New Home & Residential Property Inspections & Infrared Services
An inspection during the building process helps insure that you get what you were promised. Home Buyers of newly constructed homes may not be aware they may have an inspection clause included with their new home contract. In Texas, those buying a home using a Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) contract, have the right to an inspection by someone “licensed by TREC or otherwise permitted by law to make inspections.” Buyers need to take full advantage of the inspection clause. The simple fact of the matter is: A new homebuyer greatly benefits by using a professional home inspector during the construction and completion phases of their new home.
Able Inspections and Engineering provides inspections at a number of critical stages of construction. Before the walls go up at the “pre-sheetrock” stage, some problems that can occur in new home construction are vastly easier to correct by your builder. Examples of problems identifiable at this stage are:
- missing, damaged or undersized structural members
- missing or poorly placed insulation and vulnerable tile work.
- water intrusion damage
- poor yard drainage issues
- incomplete electrical safety devices
- inadequate or dangerous mechanical systems (Very important to identify and correct before it becomes too late. Otherwise these problems may lay hidden for years until surfacing long after your warranty has run its course.)
Another strong reason for new home inspection is that many consumers wrongly assume that since we have building codes, builders and contractors are overseen or regulated by the state, a state agency, or a local agency. While this is partly correct – we do have building codes – rarely do state, county, or city inspection personnel get to spend enough time in a new home to thoroughly inspect all areas of the construction. One has to remember that thse officials are “overseeing” rules and code enforcement for what may be thousands of homes – do you want to gamble that they got a thorough and complete inspection done on your home? A wise person would not take this gamble.
One must also remember that there could be problems that, though they are not code violations, could have serious consequences for the buyers and/or inhabitants of the property. The builder you have chosen may be a top quality builder, however, it is impossible for them to oversee every aspect of construction. Many builders sub-contract certain areas of work, and while we all hope these contractors offer the same level of quality as the builder, many are chosen based on price (i.e. the cheapest) and their speed of work (i.e the fastest). So, if someone is chosen to work on your new home because they are the fastest and the cheapest, wouldn’t you want their work inspected thoroughly?
Because of these factors, many Able Inspections and Engineering clients prefer an independent and objective inspection before their final “walk-through” with the builder’s field supervisor. Our inspectors create a “Punch List” detailing a list of room-to-room items recommended for completion or correction by the builder. Our easy to read report and our helpful labeling procedures in your new home will assist you and the supervisor pinpoint any problems needing correction. In the end, this assures the buyer they are receiving a quality home, and helps the builder keep a high level of customer satisfaction and referrals for their work.
Basically, a new home inspection by Able Inspections and Engineering is a “win-win” for all parties involved.