Posted on October 14, 2016 at 2:04 PM
Buying a brand new house?
Charleston’s economy is booming and it’s a great time to buy a newly built home. Are you building from scratch or, are you purchasing a home that’s just about finished? In either case, you may be on the fence as to whether you should spend the extra dollars to have a home inspection. It’s new construction after all, what could be wrong? And there’s a one year builder’s warranty -- you’ll surely be able to identify any repair needs while living in the house. Plus, your builder has an excellent reputation for quality construction.
All good reasons to forgo the extra expense of having your brand new house inspected. But have you considered . . .
Sure, you’ll see the nail pops in the walls and notice the door that just won’t latch. But how often do you think you’ll go into the attic or crawlspace during everyday life? Certainly you’ll be in the attic to pack away long-term storage and to retrieve holiday decorations, though you may never have a reason to go into the crawlspace.
Would you be able to identify a structural, electrical, plumbing or HVAC system or component that’s not installed as it should be? And, are there any safety hazards as a result of installation that isn’t quite right?
Certainly the building inspector has been to your home to ensure it meets building code requirements. That said, a home inspector will view your home from a different, broader perspective and will identify repair needs to ensure that all the parts and pieces of the home are installed right and work as they should.
Know your home is built right, right from the start.
When your house is nearly complete and just before closing, the builder will schedule a walk-through with you so that any last cosmetic concerns can be identified for repair.
Backing up a couple of days before the builder’s walk-through is the time to have it professionally inspected by an independent, certified home inspector. At this time, your home inspector will identify any functional problems related to the home’s systems that may not be identified during the builder’s walk-through. Plus, Solid Ground will teach you all about your new house and show you how to maintain it as well -– this is especially useful if you’re a first-time home buyer, if you’ve been living in an older home or, if you’ve just moved from a northern climate and could benefit from an overview of how a southern home is built.
And importantly, in our experience professionally and having lived in a new home community ourselves, home buyers who have their brand new house inspected seem to be more satisfied with their home in terms of its construction and quality that those who do not.
New Construction Inspection 1. Pre-Drywall Inspection This early stage inspection takes place after the framing, roof, plumbing, electrical and HVAC have been installed and right before the drywall goes up. The purpose of this inspection is to ensure the framing and all systems behind the walls are built to satisfaction. Inspection Fee: $175+ based on square footage. Please call for a quote. 2. Finished/New House Inspection This is a full inspection of the home once construction is completely finished just before closing to ensure all systems are properly installed, in good working order and that there are no significant defects. Inspection fee is based on square footage: Up to 1,000 sq. ft. $325 1,001 to 1,300 sq. ft. $350 1,301 to 1,800 sq. ft. $375 1,801 to 2,300 sq. ft. $400 2,301 to 3,000 sq. ft. $425 *for larger homes, please call for quote *+35 for detached garages
Here's what a seasons Realtor said when we inspected his brand new home...
"There are certain benefits to using an independent third party home inspector to inspect a new construction property. An important benefit is that it provides the buyer with a level of detailed information about the home that often does not occur from the new home builder's staff during the walk-through with the home buyer prior to closing.
Perhaps the main thing a Solid Ground home inspection can provide to the buyer of a brand new home is an extra measure of confidence that comes from knowing exactly what you are getting. They do a very thorough job of examining a house for the proper readiness, form, and function of the new home's system and features. When he gets done inspecting the house, you WILL know what you've got."