YES! Unfortunately, some builders and contractors cut corners to meet deadlines and to save themselves on labor and materials. Personally, the $300-500 you spend on an inspection is worth that peace of mind. Chris often comes across leaking toilets and sinks, loose outlets, incomplete installation of appliances, including oven range and HVAC systems. Just last week on a new construction house Chris found: deck posts hardware not tightened (these can loosen more over time causing a stability issue), multiple exposed nail heads in shingles (this can encourage roof leaks), improperly installed gutters (the water will collect and possibly become to heavy and fall. No gutters could lead to erosion and damage to the home), exposed edges observed in multiple areas of the fascia (this encourages moisture intrusion and water damage, see attached picture), gaps observed in multiple areas around the exterior of the home at fascia, soffit, and trim joints (this encourages moisture intrusion and water damage,see attached picture), main entrance door weather-stripping does not seal completely (this can cause you to lose heat in the winter and air in the summer causing utility bills to increase and more wear and tear on your HVAC system)… this was not even all of the issues Chris found on this one particular new construction home. And yes, on a new construction house. This particular builder told our customer in an email “These are the installation specifications for the color plus siding as provided by the manufacturer … I explained to them that if we seal these gaps it will void the warranty per the manufacturer”. Chris recorded his call with the manufacturer Hardie Plank and sent it to our customer. The tech stated it says on install instructions that all cut edges must be sealed with touch up paint kit and the builder is supposed to leave a gap and during install and go back and caulk it. Our customer was able to provide that information to the builder and those issues were resolved.
So, yes, we highly encourage a home inspection on every house even new construction.
