WHY AN INDEPENDENT HOME INSPECTION IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION!
What about “soil settlement”??
We know why many new home buyers do not engage the services of a home inspector when purchasing new construction. Some reasons we’ve heard include:
“The builder’s sales person said I don’t need a home inspector because the county inspects.”
“I shouldn’t have to spend that money.”
“Everything is NEW and has the new home/appliance warranties.”
“I don’t want to spend the money.”
New home buyers don’t always understand that county inspections are primarily for safely and rarely identify poor construction techniques.
Inspired by an article by Jay Markanich about a recent new construction home inspection. Slip Joints Below Grade Are Leakers!
HOME BUYERS SHOULD NOT WAIT FOR THE PRE-SETTLEMENT WALK-THROUGH TO 
HAVE THE HOME INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT HOME INSPECTOR.
Jay provides an excellent reason for new home buyers to employ the services of a knowledgeable and experienced home inspector during the construction phase of a new home and not wait for the “pre-settlement walk-through“.
In the case of the defects noted by Jay in his article, by avoiding the pre-drywall inspection, these defects and any defects that could have been hidden by the final layer of soil and final grading and sod or seed. These defects would NOT have been discovered.
Jay also says, “and if there is soil settlement”. I would amend that statement to “WHEN THERE IS SOIL SETTLEMENT”. I view few homes more than a few short years old that do not exhibit some degree of soil settlement.
FACT: MANY NEW HOMES ARE CONSTRUCTED ON “FILL”.
FACT: FILL WILL SETTLE.
FACT: IN SOME AREAS, SINK HOLES ARE A HIGH RISK.
FACT: THE EARTH MOVES!!!
MOUNDING of the home site is popular in many luxury and semi-luxury communities. See below.
This home site has been “mounded” to about 5 feet above street level. This grading practice provides a more attractive view of the home from the road and surrounding area. With the exception of communities with hills or cliffs, in areas of level typography, mounding is very popular. Builders use the dirt excavated for the basement foundation to mound the home site by 1-6 feet.
Over the years, I’ve observed many homes where the contiguous surrounding soil has:
SUNK from 1-6 inches,
Pulled away from the foundation leaving gaps of 2-6 inches,
Developed sink holes in close proximity to the structure,
What can a home buyer do to persuade the builder that the final grading is insufficient??
USE THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT AND EXPERIENCED HOME INSPECTOR who will put in writing these serious grading defects.
While there is no inspection contingency in a new home contract, my experience is that builders are likely to make the corrections if they have a written report. The safest and easiest practice for a new home buyer is to engage a home inspection service in the beginning of the construction process so any defects can be identified while they are easily corrected.
Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988.
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WE ARE BUYERS AGENTS IN LOUDOUN COUNTY VIRGINIA. WE KNOW LOUDOUN COUNTY REAL ESTATE, NEW AND RESALES. Our way of saying THANKS to our home buyers is a 1% Cash to You REBATE at settlement.
WHEN EXPERIENCE COUNTS, home buyers will enjoy our many years of serving home buyers in Northern Virginia for over 25 years. We provide buyers with . . .
* Comprehensive home searches,
* Personal tours of homes for sale,
* Comparative Market Analysis for homes under consideration,
* Experienced financial analysis to help you understand different loan opportunities,
* Personally manage home inspections, termite inspections, settlement meetings,
AND MUCH, MUCH MORE.
Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988
For a tour of homes in your location of choice in Loudoun County, contact Homefinders.com. We’ll arrange a wonderful tour and you can get to know the county, shopping, recreation, the real estate market and the hardest working Buyer’s Agents in the area.
ASK ABOUT THE HOMEFINDERS.COM HOME BUYER’S REBATE OF 1% OF THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE HOME YOU DECIDE TO BUY – ANYWHERE IN LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA.
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