New Construction Home Inspections

Buying a new construction home? You really need to have it inspected. I commonly find defects in new homes, including safety issues. The inspection should be scheduled when the home is virtually complete, a few weeks before closing. It is important for an inspector to not just assume the home has no defects because it is new. I treat all new homes with a level of "suspicion" because sometimes, systems do not work or have been tested yet. I have found pumbing issues (leaks, backups), furnaces that do not turn on, lack of proper roofing underlayment and flashing, and many other issues. Keep in mind, new homes will have minor cosmetic issues that you and the builder need to document via a "blue tape" inspection. I do not document those types of issues, I look for more important defects.