Should You Get a Home Inspection on Your Newly Constructed Home?

Getting a home inspection is always a good idea, and if someone tells you otherwise, they are acting in their best interests—not yours. You should always protect your investment and get a punch list inspection!

If you are getting a home built, you have the right to know that it’s being built correctly and mistakes and oversights are corrected before the builder’s warranty period elapses. Our experience shows us that new construction homes frequently have missing components, construction defects, etc.—most are relatively minor, but some are serious. 

Does the county permit inspection catch the builder’s mistakes? 

No, the county permit inspections do not catch these defects, and, yes, you will own them with little or no recourse once the warranty period is over. Most owners find this out when they offer the home for sale a few years later—sometimes spending thousands to correct what should have been done right the first time.

A punch list inspection focuses on construction and finishing defects that warrant the installation of missing components or the repair or replacement of damaged materials. It results in a listing of the primary items that the builder needs to correct—complete with annotated photos—to assist the homeowner in making sure they are getting the quality building they are paying for.

Given the significant increase of new buildings in Sussex and Kent Counties, we are doing more of these than ever before. To date, we have yet to find a single build that did not find enough defects to justify our flat fee. Consider scheduling one today!