Many clients often ask “do I really need a home inspection for a new construction home?” Usually this is followed by “doesn’t the city’s code guy check everything?” Those are reasonable and good questions to ask. Why would you even need a home inspection if everything is in brand-new condition — and, in some cases, built according to your specifications? Here is why most good realtors and Angel Home Inspections encourage home inspections on new construction homes:

1. Time Is Money—Contractors want to get the job done as quickly as possible and get paid. And frequently, they hire sub-subcontractors whose competence and diligence might range significantly. We at Angel Home Inspections work for you—as a professional inspector, my focus is only on protecting your interests, I consider myself your eyes.

2. Mistakes & Omissions Happen–The fact is, the best construction workers sometimes make mistakes. And sometimes, they just try to disguise the problem instead of fixing it properly. Or maybe they were not very skilled in the first place and did not realize the mistakes they were making. A professional home inspection can detect errors and get them corrected before you take ownership of the property. And more importantly before more serious damages result. During new construction home inspections, I generally find over 25 defects needing attention.
   

3. Codes are Minimum Building Standards—Building codes have evolved as the construction industry has changed and advances made in materials and procedures.   So in essence the “codes” are always behind the state of the art and the current best practices. We all know GFCI outlets save lives, but they were not required by the codes until sometime after their development.  Would you have waited to install GFCI receptacles until they were required by code? Home inspections are not code inspections! As such, Angel Home Inspections is not limited to or bound to the code.  As a professional inspector, I point out items that affect the livability, aesthetics, safety, and value of the home. Besides, do you really want a home built to minimum standards?
   

4. Code Inspectors Have Limited Time—County inspectors work for the municipality not for you. They make sure new construction lives up to a minimum building code—yes, that word again, On average, code inspectors visit a new home construction site four times during the construction. From personal experience, these visits generally last no more than fifteen minutes (if that long). If the construction takes nine months, the inspector was onsite for approximately one hour.  At Angel Home Inspections, our average home inspection takes approximately three hours.

Real Life Examples:

Recently I inspected a new home by one of Chattanooga’s better builders.  During that inspection I found twenty-nine issues. These issues included plumbing system, electrical system, roof covering, and cosmetic defects.  Here are a few of those twenty-nine issues: