Many people who buy a brand new home opt not to have any additional inspection performed on the home before they close. There is an assumption that because it is new, there won’t be anything wrong with the home or the builder will catch it before they take possession and correct the problem.
However, I highly recommend getting a home inspection for new build homes as well. Based on experiences with buyers that I have worked with who were buying a new build and had a home inspection performed, the buyers gained very important insights into the homes they were buying.
Here are a few reasons why you might consider doing the same when buying a brand new home.
- Identify problems with the home. A home inspection will help you to identify any glaring repair items that should be corrected by the builder prior to taking possession of the home. One client identified that the air conditioning unit was undersized for the property. Even if only small items are discovered, the buyer can have the builder correct them. This way, should they sell years later, these particular items won’t be coming up on the next buyer’s inspection report!
- Gain peace of mind. Understanding how your home did on the inspection report can give you peace of mind and appreciation for the home you are buying. It’s great when the home inspector finds very little to write about or when you have every issue corrected before you ever close on the property so that you know the home is totally in order.
- Save money. As I alluded to earlier, getting a potential problem fixed on the builder’s dime is better than you paying for it down the road when you want to sell the property and the buyer’s home inspector calls out the same item to be repaired and paid for by you!
- Understand the workmanship and materials that went into the home. The home inspector can give you an understanding of what materials and level of workmanship the builder is using in the construction. For instance, what kind of plumbing is being installed? Believe it or not, polybutylene plumbing, is being used again by some builders in the Valley rather than copper because copper became so expensive. Or, does it look like the builder did a quality job? Your home inspector can tell you things like this so that you understand where your particular home stands in respect to quality of construction and the materials used in that construction.
- Apply consistency. You would absolutely have a home inspection performed on a resale home. A new build should not be considered any different. You really can not assume that the home is everything you imagine it to be. Given the tough market and rising costs, builders have had to trim budgets and may have cut corners on the home. Or, they may have built a solid home. We think of a resale home as always worth of the home inspection. But, every resale home was once a new build.
- Get an independent and objective perspective. The home inspector is working for you to give you an independent and objective evaluation of the home. The builder will always tell you that the home is fantastic and that great construction went into building it. The home inspector can independently tell you if the builder is indeed correct.
- It is cheap. A home inspection only costs about $300 or so! The home inspection more than pays for itself in this case. Whether you identify items for the builder to fix or not, why wouldn’t you pay $300 for peace of mind on something so expensive and important as a new home?
All my clients who have had a home inspection on their new homes have been very pleased with the results and thought the money well spent. So, consider these points when you consider buying a new build and plan on arming yourself with an independent body who can tell you all about the home you are spending your hard earned money for.
If you need a home inspector in the future, feel free to visit the Service Provider page at LortiHomesArizona.com.
Email this Post
