New Construction Inspections

Over recent years, we have seen the quality of new construction drop dramatically, resulting in increased repairs and maintenance costs to the homeowner in the early years of property ownership. Examples include improperly applied roofing materials, improperly sealed synthetic stucco and siding, insufficient electrical wiring and improper installation of building components, to mention a few, all of which can have disastrous consequences. (Click here for more information on building materials that are known problems.)

For this reason, many homeowners now choose to have an independent review of new construction while it is in progress. Scott's Inspections, Inc. whole-heartedly endorses this approach and offers inspections at different phases of the construction process to make sure that your brand new home holds no unpleasant surprises. (Use the menu on the left to get more information about the different phases of construction inspections that Scott's Inspections, Inc. offers.

Why Inspect New Construction?

Many people believe that buying a new home is like buying a new car or a new appliance. Unfortunately, there are very few similarities between these products and a new home. Automobiles and appliances go through stringent quality control checks to ensure that these products meet their design criteria. A manufacturer's failure to meet the specified criteria will likely be noticed during quality control inspection, resulting in the product not leaving the factory until the problem is corrected. Problems that are not detected in quality control can result in product recalls or even class action law suits similar to the recent Ford Explorer Firestone tire episode.

Although all reputable builders attempt to provide good quality control during the building process, shortfalls sometimes occur. Quality control problems can arise for a variety of reasons, including overloaded construction superintendents, heavy usage of subcontractors (and even sub-subcontractors), and over-reliance on city or county inspectors. As a result, quality control can be inconsistent from one builder to another and even among homes built by the same builder.

If there is a lapse in quality control, you can be sure your home will not be the subject of a recall. Instead, it will be you against your builder. Assuming that you can get your builder to cooperate, you may be able to get the problem resolved without too much difficulty. But if you have to go further, the expense of any legal action is the homeowner’s responsibility. In many cases, the builder's contract prevents a lawsuit from being filed so disputes are settled by binding arbitration, a private process done outside the courts where the homeowner is often at a disadvantage.

For these reasons, we developed our “four-phase” inspection service, designed to involve in your homes construction, put you in charge of its quality, and protect you from unnoticeable deficiencies.

For more information or to schedule your inspection, call us at 210 349-9228, contact us by e-mail, or use our online forms to ask a question or order an inspection.