NEW HOME INSPECTIONS AND TYPES

So, you’re having a home built. You should ask yourself a few questions.

1.     What type of inspections are available for new home construction?

2.     When should you have the home inspections conducted?

We get asked these questions a lot. There are three types of inspections associated with new construction homes:

1.      Pre-drywall

2.       Final

3.      One-year warranty.

Let’s discuss all three.

PRE-DRYWALL INSPECTION

The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) has a Standard Of Practice for conducting residential pre-drywall inspections, and this is the standard that we at AmeriSpec Inspection Services follow.

This standard address what’s included, what isn’t, and what gets reported on.  It’s very similar in detail to the ASHI Standards of Practice for Home Inspections, though the scope, is far different.

Per the ASHI Pre-Drywall Inspection SOP, this inspection should take place after the following components have been installed:

A. Foundation components,
B. Floor, wall, and roof structural components,
C. Plumbing, electrical, and rough-in components,
D. Windows and exterior doors.

Simply said, this inspection should happen before the drywall is installed and just prior to insulation. These inspections normally take about one to one and one-half hour to conduct, and they’re priced accordingly.

FINAL INSPECTION

The final inspection is really a standard home inspection, but it is called a ‘final’ or “preclosing” inspection.  This inspection should be done after the home has been completely built and just prior to your “walk through” with the builder. If the builder is running behind on schedule, the home inspection should be re-scheduled. A home inspection conducted too soon leads to confusion and misunderstandings between all parties.

If you had to choose only one type of inspection, it should be the final inspection. This is the most important one.

ONE YEAR WARRANTY INSPECTION

A one-year warranty inspection, or commonly called aa 11-month warranty inspection, is simply a standard home inspection with a different name. The difference between a one-year warranty inspection and a final inspection is timing. One-year warranty inspections should be conducted before the builder’s one-year warranty expires.

The vast majority of our one-year warranty inspection clients are people who bought new construction homes without an inspection and later regretted it. They’ve had way more problems with their new home than they had bargained for, and they want to know what else is going on.

CONCLUSION

If you’re having a new home built, get a pre-drywall inspection and a final inspection. If you’re buying a new home that has already been built, get a home inspection. If you’ve already purchased a new home but you skipped the inspection, schedule a one-year warranty inspection before your warranty expires.

For information about AmeriSpec please visit our website at www.inspectjax.com or give us a call at 904-448-5016