Does Your Newly Built Home Need an Independent Home Inspection?
Short Answer: Yes, you should insist on an independent home inspection by a licensed New Residential Structures (NRS) Certified Home Inspector.
Here’s why…
Having a home built in Delaware, Maryland, or Virginia is both exciting and stressful. So much to do and so much going on, how can you be sure that things are going well when you do not have the ability to check on the construction project yourself? Your interests are best protected by an independent, neutral third-party home inspection. Why? The Code Enforcement Officer or Building Inspector is looking for specific things at different times of the construction process. But, as you may surmise, things done can be undone—through damage, adverse modification, or complete removal—at any point in the construction process. Typically, it is an honest mistake, but sometimes it is just poor workmanship. Regardless of the reason, it is the new homeowner that gets stuck—typically unaware of these potentially costly defects until discovered during the resale of their home years later.
However, hiring just any home inspector is risky as well. Larger franchise inspection firms—the ones most recommended by realtors because of their broker’s associate relationships, advertising agreements, etc.—are not professionally trained to inspect new homes during or shortly after construction. This is the reason why so many builders do not allow them on their job sites. For example, a Virginia home inspector examining a new construction home not only has to be state-licensed and carry the appropriate type and levels of insurance, but they must be New Residential Structure (NRS) certified as well. It is this mandatory level of professional competence that the state demands in order to protect the consumer—the person hiring and relying on the inspector’s experience and judgment. NRS certified home inspectors have years of documented experience under licensure; have satisfactorily completed an eight-hour competency course; familiarized themselves with current universal construction design and energy efficiency standards, and must attend refresher training every two years to maintain their designation. In other words, if the home inspector does not have the NRS designation they should not be (and may legally be prohibited from) inspecting the construction of a new home.
Good news, we are a Certified Master Inspector that is also licensed in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia—and we maintain current NRS certification to assist clients in building their new homes. Even if you cannot be there in person, give us a call or email and let us be your “boots on the ground” to ensure your real estate investment interests are protected.