Congratulations, Home Buyer! You’ve survived the house hunting phase. You’ve poked around closets, pretended to understand how HVAC systems work, and finally found The One. You’ve even made it through the home inspection—a three-hour marathon where a professional like Peter Young poked, prodded, and peered into the dark corners of your future home’s soul.

But then (ominous music), the PDF arrives in your inbox.

Suddenly, that charming 1940s Victorian looks less like a “vintage gem” and more like a collection of hazards held together by hope and multiple layers of lead-based paint. Your heart sinks. You start wondering if you should just move into a tent in the woods.

Take a deep breath. This is where the “Post-Inspection Huddle” begins.

The window between receiving your inspection report and your due diligence deadline is the most critical phase of the home-buying process. It’s the time to stop being a dreamer and start being a strategist. 

Here is how to huddle up with your Realtor and turn that scary report into a winning negotiation.

The Cooling Off Period

Before you call your Realtor in a panic to declare the house a “total teardown” because of a loose doorknob and a leaky shower head, take a night to sleep on it.

Home inspection reports are designed to be exhaustive. If we didn’t tell you about the cracked switch plate or the drippy faucet, we wouldn’t be doing our jobs.

But an extensive report doesn’t mean the house is falling down; it means your inspector was paying attention.

Big Rocks Vs Pebbles

When you sit down (virtually or physically) with your Realtor, your first task is to sort the findings into three buckets.

Think of this as Home Inspection Neapolitan Ice Cream, but instead of strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate, it’s Safety, Structure, and Stuff You Can Buy at Home Depot for $20.

Bucket A: The Deal-Breakers (the Big Rocks). These are the structural, mechanical, or safety issues that make the home uninhabitable or financially draining. We’re talking about “the roof is actually a giant piece of Swiss cheese” or “the electrical panel is a three-alarm fire waiting to ignite,” or “the house is ready to slide into the creek.”

Bucket B: The Negotiables. These are mid-range issues. The water heater is 18 years old (on its retirement tour), or the deck needs some serious joist work.

Bucket C: The Homeowner “To-Do” List (The Pebbles). This is the stuff that makes the report look long but doesn’t actually matter in a negotiation. A loose toilet seat? A cracked tile on the kitchen floor? Asking a seller to fix these is a great way to make them (and your Realtor) roll their eyes.

Please note: If you ask the seller to replace a $4 burnt-out light bulb in a $500,000 transaction, don’t be surprised if they respond by suggesting a very specific place you can go to find some “enlightenment.”

Let Your Realtor Be the Good Cop

Your Realtor is your MVP in the huddle. They know the local market, the seller’s motivation, and, most importantly, they have the emotional distance you currently lack.

While you might be crying over some minor moisture in the crawlspace, your Realtor is looking at the report and thinking, “Okay, we can ask for a $2,500 credit for a vapor barrier and still stay on schedule.”

The Playbook

• Share the full report with your Realtor: Don’t just send snippets. Give them the whole thing.
• Be honest about your “Hard No”: If you absolutely cannot handle a mold remediation project, tell them.
• Listen to their market advice: In a hot seller’s market, asking for every minor repair might result in the seller telling you to kick rocks. In a buyer’s market, you have more leverage. Trust your Realtor to know which way the wind is blowing.

Credit vs Repairs: The Great Debate

One of the biggest decisions in your huddle will be whether to ask the seller to fix the items or give you money (closing cost credits) to fix them yourself.

Why you might want the Seller to fix it: You’re tapped out on cash and want the house move-in ready.

The Risk: Sellers have a funny way of choosing the cheapest possible contractor (or their tipsy Uncle Billy) to get the job done. “Fixed” is a subjective term when someone is moving out.

Why you might want a Credit: You get to choose the contractor, oversee the quality of the work, and ensure it’s done to your standards.

The Risk: You have to deal with the headache of repairs while you’re trying to unpack your collection of decorative garden gnomes.

Pro Tip: For major items (like that Swiss cheese roof), your Realtor will often suggest getting a quote from a licensed specialist during the huddle. Peter Young Home Inspections identifies the problem; then a roofing specialist can give you the price tag to fix it.

The Release Your Ego Rule

Negotiation is about compromise. If the inspection reveals $10,000 worth of necessary repairs, and the seller agrees to cover $8,000, you have to decide: is this house worth $2,000?

Usually, the answer is yes. Don’t let a “win” in negotiations cost you the home you love. Your Realtor will help you find the “sweet spot” where the seller feels they aren’t being robbed, and you feel you aren’t being cheated.

The Final Huddle Checklist

Before you send that repair request to the seller, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Is it a safety issue? (If yes, ask for it.)
2. Is it a structural or mechanical failure? (If yes, negotiate it.)
3. Will I still care about this three months after I move in? (If no, let it go.)

A home inspection report isn’t a weapon to beat the seller over the head with; it’s a tool to ensure you’re making a smart investment. When you and your Realtor work together, using your inspection report as a negotiating blueprint, you aren’t just buying a house. You’re buying peace of mind.

And if you ever get overwhelmed, just remember: at least the inspector didn’t find a ghost in the attic. (We don’t charge extra for paranormal detection… yet.)

Ready to get your own negotiating blueprint for your future home? Call Peter Young Home Inspections today to schedule your thorough, honest, and slightly-less-scary-than-you-think inspection.

Buying or Selling a Home in WNC?

Avoid unpleasant surprises! Contact Asheville Home Inspector Peter Young before signing any contracts. Call (828) 808-4980, or click here to make an appointment.

The post The “Post-Inspection Huddle”: Crafting Your Negotiation Strategy Without Losing Your Mind (or the House) appeared first on Peter Young Home Inspections.

Let’s be honest: walking into an open house is a form of psychological warfare. You are greeted by a tray of cookies, a $400 Nest candle that smells like Financial Stability, and a soundtrack of lo-fi beats designed to lower your cortisol levels. The staging is impeccable. There’s a throw blanket artfully draped over a sofa that costs more than my first truck, and every Live, Laugh, Love sign is strategically placed to hide a hole in the drywall.

Sellers are profiling their houses like dating apps. They’re showing you the best angles, the most flattering light, and hiding the fact that the HVAC system sounds like a jet engine clogged with seagull feathers.

As your home inspector, it’s my job to be the professional “buzzkill.” I am the guy who walks into your potential dream home and immediately starts looking for the nightmare lurking below the surface. I don’t care about the quartz countertops or the subway tile backsplash. I care about the stuff that keeps the roof over your head and the water out of your toaster. 

Buying a house is like a high-stakes first date: everyone is on their best behavior until you look in the crawlspace and realize the house has some serious “ex” issues.

If you’re out house hunting and you spot any of these six red flags, don’t let be dazzled by the staging. Don’t panic, but do have my number on speed dial! We’re going to need to do some detective work.

#1 The Spicy Electrical Panel

When I open an electrical panel, I should see a neat, organized rows of breakers. What I often find instead is what I like to call The Bowl of Angry Spaghetti.

DIY Electrical is the leading cause of me having an anxiety attack on the job. Homeowners love to think they’re electricians because they watched a twenty-minute YouTube video. They start adding outlets, wiring up “smart” light switches, and running extension cords through the attic like it’s a jungle gym.

• The Red Flags: I’m looking for “double-tapping” in the breaker box (where some genius jammed two wires into a slot meant for one) or charred, melted plastic on the breakers. That’s not “character”—that’s an active fire hazard.
• The “Panel of Doom”: If I see the words Federal Pacific or Zinsco on the front of that box, we have an immediate problem. These panels are the vintage “fire-starters” of the industry. They are famous for failing to trip when they overheat, which is basically the electrical equivalent of a car that doesn’t have brakes. 

Replacing an electrical panel isn’t the end of the world, but it’s a $2,500+ conversation you need to have before you close.

#2 The Fresh Paint Smell (Everywhere)

If you walk into a basement or a spare bedroom and it smells like a Sherwin-Williams factory just exploded, your Spidey Sense should be tingling. This is what we in the industry like to call “The Landlord Special.” Fresh paint is a classic “homeowner’s highlighter.” It’s often used to draw a nice, crisp, white line right over mold, mildew, or a water stain the size of a Rottweiler. Now, don’t get me wrong—sellers should paint before they list. It’s part of the game. But when I see fresh paint in a basement that has no windows and questionable drainage, I start reaching for my moisture meter.

• The Reality Check: I’ve seen cases where a seller painted over black mold just forty-eight hours before the inspection. It looks great for the photos, but the moisture is still there, trapped behind the “Swiss Coffee” semi-gloss, just waiting to rot the studs.
• Pro Tip: Look at the ceiling corners and the baseboards. If there’s a suspiciously circular patch of “extra white” paint, or if the texture of the drywall feels slightly “mushy” or bubbly, someone is trying to hide a leak from the upstairs bathroom or a failing roof.

#3 The Lasagna Roof Recipe

Did you know you can keep layering shingles on a roof like you’re dressing for a particularly brutal North Dakota winter? You can, but you absolutely shouldn’t.

If you look at the edge of a roof and it looks abnormally thick (like a piece of lasagna, that’s a major red flag. 

Most municipalities allow for two layers of shingles, but I’ve seen three or even four.

• The Physics Problem: Shingles are heavy. A single layer of shingles on a standard house can weigh several thousand pounds. When you double or triple that, you are putting massive, unintended stress on the rafters and the structure of the home.
• The Insurance Nightmare: Here’s the kicker: most insurance companies in 2026 are getting extremely picky. If they see a roof that’s over fifteen years old or has multiple layers, they might refuse to insure the home entirely.
• The Hidden Cost: You can’t just put a new layer over a mess. To fix it properly, you have to pay for a “tear-off,” which means paying a crew to rip off all those layers and haul them to the dump before they even start the new roof. It essentially doubles your labor costs.

#4 Stair-Step Cracks in the Brick

A little settling is normal. Houses are heavy, the earth moves, and over thirty years, things are going to shift. Houses get old, their joints creak, and they get a bit cranky, much like I do when I have to inspect a hot attic in July.

However, there is a very big difference between a “hairline settlement crack” and a “structural SOS.” If you see a crack in the exterior brick or the interior foundation wall that looks like a literal staircase, the house isn’t just settling; it’s trying to return to the earth.

• The Science of the Squeeze: Vertical cracks are often just the house breathing. But stair-step cracks (following the mortar lines) or horizontal cracks are signs of “lateral pressure.” This means the soil outside is pushing against the foundation, or the corner of the house is sinking into a soft spot.
• The “Rule of Thumb”: If the crack is wider than 1/4 inch, or if I can see the neighbor’s backyard through the wall, your bank account is about to have a very bad day. Foundation repair often involves “piers” or “underpinning,” which are fancy industry code words for we have to dig a giant hole and charge you ten thousand dollars.

#5 The Indoor Swimming Pool In the Crawlspace

I’ve spent a significant portion of my life in crawlspaces, and I can tell you that they are the “underbelly” of the housing world.

If I open that hatch and I’m greeted by the smell of old gym socks or worse, a family of frogs splashing, we’re in trouble.

Standing water under a house is a VIP invitation for every nightmare known to man: mold, wood rot, termites, and a guest list of pests (raccoons, opossums, and the aforementioned frog clan) that you definitely didn’t invite to the housewarming party.

• The Evidence: Even if the crawlspace is dry today, I look for efflorescence. That’s the white, chalky powder left behind on concrete walls. It’s the “ghost of water past,” and it tells me exactly how high the water gets when it rains.
• The Rot Factor: Wood is a sponge. If it sits in a high-humidity environment for years, it loses its structural integrity. If I can poke a screwdriver into your floor joist and it goes in like a hot knife through butter, we aren’t talking about a “fixer-upper” anymore—we’re talking about a major structural failure.

#6 Doors That Won’t Close Or Won’t Stay Open

This is the Ghosting Test. If you walk into a bedroom and the door slowly swings open or shut on its own, it likely isn’t a Victorian ghost. It’s probably a foundation problem.

When a house shifts, the frames of the doors and windows are the first things to go out of square. If you have to use your full body weight to get the front door to latch, or if the bedroom door rubs against the carpet, the house is telling you that it’s tilting.

• The Window Test: Try to open a few windows during your walk-through. If they are painted shut, that’s one thing. But if they are physically stuck or require a crowbar to budge, the frames might be compressed from the weight of the house shifting.
• The Marble Test: Set a marble down on a hardwood floor. If it wins a land-speed record rolling toward the kitchen, we need to have a very serious conversation about the “load-bearing” capabilities of your floor joists.

Honorable Mentions (Quick-Fire Red Flags)

• The “Tree Hugger”: A massive oak tree with branches resting on the roof. It looks poetic until those branches act as a highway for squirrels and a saw for your shingles.
• The “Mystery Switch”: A light switch that does absolutely nothing. Usually, this means there’s a junction box buried in a wall somewhere that is just waiting to short out.
• The “Ventless” Bathroom: A bathroom with no window and no exhaust fan is really just a mold cultivation chamber.

The Bottom Line

A red flag doesn’t always mean you should run screaming into the night! Every house has issues. Even new construction. A red flag is simply a price adjustment opportunity.

My job isn’t to tell you whether or not to buy the house; my job is to make sure you know exactly what you’re stepping into. I want you to buy that Vintage Charm house, but I want you to do it knowing that the charm might come with a $5,000 plumbing bill in a year or two.

Don’t let the staging fool you. Before you sign on the dotted line, let’s get dirty and see what’s actually happening behind the façade. By that, I mean let me do it. I’m already wearing my work clothes!

Buying or selling a home in WNC?

Avoid unpleasant surprises! Contact Asheville Home Inspector Peter Young before signing any contracts. Call (828) 808-4980, or click here to make an appointment.

The post Take Off the Rose-Colored Glasses: 6 Inspection Red Flags You Should Not Ignore appeared first on Peter Young Home Inspections.

The real estate market is constantly evolving, and with the rise of smart home technology, a new layer of complexity and opportunity has been added to the home buying and selling process. From smart thermostats that seemingly have opinions on your preferred temperature to connected security cameras that might just catch the cat doing embarrassing things, these devices offer convenience, efficiency, and security. 

But how do these interconnected systems impact the traditional home inspection? Can a standard visual inspection truly assess the functionality and potential existential crises of a smart refrigerator?

The answer is a nuanced one. While smart technology offers potential benefits, it may also present challenges for home inspectors and prospective buyers.

NOTE: Smart home devices are currently outside the scope of a North Carolina home inspection. There are no situations of liability involving these devices in our state at this time.

Potential benefits: Enhanced transparency and early detection

In some ways, smart home devices can actually enhance the inspection process by providing greater transparency. 

Think of the data these devices collect as the previous owner’s electronic confession booth:

• Smart Thermostats: These often track energy usage and can provide historical data, potentially snitching on inefficiencies in the HVAC system. Inspectors could access this data to gain a better understanding of the system’s performance.
• Smart Leak Detectors: Placed in vulnerable areas, these tiny electronic lifeguards can detect even small water leaks and alert homeowners before significant damage occurs, potentially preventing a surprise indoor swimming pool in your basement.
• Connected Detectors: Smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors may have logs of past alarms. While an inspector will still physically test these, the historical data could offer insights into any recurring issues that triggered the alarm.

The challenges: Assessing functionality and integration

Despite these benefits, smart home technology might present challenges for home inspectors. Suddenly they might feel as if they need a computer science degree alongside their trusty flashlight:

• Complexity and Compatibility: Smart home ecosystems can be a techie Tower of Babel, with devices from different manufacturers communicating through various protocols. Determining the compatibility and proper functioning of these interconnected systems requires specialized knowledge that traditional inspectors may not possess.
• Software and Connectivity Issues: Unlike physical components, smart devices rely on software and network connectivity, which can be as reliable as that free public Wi-Fi you tried to use last week. An inspector can visually assess a pipe for leaks, but assessing the stability of a Wi-Fi network that oversees these smart tools may rest outside their traditional expertise.
• Lack of Standardization: The smart home industry lacks universal standards. It’s like trying to compare apples to oranges to sentient robotic vacuum cleaners. Different devices have different features, functionalities, and levels of integration.
• Defining “Functional”: What constitutes a “functional” smart home device in the context of a home inspection? Is it simply that the device powers on, or does it require full integration and proper functionality of all its features, including the ability to order more milk when you’re out?
• Liability Issues: If an inspector incorrectly assesses a smart home device or fails to identify a potential issue (like the smart lock that only unlocks sometimes), the question of liability becomes complicated. The traditional scope of an inspection typically covers physical defects; smart technology adds a new layer of potential risk.

Adapting to the smart home era: the need for specialization

To effectively address the impact of smart home technology on home inspections, several adaptations are needed:

1. Specialized Inspectors: Just as there are specialists for HVAC or plumbing, we may see the emergence of certified smart home inspectors who possess the know-how and tools to evaluate these systems. They’ll probably carry laptops along with their clipboards.
2. Clear Disclosure Requirements: Sellers should be required to provide detailed information about the smart devices included in the sale, including makes, models, and, crucially, any relevant passwords or access information. This helps avoid the awkward “can you show me how to turn on this… glowing orb?” conversation.
3. Updated Inspection Standards: Professional home inspection associations may need to update their standards of practice to address smart home technology, outlining what aspects should be inspected (within reasonable tech-savviness) and the limitations of a standard visual assessment.
4. Buyer Education: Buyers need to understand that a traditional home inspection may not fully evaluate the long-term reliability of smart devices. They may need to consider hiring specialized inspectors or conducting their own due diligence, perhaps by asking the seller if the devices have ever staged a revolt against the human inhabitants.

Conclusion: A Collaborative Approach

Smart home technology is undoubtedly changing the landscape of residential living, and its impact on home inspections is undeniable. Moving forward, a collaborative approach involving home inspection professionals, real estate agents, technology providers, and policymakers will be crucial. This collaboration needs to develop clear standards, protocols, and educational resources that ensure buyers can make informed decisions in an increasingly connected world.

The future of home inspections will likely involve a blend of traditional methods and specialized expertise to navigate the intricacies (and occasional quirks) of the smart home era. And perhaps, just perhaps, every smart home will come with a user manual written in plain language, explaining exactly how to stop the robot vacuum from eating your socks.

Buying or selling a home in WNC?

Avoid unpleasant surprises! Contact Asheville Home Inspector Peter Young before signing any contracts. Call (828) 808-4980, or click here to make an appointment.

The post Smart Homes, Smarter Inspections? How Connected Devices Might Change the Home Buying Process appeared first on Peter Young Home Inspections.

Do you need a home inspection for new construction? This question comes up fairly often. The simple answer is yes. Just because a home is shiny and new doesn’t mean everything is ship-shape. This brings up the question, don’t new homes have a municipal inspection already? In fact, they do, but this doesn’t rule out the need for a private home inspection.   

Municipal inspectors don’t have the same concerns as independent home inspectors. Builders, subcontractors, and municipal inspectors can miss some of the small details that home inspectors are trained to spot, along with some not-so small details. A home inspection checks out electrical switches, outlets, faucets, bath fixtures, bathroom fans, and much more.

Let’s take a look at the advantages of getting independent inspection on new construction.

Construction Defects

You might guess that new homes would be free of problems. Well, guess again! An inspector can unearth issues like construction defects and structural problems that may not be overtly noticeable to the untrained eye. These issues can affect the longevity and the overall safety of the home.

Quality of Workmanship

A home inspector can ensure the quality of workmanship and materials used during construction. At this stage the inspector may find some issues that need correction or improvement.

Prior to Move-In

Early identification of problems leave time for corrections prior to moving into your new home. This may stave off unexpected problems and expenses later on.

Peace of Mind

For many families, a home is the most significant investment they will make in their lifetime. An inspection helps ensure their investment is sound and free from potential costly issues.

A Guide to Negotiating Repairs

Builders often look to home inspection reports as a “punch list” for making needed repairs. It gives the homeowner a chance to negotiate fixes with builders prior to finalizing the contract.

Warranty Compliance

Most new homes come with warranties. Home inspectors can reveal warranty-related problems and clear the way for early resolution.

What Are Inspectors Looking For?

There’s a list of specific problems that home inspectors look for in new construction. Here are some of them:

• HVAC systems, including the thermostat
• Plumbing, toilets, sinks, and sump pumps
• Electrical conductors, circuit breakers, meters, and panelboards
• Attic, insulation, and ventilation
• Appliances, such as dishwashers, disposals, ovens, and microwaves
• Roof, chimney, and gutters
• Doors and windows
• Exterior items, like walkways, driveways, decks, patios, and garages
• Foundation, basements, crawlspaces, and grading

Get a Second Inspection

Think about getting a second inspection about 10 months from the first one, especially if your new home has only a one-year warranty. It’s best to spot any issues with the warranty still in effect. You want to ensure that it’s the builder, not you, who pays for fixing any problems. 

It’s not a guessing game with brand-new construction. The builder is responsible for footing the bill for repairs while the warranty is still in effect.

The Eye of Experience

Don’t be dazzled by the bright and shiny appearance of your new home. It may look perfect to you, but your home inspector is trained to spot problems that need to be fixed before you move in.

Buying or Selling a Home?

Avoid unpleasant surprises! Contact Asheville Home Inspector Peter Young before signing any contracts. Call (828) 808-4980, or click here to make an appointment.

The post Do you need a home inspection for new construction? appeared first on Peter Young Home Inspections.

Ever heard of kickout flashing? We would not be surprised if the term is unfamiliar. It’s time to learn about it. Kickout flashing costs very little, but it may end up saving you thousands of dollars of repair for serious water damage to your home.

Let’s take a look at what it is. Kickout flashing is also called diverter flashing. What does it do? It diverts water away from walls in places where sloped roofs and walls meet. Water running down and into your walls can lead to structural damage, rot, and mold that may not be evident until the problem becomes severe. At that point, major home repair costs are looming.

Do ask, do tell!

The International Residential Code (IRC) has required kickout flashing since 2009, but most roofers won’t install them unless you ask. North Carolina Residential Building Code doesn’t mention it by name, but the instructions are clear:

“Flashings shall be installed at roof and wall intersections, wherever there is a change in roof slope or direction and around roof openings. A flashing shall be installed to divert the water away from where the eaves of a sloped roof intersect vertical sidewalls.” 

The code describes the flashing as extending a minimum of 4” up the sidewall and have a 110-degree angle. This is sufficient to divert water away from the wall, but not so severe as to trap debris or create ice dams in winter that can lead to water backing up along the wall. The code also states that if the flashing is metal, it must be corrosion-resistant with a thickness of not less than 0.019 inches (0.5 mm).

Put simply, kickout flashing is essential to protect your home from expensive water damage, and yet it’s often overlooked or even misunderstood by many roofers.

Check out this video of what can happen without kickout flashing.

Roof replacement time

If it’s time to replace your roof, this is a great time to install kickout flashing. Even if your local code doesn’t require it, we suggest strongly that you ask the roofer to include it. 

Most forms of siding can be cut and tweaked by a roofer during installation of kickout flashing. However, stucco, masonry stone, or bricks may require a specialist to make the repair.

Here’s a video of extensive damage inside a wall on a home with stone veneer that didn’t have kickout flashing.

Do it yourself!

Installing kickout flashing is not too hard if you’re an accomplished do-it-yourselfer. But if you have any doubts about your ability, hire a qualified contractor. If you do it incorrectly, you may end up with worse damage than if you hadn’t done it at all!

Click here for a video to show you how to install kickout flashing on vinyl siding.

Please note: There are areas of this repair where caulking is needed. Don’t skimp on caulk quality. Buy the really good stuff with long life expectancy. Even then, it would be a good idea to check up there at least once a year to make sure the caulking is still secure.

We really must insist!

If you’re buying new construction, insist on kickout flashing. Do the same if you’re having your roof replaced. Don’t assume the contractors will do that automatically. Most of them probably will not. Installation before the roof is built or replaced will cost extremely little.

Kickout flashing at your local home store or online generally costs around $10 to $15. And even if you are installing after the fact and forgoing do-it-yourself in favor of hiring a professional, installing kickout flashing should cost only a few hundred dollars. Compare that to the cost of tearing out siding, soffits, fascia, insulation, drywall, and more. 

It’s a no-brainer! If you don’t have kickout flashing on your home, our best advice is to have it installed as soon as possible.

The post <strong>Inexpensive kickout flashing protects your home from water damage</strong> appeared first on Peter Young Home Inspections.

“Do I need a home inspection on new construction?”

This is a question that home inspectors often hear. When considering whether to shell out the expense of hiring an inspector for new construction, there are some good reasons why you should and few (if any) reasons to pass on it.

If you’ve just had a custom-designed home built from scratch, why would you need an inspection? Didn’t the building inspectors take care of that? Not necessarily. Municipal building inspectors don’t look at the same details as independent home inspectors. That’s why it’s not a good idea to assume your home will be perfect just because it’s brand new. Sometimes builders and their subcontractors might miss some of the small things. And while we’ve all heard the expression, “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” that’s just what home inspectors do. They pay attention to the small details that builders and building inspectors might miss.

While we may assume that new homes should be mostly issue-free, that’s not a safe assumption. Inspectors cite a number of underlying issues that might need to be addressed. Let’s take a look.

Common issues with new construction

Inspectors might find a few problems in newly-built homes. Busy contractors and subcontractors can overlook small defects that a skilled inspector will spot. Some of the problems found in new construction home inspections include: 

• Drainage and grading issues, which could lead to future water and structural damage
• Gaps and cracks on decks and patios
• Loose rails on decks and outdoor stairways
• HVAC problems, such as loose connections and faulty thermostats
• Electrical issues, like open grounds, improperly wired outlets, and missing or cracked switch plates
• Window leaks
• Humidity and water issues
• Doors that stick or don’t shut properly
• Plumbing problems, such as reversed hot and cold faucets, leaks, missing shut-off valves, and more.

 New construction may reflect small gaffes, such as wobbling toilets and missing faucet handles in laundry rooms, for example. Your home inspector will spot these things.

It’s all in the details…

In new construction inspections home inspectors are looking for all the little things that the building inspector is not going to inspect: All the switches, outlets, faucets, bath fixtures, bath fans, etc. The building inspector makes progress inspections throughout the building process, but he is not going to check all the small details.

Also, building inspectors don’t usually check appliances, but a home inspector is going to operate the permanently installed kitchen appliances, such as range, microwave, oven and dishwasher. 

New home checklist

One important consideration is making sure all the utilities are turned on prior to a home inspection. It’s a waste of everyone’s time if the inspector shows up and the home is not ready for inspection.

Here’s what inspectors look for in new construction:

• HVAC systems, including the thermostat
• Plumbing, toilets, sinks, and sump pumps
• Electrical conductors, circuit breakers, meters, and panelboards
• Attic, insulation, and ventilation
• Appliances, such as dishwashers, disposals, ovens, and microwaves
• Roof, chimney, and gutters
• Doors and windows
• Exterior items, like walkways, driveways, decks, patios, and garages
• Foundation, basements, crawlspaces, and grading

Is it wise to skip inspection?

Whether you skip inspection or not, be sure your builder has a new home warranty in place, to protect you if defects show up after the home is closed. Warranties can range from one to ten years.

When you buy a newly constructed home, you want to make sure that it’s the builder, not you, who is responsible for fixing any problems. Pre-closing issues will fall squarely on the builder’s shoulders. You’re not debating whether the item is something the builder will negotiate to fix or not. It’s brand-new construction, and they are obligated to ensure their work was done properly.

Another thing to consider is a second inspection 10 or 11 months down the road. Many homes have only a one-year warranty, so it’s a good idea to spot any issues while that warranty is still in effect. Be sure to know the specifics of your home warranty, as there are no “one-size fits all” warranty templates.

You need a more experienced eye

Don’t let the polish and glitter of a new home dazzle you. Your new home might look flawless to you, but a seasoned inspector might uncover problems that can be nipped in the bud before you move in.

Avoid unpleasant surprises! Contact Asheville Home Inspector Peter Young before signing any contracts. Call (828) 808-4980, or click the link below to make an appointment.

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