Most buyers of brand new homes assume that their new home will be in perfect working order when they move in. Friends and even some real estate agents often tell buyers that an inspection on a new home is a waste of money. The city inspector has already inspected the property. Right? And besides, the home is brand new.
Ask anyone who has purchased a brand new home and they will usually tell you that the list of needed finishing work is longer than a little kid's Christmas list. A home inspection performed by an independent Certified Home Inspector will protect the buyer by bringing to light the complete punch list before closing. Builders use the term "punch list" as the name for the list of items that still need to be completed on the home after the walkthrough.
The building boom that has been occurring in Northern Utah has kept the tradesmen extremely busy. Many of the small finishing touches are easily overlooked. If the closing on the home is already completed, it is difficult to get the tradesman back out to your home to finish the job. However, if you are not willing to close until the work is done, the motivation is much higher. Pressure from the real estate agent and general contractor to get the work completed is great.
Buyers want to be assured that all of the systems are working before they move in. Many people mistakenly assume that the city building inspector is going to go over every detail of their new home with a fine tooth comb. That is simply not their job. City building officials make sure that current building standards are met during the construction process. They are not responsible for putting the new dishwasher through a wash cycle or verifying that all of the roofing shingles are in place after a recent windstorm.
Independent Certified Home Inspectors are hired to evaluate all of the home's systems and make sure they are in working order. For instance, it is quite common to find that the electrician has not made the final hook-ups to the dishwasher and disposal. Finish carpenters often forget to put on small hidden pieces of trim. Window installers sometimes fail to be notified to return to the property and install the screens. Home inspectors bring these items to light so that final work can be completed before you close.
On a recent new home inspection, the buyer was glad he listened to his real estate agent. The agent was working hard to make the transaction flow as smooth as possible. She recommended that the buyer have a home inspection performed and, because the home was constructed on a hillside lot, she also recommended an evaluation by a Structural Engineer.
Both evaluations were scheduled. Later, the lender told him these inspections would be a waste of money. The lender said it was a brand new home and the city inspectors were very strict , so the buyer canceled the inspections. After a night of uneasiness (and at his real estate agent's continued urging) the buyer rescheduled both evaluations.
The Structural Engineer identified the need for a retaining wall as well as making other valuable suggestions regarding water drainage.
The home inspection turned up many conditions that even the builder was unaware of. While evaluating the roof, I noticed that the roofing drip edge installers had improperly cut the trim and forced the metal to tear around the corners which exposed the wood. Roofing shingles had blown off in a recent windstorm and plumbing vent pipes were still capped off on the roof.
The electrical connection for the kitchen disposal was not yet completed and I noticed that water was backing up in the downstairs floor drain. After further investigation, it was discovered that the final main sewer connection had not yet been made.
The home inspection report brought peace of mind to the buyers and they were happy that the normal "after move-in surprises" were removed by the inspection report findings. The punch list items were immediately scheduled to be finished by the builder before the home's closing.
The builder also thanked me for the inspection report. This builder cared about quality of workmanship and his reputation. The findings would be discussed in their next weekly meeting with the subcontractors to keep these same conditions from happening again.
It should also be noted that new home buyers no longer have a state mandated warranty period in which to have defects in their home corrected. Most builders have found it in their best interest to offer warranties as a selling point regardless. Typically the new home warranty period will be 1 year, but buyers must be certain to have the details of the warranty clearly in writing. After being notified of the defect, the builder needs to make the repair in a timely manner, and "timely manner" should also be clearly defined in the warranty.
If your new neighbors used the same builder, ask your neighbors how quickly the builder came out to fix any of their problems. If they say he was quick to come out and fix any needed items, you might consider closing before the repairs are completed. If they tell you otherwise, don't close until the punch list items are completed.
If you are going to purchase a brand new home, whether it be through a developer or your own project, you should seriously consider taking advantage of the benefits of a home inspection before you move in. If you are already in your new dream home, be sure to have it inspected before the warranty period expires.
(Michael Leavitt is certified by the American Institute of Inspectors. He is the owner of Michael Leavitt & Co Home Inspections and serves all of Utah County and beyond. Column suggestions or inspection questions are welcomed by calling his office at 225-8020 or by visiting him online at www.TheHomeInspector.com)
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