Many people assume that you don’t need a home inspection on a newly built home since no one has lived in it yet. Nothing could be further from the truth! Home builders aren’t perfect and with so many different professionals involved in building a home, there are lots of opportunities for errors to occur. These errors during the building process can cost you quite a bit down the line so it’s important to have a home inspection even on a newly built home to catch those builder blunders.

Common Builder Blunders Found During Home Inspections

There are a few common builder blunders that home inspectors find more than others. Here’s a short list of the most common builder oversights inspectors find:

• Electrical problems such as open grounds, missing switch plates and improperly wired outlets
• Plumbing issues such as leaks, incorrectly installed plumbing and reversed hot/cold in faucets
• Window leaks and leaks around doors
• Structural defects like poor framing, foundation cracks and improper grading/drainage
• HVAC issues such as loose connections, malfunctioning thermostats and improperly installed ductwork
• Drainage problems such as improper grading and drainage away from the home that can result in water damage and structural damage later on

Having Your New Build Home Inspected

In an ideal world, you would actually have two home inspections – one during the building process before the drywall is installed and the second one when the builder is finished with the house. Having a home inspection before the drywall or sheetrock goes up will give your inspector the opportunity to see any issues with the framing or interior structure of the home so those can be remedied before the walls are installed. Then, having a home inspection once the builder is done gives your inspector an opportunity to look at all of the work that was done after the sheetrock to make sure everything was done correctly and there are no issues that need fixing before you move in. It will also give your home inspector a chance to show you everything about your new house that you need to know, including where shut-offs are and other necessary information for any homeowner to have.

Just because you’re buying a newly built home doesn’t mean you can skip the inspection. Builders can and do make mistakes and you need to make sure you catch those mistakes early on while they can be addressed instead of later when a small issue could become a major problem. It’s also important to plan an 11-month inspection so your home inspector can catch any additional issues before the builder warranty expires. Thankfully, Bridgewater Home Watch has you covered for all of these types of inspections and more. You can trust us to thoroughly inspect your new build home at every reasonable stage to protect you from builder blunders.

When you have issues with your roof, it can be tough to decide whether it’s better to replace the roof or pay for repairs. Here are some factors to consider when deciding whether or not you can repair or if it’s time to replace your roof.

The factors to consider usually fall into three main categories:
1. What kind of problems the roof has
2. What option provides the best reliability
3. What your plans are for the home

What Problems Does the Roof Have?

The first consideration is what kind of problems the roof has. If the roof is beginning to fail or leak in multiple places due to age, that is an obvious sign that it’s time to replace it. But what about other types of problems? Other common problems include improper installation and leaking around junctures and penetrations. If your roof was improperly installed, unfortunately, you’re probably better off replacing it as the repair costs can quickly add up to more money than a brand new roof. However, leaking around junctures or penetrations is an issue that can often be successfully repaired.

What Option is Most Reliable?

When dealing with roof issues, you want to go with the options that give you peace of mind that a major roof failure or leak isn’t looming over you. While some issues can be easily and reliably repaired without fear of a future failure or leak, other repairs are less reliable. If the reliability of the repair or solution isn’t high enough to give you the peace of mind you need, you might be better off replacing the roof instead of trying to repair an issue that doesn’t have a comfortably reliable fix.

What are Your Plans for the Home?

If you have renovation plans that could impact the roof or underlying structure, it’s a good idea to hold off on roof replacement until you’re ready to do your renovations to avoid having to do rework on your roof. If you are planning to list your home for sale soon, keep in mind the problems the roof has and what impact they will have on the buyer’s home inspection and possible negotiations. If the issue is something you’d replace the roof for as an ongoing owner, chances are it’s best to replace the roof before you sell your home. If the issue is something you’d feel comfortable with repairing as an ongoing owner, then having the repairs made should be sufficient. A good rule of thumb is what you would do if you were not selling the home. A roof replacement could also be recoupable in the sales price of your home as it will give buyers peace of mind as well.

Deciding when to replace your roof versus repairing the roof can be tough. Considering these factors can help with your decision on whether or not it’s time to replace your roof.

There are a number of myths floating around about home inspections and what home inspectors can or cannot do. We’re here to debunk the myths for you so you have accurate information for your home inspection.

Myth #1 – A home inspector can advise you whether or not to buy the home.
This is outside the job description of the home inspector. Their job is to assess the safety, operations and structural integrity of the home and tell you as much as possible about the home. However, they cannot tell you whether or not to buy it. Different buyers and sellers are willing to make different arrangements for any serious issues found during the inspection. If you have concerns about whether to buy, those are best discussed with your agent.

Myth #2 – A home inspection and an appraisal are the same thing.
A home inspection assesses the safety, operations and structural integrity of the home and components in the home. They don’t make any statements or assessments on the value of the home itself. An appraiser assesses the home’s value. They have two completely different purposes.

Myth #3 – A home inspector can tell you every single thing that is possibly wrong with the home.
Home inspectors are limited to a visual inspection along with a small set of tools such as electrical meter, moisture meter and some use thermal imaging. Issues behind furniture and inside walls are typically outside of the inspector’s view as they cannot move furniture or open up walls during an inspection. Even if they use thermal imaging, there can be issues an inspector just won’t find due to visibility or type of issue.

Myth #4 – Brand new houses don’t need a home inspection.
Faulty construction is a common issue with newly built homes so even a brand new home needs a home inspection. Waiving the inspection can result in surprise problems that end up being costly for the homeowner later. Flipped homes also need to be inspected as well. Especially considering some house flippers will cut corners that impact safety to save budget or time.

Myth #5 – Home inspectors can tell you what will happen in the future.
A home inspector is reviewing a home at a specific point in time. While they can tell you information about the age and average lifespan of different components in the home, they cannot predict when items will need replacing unless they’re broken or malfunctioning and need immediate replacement when the inspection takes place.

Myth #6 – It doesn’t matter which home inspector you hire.
Nothing could be further from the truth. You want to choose a properly trained and licensed inspector (not all states require licenses) who also has a good amount of experience in the field, also possibly including experience in roofing or construction. Expertise matters and can make the difference in knowing all you can about the home you’re interested in buying.

These 6 myths are some of the most common myths out there about home inspections and inspectors. We want you to have the most accurate information so you know what to expect during your home inspection. We hope that debunking these myths helps you know what your inspector can and cannot do or find out for you.

Thermal imaging can find a number of issues during a home inspection that would otherwise be invisible to the naked eye. Things like pest infestations and missing insulation are common findings of infrared or thermal imaging. Thermal imaging reads the surface temperatures of solid objects and while it cannot see through walls, it can show temperature differences that indicate where structures and more are behind the drywall. Thermal imaging doesn’t show temperatures of reflective items such as mirrors, shiny metal and glass.

Things Thermal Imaging Can Find in a Home Inspection

There are a surprising number of things thermal imaging can help inspectors find and document during a home inspection. Here is a list of the most common issues found with thermal imaging:

• Detect water leaks from roofing/gutters into homes (particularly within 24-48 hours of recent rain or snow)
• Detect cold infiltration, drafts and air leaks
• Identify location of ice dams and damage caused by them or potential areas for ice dams to occur due to lack of insulation
• Structural placement of josts, studs, beams and rafters
• Insulation problems – whether missing or uneven insulation
• Excess moisture in building materials
• Electrical drops, panels, wire connections, breakers and switches (particularly overheating circuits and electrical components)
• Water pipe location and hidden leaks
• Duct placement for HVAC system, insulation and leaks
• Pest infestations – mice, bees and other bugs
• Construction flaws in walls and framing
• Airflow blockages or leaks
• Undisclosed damage from leaks, fires, electrical problems and chimney issues

Thermal imaging gives a home inspector a more thorough view of the home and any safety issues it might have by helping the inspector find issues that are not visible to the naked eye. Bridgewater Home Watch always includes thermal imaging in our inspections at no extra cost to you. We believe you deserve to know everything possible about the home you are interested in buying so we include this service with every inspection we do.