Many people think if they are buying a brand new home they don’t need to get it inspected. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have seen a lot of new construction in the Santa Clarita Valley over the past decade, and there are definitely issues that home inspectors have found even with newly built homes.
Newly constructed homes can have all sorts of problems. The builder hires various subcontractors to do different systems of the house. Each subcontractor has their own employees. The builder must orchestrate and monitor all phases of construction. Even the best builders often miss something. Often the problems are small and can be easily corrected. Sometimes though, the problems can be more significant and if left unrepaired, have serious consequences.
Examples of possible problems include inadequate crawl space ventilation or raised roof shingles allowing rain water to penetrate underneath the shingles. (With so little rain in Southern California, this may not be discovered for some time after the new owner moves in.)
Once a home is built, there will be municipal building inspections to check for compliance with applicable building codes. They do not look for the same things that a home inspector does. Building codes are minimum standards. Often building inspectors only look at one trade. Sometimes a problem can occur after the inspector leaves. One trade can unintentionally damage another trade’s work.
Problems that a home inspector finds can often be fixed prior to the new owner moving in. Moving into a new home and having to deal with the dust and noise of repairs can be quite inconvenient. Safety items such as gas leaks can be addressed immediately and not risk the health of any family member. It is better if the builder can fix any significant repairs before the new owners take up residence.
Get a home inspection even if your dream home was finished the day before. A licensed home inspector will make sure that all the house systems are operating harmoniously.