Purchasing A New Home

If you are purchasing a new home be sure to get a home inspection. Some people make the mistake of thinking a new home will have no significant problems and is being inspected by the municipality anyway. While it is true the municipality does inspections on new construction, they look at very different things than home inspectors. As a former building inspector I know they are trained to look at structural issues, behind the wall installations of electrical, plumbing, heating, etc. BUT look at the things building inspectors usually DO NOT evaluate here in Portland:

• Siding installation
• Roof shingle installation
• Crawlspace after the floor goes in
• Attic spaces
• Window installation
• Operation of appliances
• Condition of fixtures such at tub/showers and sinks
• Quality of finish surfaces such as Drywall and flooring
• Finish ventilation conditions in the attic.
• Installation of landscaping after the final inspection that may impact the foundation.

Let me give a perfect example.

I was doing a home inspection on a new home in a subdivision for an out of town client. I inspected the ceiling of each second floor room looking for the attic access and could not find one. I returned to the builder's office where they promptly doubted my assertion that there was no access. Upon returning with me the builder quickly realized no access to the attic existed. Carpenters were rushed to the home where they threw their hammers through the Drywall in the ceiling creating an access. Since there was no access, NO INSULATING HAD BEEN DONE IN THE ATTIC.

Without a home inspection the clients would have been unaware of this condition for some time to come. As I mentioned, building inspectors typically do not enter attic accesses and so did not notice the lack of one or the lack of any insulation.

Also common are dysfunctional or damaged appliances, damaged windows, construction debris in the crawlspace that may attract wood destroying pests and attic insulation blocking eave vents, denying the attic proper ventilation.

Portland Home Inspection and Wendy Stanley's knowledge of current building codes can be invaluable to the new homebuyer. Wendy also constructed new homes for two years.   If you are buying a new home, we STRONGLY recommend a home inspection. (Portland Home inspection takes $40 off the inspection cost on hew homes.)