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New Construction Inspections
New construction homes make up a significant portion of the homes we inspect each year. Many buyers are confused about how new construction inspections work, what they include, and whether they are needed or not. Let's address each one of these.
How does a private home inspection work when you are buying a new construction home? For most buyers, we perform phase inspections for new construction homes. This means that we visit the home site during the construction process, through multiple phases in the process. We begin these as early as the foundation stage and continue with you until the 11 month warranty inspection. See below for more info:
Each one of these phases will have a corresponding pic. These are attached. I'm thinking we have a pic on the left side with a description next to it for each phase.
Foundation Phase Inspection:
The foundation inspection focuses on the footings, concrete forms, rebar installation, drainage system, and backfill work. You must get us involved early in the process in order to schedule this.
Pre-drywall Phase Inspection:
This inspection focuses on the framing and mechanical items that are visible prior to the insulation and drywall installation. It focuses on structural issues like trusses, load support locations, proper attachment and hanger installation, compressed ductwork, missing wiring to fixtures, and shower system installation. It is a critical step in the new construction inspection process and should not be skipped.
Main Home Inspection:
This is conducted near your closing date, usually a few days before, and is very similar to any home inspection. It follows our standard procedures for all home inspections and involves inspecting the entire home and testing the mechanical features for normal operation.
11 Month Warranty Inspection:
This inspection is conducted near the end of your one year warranty period with the builder. It is designed to document any repairs that the builder has failed to make, as well as any new items or issues that may have developed during the first year of living in the home.
We offer Package Deals for multiple phase inspections. Ask for pricing and details.
Why do I need a new construction inspection? Isn't this home brand new? My builder's superintendent is in charge of this house and he says it's fine. Don't the County inspectors look at these while they are being built?
Yes, your new construction home is brand new. But brand new and correctly built and installed are NOT the same thing. Most new construction homes in Maryland are built by large production builders. These builders are focused on their profits and not your house. Production building means that they build homes as quickly and as cheaply as they can to squeeze every dollar out of them. The superintendent or project manager works for the builder, not you. His or her job is to maintain the bottom line and keep things on schedule. This person does not represent your interests. The County or other municipal inspectors do not represent you either. These inspectors spend very little time on site, do not photograph anything, do not get on ladders or roofs, and do literally the bare minimum of code enforcement in most cases. They do not enforce quality standards and question almost nothing.
When you hire Broadneck Home Inspections, you get a much more intensive and productive inspection with pictures and comments about defects and other issues. This goes well beyond the bare minimum that municipal inspectors enforce. We will spend hours on site inspecting through the phases, documenting defects, working with your builder to advise on corrective actions, and following up to ensure repairs are made correctly. When you're investing hundreds or thousands, or even millions of dollars into a new construction home, make sure to hire an inspector that represents your interests. We have the experience and knowledge to protect you through this process.
Make sure to hire Broadneck Home Inspections, LLC for your new construction inspections!
