A common misconception many prospective home buyers have is that a home inspection for new construction isn’t necessary. Although a new home may seem flawless, the reality could be far from this.
Home inspectors are a type of construction and building inspectors that inspect newly-built or pre-owned dwellings. Prospective home buyers should hire home inspectors before making a final purchase decision.
In some cases, home sellers also seek out a home inspector to assess their property’s overall condition before putting it up for sale. Regardless of this, it is a good idea for anyone interested in buying a home to hire their own home inspector.
Here’s why you should have a new construction home inspected before buying it.
Newly-Constructed Homes May Have Hidden Problems
Have you ever bought a new car or appliance that didn’t work as it should and you had to return it to the seller? This is why you should always insist on a warranty when you are buying something brand new. Or, at least make sure the seller has some sort of returns and refunds policy in place for defective products.
Like new cars or appliances, new construction homes can have problems, too.
When you purchase a newly-built house, you are the first person own and occupy it. As a result, you may not be aware of any defects or problems that the structure has until you start living in it. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait until purchase to catch these problems.
Instead of waiting to experience any flaws firsthand, you should have a home inspection performed to identify the problems you may face beforehand. This way, you will know what the builder missed when they were constructing the house.
If the issues caught by a home inspector are minor, you can use the house inspection report to ask the seller to do repair work. If the building has major structural problems, such as signs of water damage, you may consider not buying the property altogether.
Check out our blog to find out what to ask during your home inspection.
New Home Inspections Help to Check Compliance with Local Building Codes
The building inspectors working at the local council are responsible for ensuring that new construction homes have been built to code. But they too are human and can overlook something important during their inspections.
Despite their best effort, circumstances beyond their control may prevent them from ensuring construction meets the minimum standards for building.
Seeking out a professional to inspect the new construction home that you intend to buy will help to catch any issues that the municipal building inspectors may have missed.
A walk-through with your own home inspector will help to identify and correct areas where the structure might not have been built to code. For example, a gas furnace that leaks carbon monoxide may result in a breach of local codes. Pointing out this early will help you to avoid getting into trouble with the local authorities in the future.
Remember, ignorance of a law is no excuse for violation of the law.
New Home Inspections Help to Fix Defects Early Enough
If left unattended for a long time, structural defects such as cracked walls and leaky roofs can cause costly damage to your new home. Defects such as gas leaks, on the other hand, will compromise the safety of your household.
Issues found before you buy can be corrected before you start living in your new house. You won’t have to deal with the inconvenience of having to take time off work while significant repairs are being done.
By bringing these defects ahead of time, home inspections for new construction help to protect your new investment as well as your family.
A New Home Inspection Matters During Price Negotiations
Before you can bid for a new house, it is important to know about the hidden defects it may have. If you decide to proceed with the purchase of the property, this information will help you determine the price you should offer the seller.
If the seller wasn’t aware of some defects found during your home inspection, you can ask them to fix the defects before you can make your offer. Alternatively, you can ask them to lower their price if they expect you to foot the cost of the necessary repairs.
If you want, your inspector can attach cost estimates of the necessary repairs as appendices to the house inspection report. You can use these to haggle a lower purchase price with the seller of the property.
If you decide to resell your home at some point in the future, the buyer will probably have a home inspection done.
Defects that date back to the initial construction will be found even if you had no idea they existed. By this time, it may be too late to ask the person who sold you the house to fix the defects – you will now have to take responsibility for those problems.
Start off on the Right Foot by Getting a Home Inspection for New Construction
Don’t shy away from having your dream home inspected because you don’t want to incur home inspection charges.
A pre-purchase home inspection will give you peace of mind. You will know that the house you want to buy is in structurally sound condition and is safe for human occupation. You will rest easy knowing that any significant defects have been detected and remedied before you financially commit yourself to buy a home.
Schedule an inspection with us today to kick start the process of buying your dream home.