A brand new house is supposed to be a fresh start. No leaky pipes, no worn carpet, no decades of deferred repairs. But home inspector @inspector.jordan says he can often tell a lot about a new build before he even gets through the front door, and at one $500,000 house, the first clue was waiting in the driveway.
As he puts it, you pull up to a new build inspection, step out of the truck, head up the driveway and see something that makes you wonder what else is in store.
@inspector.jordan
One loose fixture and a long list
His caption says it all: he found one loose fixture in the driveway and knew the house was about to tell on itself. The house, he adds, is new but the problems are not. Then he goes inside to see what else he can find, with a dry sense of humor along the way.
The tub and the loose spout
In the bathroom he points out a tub with a loose spout and jokes about its so-called special features. His sarcasm makes the point that a spout that is not firmly attached is not a feature at all. A loose spout can allow water to get behind the wall, which is why inspectors like to check it by hand. A tub spout is meant to sit snugly against the wall and be sealed where the two meet, so one that moves is always worth reporting.
The attic access
At the attic access, he reads the warning printed on the stair assembly: the jambs must be securely fastened to the ceiling joists on all four sides with nails or lag screws. Then he counts. One side has two nails, another has none, the third has two and the fourth has none. In other words, the folding stairs are only partly attached. Attic stairs are used while carrying boxes, so being fastened securely matters. Manufacturers print that kind of warning because the frame has to carry the weight of a person climbing up with a load, and a frame held on two sides is not doing the job it was designed for.
A door that does not seal
He also checks a door by turning off the lights to see whether it seals properly. He spots an opening and jokes that this is where the snakes come in. It is a joke, but the point is real: gaps around exterior doors let in drafts, moisture, insects and small animals, and they raise energy bills. The lights-off trick is one anyone can try at home, since even a thin line of daylight means air can pass through.
The oven that never got hot
In the kitchen, he notes that the oven has been preheating for about thirty minutes and is nowhere near 350 degrees. There is no heat. A new oven that cannot reach temperature could be a wiring problem, a faulty element or a setting, but either way, it is better to find out before move-in.
The carpet and the swimming pool boot
He comments on the carpet installation and says he would like to find out who did it so they can be given something else to do. He ends with what he calls the swimming pool boot. As he describes it, the boot is installed inverted, so water can collect in it like a little swimming pool and sit there. A boot is the rubber or metal collar that seals around a pipe or duct, and it is supposed to shed water, not hold it. Standing water in the wrong place can lead to leaks.
Why new construction needs an independent inspection
Many buyers assume a new house does not need an inspection because the city already checked it. Municipal inspections are important, but they usually look at specific code points at certain stages and are not a full look at the finished home. Builders also work with many different trades, and mistakes slip through as crews hurry to meet deadlines.
An independent inspector is hired by you and has no stake in whether the house closes on time. The inspector can find items like unsecured attic stairs, gaps at doors, loose fixtures and improper flashing while the builder is still obligated to fix them. In many new build contracts, repairs are far easier to request before closing than after, so the timing matters.
Tips for buyers of a new build
- Hire your own inspector, and consider more than one visit. Many people have a look before the drywall goes up and another when the house is finished.
- Walk the house with the inspector if you can. Seeing the items in person makes it easier to understand what needs to be corrected.
- Test everything, including the oven, the faucets, the windows and the doors, and run the heating and cooling systems.
- Look at the outside too. The driveway, grading, roofing and flashing all affect how the house will hold up over time.
- Put every issue in writing and ask for a copy of the builder’s repair list with dates.
- Check your warranty. Most builders offer one, and it is wise to know what is covered and for how long.
The big picture
Most of the problems in this tour are small and can be fixed. But he makes a worthwhile point with a bit of humor: a house at this price should not need an inspector to find so many missing nails, loose parts and gaps. If a buyer does not look, the house may simply tell on itself later, and by then the repair bill is the homeowner’s.
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