Having a home built? How can you make sure your contractors are doing it right before your write those progress payment checks? The Home Builders Warranty you get from the Builder covers major structural defects for 10 years but do you really want to wait and experience such a disaster if there were something you could do to help you find it before you close the deal?
Hiring a qualified home inspector with a background in construction who offers new construction services could save you some grief; not to mention the money you'll save on future repairs later on when these defect become evident. Below are two standard offers you should consider to handle your New Construction Inspections.
NEW CONSTRUCTION PHASE INSPECTIONS
Three Point Inspections: The inspector comes by to perform a post pour foundation check, a pre-drywall check and a Final Walk Through. Adding these additional trips while the house is being built will give you the peace of mind that defects, which would otherwise be hiding between your floors and walls unnoticed, have been addressed.
Three phase inspection generally do not include a review of Specifications or Construction Plans and Drawings. It requires that all the Framing, Plumbing, Electrical and Heating and Ventilation be complete before the Pre-Drywall inspection can be performed even if they are finished weeks or months apart. Finished Carpentry isn't checked until the Final Walk Through. Three Point Inspections may require additional re-inspections visits, which are not generally included and are billed separately.
Seven Point Inspections: Same as the Three Point Inspections except this service includes a review of Specifications and Construction Plans and Drawings. Only Home inspectors with a degree in civil engineering and a background in construction should be providing this service and you are best advised not to hire an inspector who doesn't even if they provide this service. Lets be clear, you don't want to hire the relative of a civil engineer or the desk job employee of a construction firm. You really want someone experienced and comfortable in the mud for this job.
Additional services in a seven point inspection include separate foundation check, framing check, plumbing check, electrical check, heating and ventilation check. Finished carpentry check will follow before the Final Walk through. More visits means problems are caught earlier so that your project stays on schedule. This type of inspection is particularly handy if you are making progress payments to your builder or paying specialized contractors individually. Additional billings for re-inspections are less likely because they can be performed during another inspection phase. Keeping your project on track and on time.
Inspection visits may include the builder or contractors involved in that construction phase to discuss deficiencies and remediations. However, additional Pre-construction meetings, builder meetings and consultation services are generally available for an additional fee.
NEW CONSTRUCTION FINAL WALK THROUGH INSPECTIONS
After months of construction, your house is finally complete, and all you need to do is take the final walk through and get the keys. Without an Inspector, the builder takes you on a rushed tour through the house while you’re looking around planning where your furniture is going to go.
Why the rush? This is an opportunity to make sure the builder delivered what he promised and that any damages and imperfections are taken care of before you hand the builder his final payment. Your Inspector will carefully walk you through the house, making sure everything is performing correctly, looking for defects you need to add to your punchlist so that they may be addressed before closing. Your inspector will also show you how to operate the systems in your new home.
So, What could go wrong with your new construction home? Check out our sample report from an actual New Construction Final Walk Through inspection
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