Inspector Says He Could Pull Loose Bricks Right Off the Sill of a New Build Then Asks What You Think of a Kitchen in a Closed Off Far Corner

Brand-new does not always mean built right. A home inspector who posts as new construction (inspection) walks through a freshly built house and proves it within the first few seconds. He looks at the brick sill, the ledge at the bottom of a window, and says it looks loose. “And that’s because it is,” he says. The brick is not even attached.

Home inspector checking loose brick on a window sill of a new build

He does not stop at one. The bricks nearby are loose too, and he points out that he could pull them right out if he wanted to. That is not what anyone expects to hear about a house that has never had a family living in it.

From there, the tour turns to the design side of the house, and he asks a question that is bound to start an argument in any family kitchen.

Would you want a kitchen behind a closed door?

“All right, I want your opinion,” the inspector says. This is a house with the kitchen in a separate room, with a door that closes, tucked in a far corner. What do you think of that design choice, and why do you like it?

He gives his own answer with no hesitation. “I don’t like it, but that’s my opinion. My opinion doesn’t matter.” Then he invites a fight in the comments: “Okay, fight me on this.” In his view, it is not only a bad design, it is not really that safe either.

Along the way he spots a sink shape he says he has never seen in his life, and a plumbing fixture he insists is not a bathtub, no matter that it has a faucet.

It is a fast, funny walkthrough, and it leaves you with a good question to ask yourself about your own home, or the one you are thinking of buying.

Why loose brick on a new house matters

Brick on most modern homes is a veneer. It is a decorative and protective layer that is supposed to be tied back to the wall behind it, and the sill at a window is a spot where water likes to collect. When brick there is not properly set, rain can get behind it, and over time that moisture can reach the framing. Loose pieces can also fall, which is a hazard for anyone walking by.

The good news is that these are the kind of problems that are easy to fix before you move in, when the builder is still responsible for the work. They are much harder to sort out two years later, when a stain shows up on the ceiling.

Do not skip the inspection on a new build

Many buyers assume a new home does not need an independent inspection because the builder and the local building department have already checked it. In reality, a county inspector looks for code compliance at certain stages. A private inspector works for you and looks at the finished house with a fresh eye. Here is how to make the most of it.

Hire your own inspector. Choose one who is not recommended by the builder, and ask whether they have experience with new construction.
Schedule it before closing. Ideally this happens at the final walkthrough stage, when the builder can still make repairs without a fight.
Walk the outside first. Check brick or siding, window sills, gutters, the grading around the foundation, and the fence if one is included.
Test everything. Run every faucet, flush every toilet, open every window and door, and flip every switch. Take photos of anything that does not work.
Get fixes in writing. Ask the builder for a written list of repairs and a date they will be completed, and recheck them before you sign.
Keep your warranty paperwork. Most new homes come with a builder warranty, and the exact terms differ, so read yours closely and note the deadlines.

One more tip: bring a flashlight and a small level, or a phone with a level app. Simple tools like these can reveal sloppy work that the eye misses.

Think about the kitchen before you fall in love

Kitchen layouts are a matter of taste. Some people love a closed kitchen because it hides the dirty dishes and keeps cooking smells in one place. Others want an open plan so the cook can keep an eye on the kids and join the conversation. If you are touring a home, picture your actual day: unloading groceries, carrying a hot dish to the table, hosting a holiday meal. The right layout is the one that works for the way you live.

So what do you think? Would you cook behind a closed door in a far corner of the house? That is the question the inspector put to his audience, and it is a good one to ask yourself before you sign anything.

Willow and Hearth