Busted! Don’t Believe This Home Inspection Myth!

Author: Stanton's Home Inspection Services | | Categories: Home Inspection , Home Inspection Company , Licensed Home Inspectors

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I’m buying a new home, why would I need an inspection?

This is a big one, and before we clear it up, let’s first explain what a home inspection is.

A home inspection is a process that evaluates the overall condition and functioning of a home. Based on these investigations, a certified home inspector will furnish you with a detailed report and enough information to help you make an informed decision.

Unfortunately, home inspection myths run rampant in real estate and create assumptions on how a home inspection works. These misunderstandings can lead homebuyers to believe unrealistic expectations and potential miscommunication.

Therefore to help clear these misconceptions, Stanton’s Home Inspection Services has debunked one of the most widely believed myths about home inspection.

Myth: New construction does not need a home inspection

Many people make one blunder when buying a newly built home by skipping the home inspection. After all, they reason, it’s a brand new house; everything should be perfect. And the city or other local government will inspect it anyway to issue a certificate of occupancy.

Unfortunately, even a new home can have flaws, sometimes major ones. And a local code inspection doesn’t guarantee the quality or the work or verify that the house is working as a cohesive unit. It only verifies that certain minimum standards have been met. And when you’ve got several hundred thousand dollars tied up in a new home, “minimum” is not what you want. Your sales or construction contract on a new home should allow you the right to an inspection before taking possession. But surprisingly, many people choose to pass up the inspection, figuring it’s not worth spending $500 to $600 to have someone check out a new home that has “passed” a regiment of inspections during construction. The truth is that once a specific component has been passed per the local code, the home may not actually function properly as a whole.

For example, we recently conducted an inspection on a brand new home that had passed all code inspections, and the builder had an occupancy certificate which means all building code required inspections had been completed, and the home was cleared for living in. This home was predominantly in great condition with functional systems that had been installed properly. However, I encountered a huge surprise upon entering the attic space above the house. This home’s attic was covered with mold-like growth on nearly 100% of the roof sheathing and gable end walls. The home had undergone and passed all of the county code-required inspections, and it had a final approved occupancy inspection. This home had the required net free one square foot of attic ventilation for every three-hundred square foot of ceiling space as per “code.” But the attic space was not venting correctly as the bio-growth and condensation in the attic showed. If this particular buyer had not had an inspection, this growth might have grown over time, leading to serious health concerns for his family.

Bottom line

Don’t assume that everything should be OK just because the home is new. Make sure you have a third-party home inspector go over it with a fine-toothed comb before you sign on the dotted line and move in.

If you’re looking to steer clear of this myth and other myths, reach out to Stanton’s Home Inspection Services. As certified and experienced home inspectors in Issaquah, WA, we follow professional standards of practice and ensure high-quality home inspection services. We provide unbiased advice and comprehensive findings of a property to help you in your decision-making process. Our services are extended to clients across Issaquah, Renton, Seattle, Redmond, Puyallup, Everett, Marysville, Bainbridge Island, Bellevue, Maple Valley, North Bend, Black Diamond, Kent, Kirkland, West Seattle, Hobart, Woodinville, Carnation, Snoqualmie, Bothell, Auburn, Des Moines, Lynnwood, Shoreline, Edmonds, Seatac, Snohomish, and the surrounding areas.

For a complete list of our services, please click here. If you have any questions about home inspection, we’d love to hear from you, please contact us here.



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