New Construction Inspection

WaterMark New Construction Inspections are designed to help home buyers make smart decisions during the home-building process and to provide "peace of mind" that a home has been soundly constructed. There are significant benefits to new home buyers interested in having an unbiased third-party verify the quality construction of their homes. Many things can go wrong during new construction which could take years to surface and prove costly to the homebuyer if left undetected.

New Construction Inspections take place while your home is in specific phases of construction. Periodic inspections may include:

* Foundation inspection
* Framing inspection
* Rough Plumbing / Electrical / HVAC inspection
* Drywall inspection
* Final inspection

If problems are found during the New Construction Inspection before the home is completed, the builder typically has to make the repairs. You could save time and money learning of these problems during the construction phase.

Freuently Asked Questions

My builder told me that the home has already been inspected and approved by the city.

Your builder does not want an independent inspector anywhere near your new home. Any problems uncovered by a home inspector during the construction process can cost the builder time and money. Municipal inspectors are inspecting a new construction for particular items related to building and zoning codes of the community. They are not inspecting the entire home as a home inspector does.

When is the best time to contact an inspector?

Ideally, you will want to start communication with your inspector as soon as you sign a contract with your builder. It is important to let your builder know up front that you intend to have the work inspected by an independent third party inspector. This may help to set a tone with the builder and let him know that you expect things to be done properly. When you contact WaterMark, we will discuss with you the phases of construction and arrange with you a schedule for periodic inspections.

It is important to conduct a "pre-drywall "inspection. This will allow us to catch problems that will not be apparent once the drywall is installed. If problems such as electrical or mechanical issues are discovered, they can be corrected prior to the drywall being installed. The final inspection should be conducted after all utilities are turned on and the appliances are installed. The builder should be provided with at least one weeks notice of each inspection. If you are purchasing a home that is already near completion, the final inspection is still a good investment that can pay for itself over and over again.

Isn't the builder's responsible to build a quality home?

No. The builder is not responsible to build you a quality home. The builder is responsible to meet minimal standards at best. In the years that we have been inspecting, we have found that many builders seem to be more concerned with quantity of turnover vs. quality of construction. It is not difficult to build a home that will be somewhat free of problems during the time of the builder warrantee. It is an entirely different process to build a home that will be in good condition, assuming proper maintenance, 35 years after construction. Of course you may not be in that home 35 years down the road. However, you will probably be in the home after the warrantee has expired. When you go to re-sell in the future, chances are good that the purchaser will hire an independent inspector. It would be unfortunate for you to be put in the position of having to pay for builder mistakes at that time. We are here to protect your best interests.

Other added benefits of the inspection process include:

1) Save money, time and aggravation - The builder should arrange for repairs if problems are found after you move into the home. But every day you have to stay home from work to meet with a repair person, it will cost you money , time and aggravation.

2) Peace of mind - When your new home is found to be well constructed, or when the builder repairs items found during the inspection, you will have piece of mind and confidence that you have purchased the home you expected.

3) Education - The inspection process can be very educational. You will likely walk away from the inspection with knowledge of your home that you would not have otherwise received. We go out of our way to provide as much information as possible about not only the construction of your home but tips on how to maintain it.