BRAND NEW HOME?

Do I really need an inspection on a new home?  After all, it is under warranty.  Let me tell you a few things about inspections on new homes and then you can decide.

What you see isn't always what you get.  I tell people at the beginning of the inspection, "Prepare yourself.  We're going to find problems with this house.  But remember this, If I inspect the house across the street I'm going to find problems there too.  In fact this house, or any house I inspect is not going to look as good to you when I get done with my inspection than it did at the beginning of it, because my job is to find problems. If they're here I intend to find them."

When people make an offer on a home they are often in love with the decor, the style, the atmosphere, the ambience, etc.  They are caught up in the charm.  The home inspector isn't looking for the paint colors, the flow of the floor plan, or the effect of the siding and roof line.  He's there to protect you from discovering issues after it is too late.  

A one year old house actually has fewer problems than a new one!  A new house is put together by people who make mistakes. When a new home buyer gets a home inspection, those problems are discovered and then repaired.  After living in their house for a year they may discover something else and have the builder fix it before the one year warranty expires.  By the end of a year that house is probably in the best shape it is ever going to be in.  It is almost always in better shape than on the day of the new home inspection.

To give you an example, I inspected a NEW home this past year and the buyer was with me.  We had a long list by the time I finally finished inspecting the upstairs.  As we turned out the lights and made our way back downstairs, we saw that all of the water that we had just drained from the large master bathroom tub had come through the high kitchen ceiling and was dripping onto the new wood cabinets and granite countertop.  We already had a long list for the builder, but we did not expect this!  What other surprises could possibly be found?    Do you think THIS buyer thought it was worth the price of a Home Inspection?  

I have performed a home inspection on new houses where all of the windows were installed incorrectly.  How do you think new home buyers like having all the windows in the house re-installed after they have moved in?  I have inspected houses that have had very few defects and those were very minor, but I have also inspected brand new houses with three pages full of problems!

One reason to get a home inspection on a new house is because it documents the condition of the home.  If you move into a house and don't have problems documented, the builder can always point his finger at you and say, "You did that. It wasn't that way when you moved in."  It happens all the time.

Truthfully, many builders like Home Inspections, if they are done by reasonable inspectors.  The inspection provides them a "to do list."  Builders like punch lists, because they can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  They know what they have to do and can get it over with.  So, home inspections on brand new homes are beneficial to everyone.

Finally, there is a peace of mind that comes with a home inspection.  When a good inspector finishes inspecting your new home and you have the written inspection report, you experience satisfaction and confidence in purchasing your new home. Hopefully, this article will help you make the best decision about whether you need an inspection on a new construction home.  Although an inspection may seem like an extra expense, this home is probably the biggest purchase of your life.  How much is peace of mind worth?  

If you're interested in learning more about our inspection services or pricing, please visit our website at www.carolinasbesthomeinspections.com.

Earl Payne