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New Construction - $1M+ - You'd Think They'd Do Better

By Jay Markanich

Home Inspector with Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC 3380-000723

September 15, 2018 02:32 AM

New construction - $1M+ - you'd think they'd do better.

Everything was high end - materials, appliances, and there was an elevator to all four floors.

The HVAC professional drew an arrow to attempt to inform the buyer which way the air was flowing.

This is so an air filter can be put in with the air flow arrow pointing in the right direction.

Air ALWAYS flows toward the unit.

But this "professional" drew the arrow in the wrong direction!

The yellow arrow is mine. I put it there so I could put this photo on the report.

Of course we talked about it during the inspection and how to properly insert the filter.

We both just shook our heads.

You'd think when you spend so much money buying a house that the little things would be properly taken care of.

But think again!

My recommendation: keep in mind that new construction requires a home inspection. No matter the price! Be circumspect! Call an informed and certified home inspector who sees the big and little things. And in Northern Virginia insist on Jay Markanich.

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Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Jay- just because it's new construction or a million bucks doesn't mean that you don't need an inspection. Good one, Jay!

Sep 15, 2018 01:17 PM

Sharon Tara

Portsmouth, NH

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Carol - here the roof was okay, but the siding (James Hardie) was not!

Kathy - as you know I have had dozens of posts on new construction gone wild. This is the most recent!

Sep 15, 2018 01:25 PM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Thank you, Jay.

Sep 15, 2018 05:30 PM

Debe Maxwell, CRS

Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC

The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Sometimes expensives homes can become even more expensive than expected if you don't get a home inspection done. It's a must to get an inspection done no matter the cost.

Sep 15, 2018 05:40 PM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Thanks Kathy! Sometimes the simple things become very important!

Debe - in this case I caught a lot of things that were very important. My client was happy!

Sep 16, 2018 03:03 AM

John Henry, Florida Architect

John Henry Masterworks Design International, Inc. - Orlando, FL

Residential Architect, Luxury Custom Home Design

Jay, I don't see how this simple fact can be reversed. Only due to pure negligence. Reviewing other's work is important as seemingly innocuous items go awry. I had a nice interview with a magazine that was published with half of last months article pasted into the end! An editor did not proofread it. You have people cutting corners to get things done and no budget for someone to make sure it is correctly done. In this case the builder's construction manager should have caught that but...

Sep 16, 2018 05:00 AM

Endre Barath, Jr.

Beverly Hills, CA

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

John - cutting corners is a problem that will never go away! In this case the fix is blacking out the wrong arrow and putting one in the right direction. But you are right, the supervisor should have caught it!

Sep 16, 2018 08:42 AM

Kat Palmiotti

eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT

Helping your Montana dreams take root

Another great example of why a home inspection is necessary, even with new construction (and even with new expensive construction!

Sep 16, 2018 09:19 AM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

I am continually amazed, but not surprised, at what I find in new homes, Kat. No matter the price.

Sep 16, 2018 09:38 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Wow...goes to show you the value of an inspection!

Sep 16, 2018 03:45 PM

Jeff Dowler, CRS

eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA

The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Jay

Wow, that's pretty sloppy. And of course it makes you worried about what else might be wrong, big or small.

Jeff

Sep 16, 2018 06:14 PM

Endre Barath, Jr.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA

Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Jay I have seen so many high end homes and all I could do is cringe. There is a high-rise luxury rental in my area, the quality is questionable at best, so I am with you 100% new construction is built by people and people need to be double checked, Endre

Sep 16, 2018 10:29 PM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Sharon - you don't have to convince me of the value of an inspection!

Jeff - and there was plenty wrong here, some of which was significant!

For sure, Endre. Price doesn't matter. Good appliances are just that, but if not installed right their value diminishes. Any product installed wrong is problematic.

Sep 17, 2018 02:49 AM

Fred Hernden, CMI

Superior Home Inspections - Greater Albuquerque Area - Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque area Master Inspector

I see it and say it over and over again to people... the builder does not build your house, sub-contractors do! Do you know those contractors? Better get it inspected!

Sep 17, 2018 07:06 AM

Donald A. Masters

Rockville, MD

Debbie Gartner

The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY

The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Sometimes it seems that newer construction is worse than older homes. I've seen too many homes around $1 million that have cheap mistakes. I have a hunch some of this is saving money/carelessness. but, some may be the subs not being supervised or the contractor putting pressure on the subs to come in cheap with their prices.

Sep 17, 2018 07:20 AM

Donald A. Masters

Rockville, MD

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Well said, Fred. When people ask me if this is a good or bad builder, I say it depends on the supervisor on site every day and the subs. By the way, my favorite sub is steak and cheese, with extra fried onions.

I have said that for years, Debbie! Professionalism has waned in the last 20 years or so. I also call it 7-11 Construction - the builder goes to the 7-11 in the morning and asks for plumbers. 50 guys run up saying they are plumbers. Yeah, right.

Sep 17, 2018 12:45 PM

Fred Hernden, CMI

Albuquerque, NM

Fred Hernden, CMI

Or if the Sub (not the sandwich) buddies up to the contractor and doesn't check their work. I'm partial to the Subway Club

Sep 18, 2018 07:07 AM

Joe Pryor

The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK

REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

I tell my investors to get inspections on new construction because as long as they are built by humans screw ups can happen.

Sep 20, 2018 06:52 PM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Sound advice Joe!

Sep 21, 2018 01:06 AM

Chris Ann Cleland

Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA

Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

I am representing a new construction buyer in that price range and told him he needed to get a home inspection. New construction is disappointing if you are expecting perfection. Builders make mistakes.

Oct 30, 2018 07:33 AM