Home Inspection for New Homes in Boston area

Builders and contractors have municipal building inspections done to ensure minimum building code standards have been met. These inspections do not assess quality, workmanship, system performance, completion of work, and many other aspects of a new construction. Our inspections do.

A new home inspection goes beyond building codes, allowing you to understand anything that the builder or contractor missed, mistakes in the building process, or other issues that might’ve been overlooked during construction. A new construction inspection is also critical in helping you develop a comprehensive “punch list” that can be furnished to the builder for completion.

You are our priority. Not the builder; not the contractor; not the city. You.

We know that the home we’re inspecting could be your family’s new home, and the inspection might be your first real look at the newly completed property. You’re welcome to join us on inspection day to get a firsthand look at what we uncover, ask any questions, and get familiar with your new home. During our thorough and comprehensive new construction inspection we will examine the following areas, plus many other aspects of the home:

• Exterior: Wall cladding, windows, doors, eaves, trims, decks, porches, entryways, steps, grading, and drainage
• Roofing: Roof system, roof penetrations, roof drainage, and roof structure, chimney
• Structure: Foundation, structural framing, floor, walls, ceiling framing, and roof framing
• Heating and Air Conditioning: Furnace system, boiler system, HVAC system, ducts, vents, tanks, fuel supply system, and main fuel shutoff
• Plumbing: Supply and waste piping, main supply shutoff, drains, traps, and vent piping
• Electrical: Service entrance cable, meter area, grounding, main disconnect, main and sub panels, GFCI breakers and receptacles, AFCI breakers, switches, and exposed branch wiring
• Interior: Walls, floors, ceilings, trim, windows, door, other cabinetry, and all interior components
• Appliances: Dishwasher, oven range, other miscellaneous permanently installed appliances and components

Industry-Leading New Home Inspection Reports

Visiting a home for the first time is an exciting and emotional experience. During your first walk through of a new construction you’re likely to get caught up in the realization that your journey toward a new home is about to be finished, finally allowing you and your family to regain some normalcy.

However, this heightened emotional state can easily cause new homeowners to miss issues during their walkthrough of the home, or underestimate the severity of a problem that’s uncovered. We know that homeowners need time and thorough information to properly evaluate the true condition of a home before deciding next steps.

We also know that time is always of the essence in a home negotiation. To help home buyers quickly get the information they need, we typically return finished reports within 24 hours of the inspection. Our reports are widely recognized as industry-leading for balancing comprehensiveness with clear language and explanations that make sense to non-experts.

To see how your report might look, view a sample inspection report here.

As issues arise during the inspection, we catalog and deliver the list of desired fixes using a software tool called “Repair Request Builder.” This can serve as a personal punch list for after the closing, or as a reason for revisiting your initial offer. See more about how this tool works here.

Benefits of a New Construction Inspection

A new home inspection provides you the opportunity to have an expert assess the actual condition of the home, even if it looks perfect at first glance. With an unbiased and realistic picture of the home’s condition you’ll be better prepared to make the best decision about moving forward or revisiting your offer. Specifically, your new construction inspection will help you determine the following:

• Potential future issues with major components like the foundation, drain field, etc.
• The quality of building materials used.
• Standards of workmanship and construction methods.
• Cosmetic faults.
• Create a punch list of repairs.

Discovering these issues before making an offer or finalizing a purchase gives you the information needed to negotiate repairs or revise your offer.

Common Issues Found in New Constructions

Even though older homes can have significant issues, homeowners and buyers at least have the advantage of understanding which problems have arisen over time. Wear and tear from occupant usage, normal settling, and weather-induced issues become clear as a home ages. Did you know that experts estimate that 25% of homes will have structural issues?

With new constructions, not enough time has passed for an accurate assessment of proper construction and workmanship. Instead, a proactive inspection is required to identify potential problems. Some of the most commonly discovered issues with new constructions include the following:

• Leaking windows due to improper installation or defects.
• Incomplete installations or unfinished projects.
• Drainage or grading issues that could cause foundation damage or leaking.
• Shoddy workmanship or defective materials.
• Uneven spacing of flooring materials, including wood, vinyl, tile, linoleum, etc.