new construction write ups ?

Originally Posted By: mcyr
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First of all, there is no such thing as a perfect Home.


Second, the Architect of the Home should have made a punchlist of things that need corrected to be of acceptable value.


If those inspected items were of objectionable value to the new buyer, then he remedial process would be in order, by the Contractor or Builder.

Since this was a new Home, and chances are, that the Builder is long gone, I would suggest it be noted as such and the buyer can negotiate the price of the new home accordingly.


Marcel


Originally Posted By: Monte Lunde
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I second the above statement



Monte Lunde CCI, CCPM, CRI


Viking Construction Services Inc.

Originally Posted By: rbennett
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If you purchased a new BMW, Town car etc. it should not have a bent or dented door


RLB


Originally Posted By: escanlan
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Quote:
(e) Exterior walls and doors....

(2) Report as in need of repair deficiencies in the condition and operation of exterior doors and garage doors, including door locks and latches when present.


The gutters could be interpreted as requiring reporting. Bent gutters on the inside can allow water to drip down the siding material and on the outside may not catch rain as it cascades off the roof.

Quote:
(h) Roof, roof structure and attic:

(11) Report as in need of repair deficiencies in visible installed gutter and downspout systems.


In either case it does not hurt to be safe especially with new construction! Letting the client know there are defects less than what they are paying for is important when they spend so much money on a new home.

Besides, if you let the client know they may want you to reinspect for them.


--
Manny (Emmanuel) Scanlan

Knowledge is power, but sharing knowledge brings peace!

Originally Posted By: lewens
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To me it is a question of what I would consider acceptable. I it were me buying the house I wouldn’t want visible defects staring at me every time I drove up to the house. If the builder was that sloppy I think I would be looking deeper for more serious issues.



Just my usual 12.5 cents


From The Great White North Eh?
NACHI-CAN
www.aciss-brant.com
www.certifiedadulttrainingservices.com/

Originally Posted By: jkormos
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Originally Posted By: jpope
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Darren,


Email me and I will send you a copy of a report I did for an out of state client - new construction. The builder wanted them to sign off on the final so that the lender would fund the home. They called me first.

I pick out all blemishes on new construction.

InspectorJeff@sbcglobal.net


--
Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738

Originally Posted By: mcyr
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Hi. Jeff;

Respect your views on this, but might add that if every new home in the industry were to be inspected for blemishes, everyone of them would be found unacceptable.

In new Construction, you need to look at the installed Product as a whole and establish a performance standard of quality as a whole. If siding is installed with galvanized nails instead of stainless steel nails, where there will be an adverse affect on the product in the years to come, this is a note to make. A blemish in the siding paint to me is irrelevant. Common aesthetics can be corrected with routine maintenance.
Although, one might feel that he is buying a home free of defects, blemishes will occur on the best of Projects.
I have yet to have seen a perfect Home, and that includes the ones I build, especially if my wife is nearby.
It would be prudent at a new home inspection to care more on code compliance, safety, and product suitability and proper installation to maintain a Home that will endure the test of time, which we are all concerned about, since we pay for these darn things for 30 years or better.

This is just a comment based on what I see here in Maine. I am sure your area, might be different.

Marcel

A mistake, only becomes an error when it can not be corrected.


Originally Posted By: dedwards
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As someone who has inspected a few new construction homes for out of town buyers that is exactly what they were expecting me to do. I put all the blemishes on the report too but reported them as such. I then do not have to explain to them about items they themselves find after they move into the home and find them asking themselves. “What the hell did we pay him for. This isn’t on the report” “That guy did a crappy job” A statement from me perhaps saying “it isn’t important or major” is probably not going to cut it with someone who has spent several hundreds of thousands of dollars. If we are the inspectors than that is what we should do. I do not arbitrate between the other two parties either. I only inspect. What may not be important to me may be important as hell to the new owners and that is who I work for. That is my perspective. I do not go out of my way to be a flaming jerk and nitpick but bent doors and items that costs hundreds of dollars ought to be right…not perfect…but right.


Originally Posted By: jpope
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mcyr wrote:
Respect your views on this, but might add that if every new home in the industry were to be inspected for blemishes, everyone of them would be found unacceptable.


Quite true, however, I am not referring to smudges on the granite floors.

Excessive "blemishes" are also indications of poor workmanship. Things like mismatched color coat on stucco patching/repairs. Daylight through door jambs of the garage doors and scratched glass on the shower enclosure. . .

Remember, a 3000 sq ft new home in CA will set you back about 950K.

Of course all the typical stuff goes in as well - improper roofing material installation, large cracks in PT slabs, reverse slope in the dishwasher drain line, and the white ungrounded conductor at the condenser breaker


--
Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738

Originally Posted By: five.five
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Mr. Pope,


I will send you an e-mail today.


I had a long talk with the client, I decided to call out the garage doors, the bent rain gutter, etc. etc.


I explained to him, that while some inspectors may not call out some “visable defects” in the appearance of some items, that I would.


I explained to him, over the past few weeks of communication ( I also did a phase inspection for him) I felt that he wanted me to do a type of walkthrough inspection as well.


The client agreed with my statement, and thanked me for being “so critical”


The client is in California, I am in Texas, and he is in the middle of moving, just found out they are expecting their first kid, changing jobs, and on and on.


Between all of that, and needing a licensed, qualified, plumber, electrician, and HVAC called out to their new home to fix the builders work, he wants to know EVERYTHING.


He was happy with the verbal report I gave him over the phone, and Fed-Ex dropped of the written report this morning.


Someone here has the line below their signature " I'll inspect your home as if it were mine" (or something like that - no offence) and I believe I did.

Respectfully,
Darren


Originally Posted By: mcyr
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I agree with all you guys and respect your diligence in the inspection of new home.


Unfortunately, here in Maine, houses are not quite up to par or caliber of the California Coastline.


Inspections in Maine on New Constructed Homes would require care in business ethics and conscionable advice, due the fact the towns are so small.


So, somewhat, the circumstances are somewhat different that you would encounter. I would be cautious up here to nit-pick the finishes on the premises, due the fact that another inspector would let it slide or dose not care.


Therefore, comments on workmanship should be noted as fair, good, or bad, or under standard of practice of acceptability. If generalized, it will still communicate your concern and not show the Real Estate people that you are taking the place apart for the potential buyer. Then they will not call you back or refer you to future clients, because you are causing to much grief to them and the seller. This is how it works up here, in Maine.

Real Estate want a report, to make it official, and clean sale. No hang ups. Unfortunately, this is not right in my book, cause I like to note it as I see it. I have found, that how you word it, to respect everyone's interest, and still make your point as to what you inspect will not put you in the Category of nitpicking paid Inspector that has no regarding respect of the Builder.

Being a Builder myself, mostly Commercial and most jobs are negotiated and/or design built, I have found, that towards the end of the job, I proceed to inspect the building accompanied with our Project Manager and literally go around and paste blue painters tape on deficiencies on wall ceilings or trim etc.,. Once this has been corrected, I have the Architect and/or the owner go through his building and supply him with the same blue tape.
Knowing that we went through that extreme to provide an adequate building, you would be surprised, as to how much more at ease the Owner is to nit picking items. Almost all of them have been corrected already.

I would imagine that generalizing work performance and quality of the finished products of a House in general, would not sound as critique and offensive to the seller and/or the new potential buyer would not be so reluctant to buy the property due to minor deficiencies.
This generalization, would also provide the inspection performance and adequate protection, that the Inspector did note minor deficiencies existed, but not prominently pronounced in any particular area.

Everyone is happy, you did your job and they will call you again.


Have a good day.

Marcel


Originally Posted By: tfluegel
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I have often used the National Association of Home Builders residential construction perfpormance guidelines when doing a new construction or end of warranty inspection. It should be available at www.NAHB.org



Trent


Originally Posted By: alex medic
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I it were me buying the house I wouldn’t want visible defects staring at me every time I drove up to the house. If the builder was that sloppy I think I would be looking deeper for more serious issues.


http://www.highspeedsat.com/-satellite-phone-rental/index.htm


Originally Posted By: mcyr
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Trent;
Thanks for the information link.

Alex: I agree, that if it is bad enough deficiency, and stares you in the face, yes I would definitely call it out.
My latter post kind of indicated that but was talking of more nit pick stuff that would not stare at you but you had to work in finding it. That is what I meant.

Marcel


Originally Posted By: carl brown
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http://www.badstucco.com


The blemished surface is not good but whats under it is worse!


http://www.badstucco.com/bricks/bricks.htm


http://www.badstucco.com/Leaks101_files/frame.htm

Or you might see this new kind of flashing method!

http://www.badstucco.com/ff.htm

And don't forget the house wrap/crap!
http://www.badstucco.com/housewrap/HOUSEWRAP.htm

Then you might wonder why I seem mad about it all!
http://www.badstucco.com/howwe.htm


No moisture barrier onder the trim is that why my window and stucco is leaking??
http://www.badstucco.com/repair2.html
Why don't the city inspectors/codes do a better job?


Originally Posted By: mcyr
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Hi. Carl;

Code Inforcement Officers are there to do just that, Inforce the minimum requirements for buiding components which include electrical, mechanical, plumbing, framing, foundation, and site setbacks.

Stucco installation is beyound their scope of work and dose not really fall into a code category.

It is therefore, safe to assume that there is a house inspector available to the buyer available at the time of the purchace. That is where NACHI inspectors come in to play.

It is good that you have researched this product and assummably also the installation techniqes that are used. The extended knowlegde in this type of work will enhance your inspecting skills to the public.

Good Luck.

Marcel


Originally Posted By: jkormos
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Thanks Carl for the post


Joe ![icon_biggrin.gif](upload://iKNGSw3qcRIEmXySa8gItY6Gczg.gif) ![icon_biggrin.gif](upload://iKNGSw3qcRIEmXySa8gItY6Gczg.gif)


Originally Posted By: carl brown
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mcyr wrote:
![icon_smile.gif](upload://b6iczyK1ETUUqRUc4PAkX83GF2O.gif) ![icon_smile.gif](upload://b6iczyK1ETUUqRUc4PAkX83GF2O.gif)

Hi. Carl;

Code Inforcement Officers are there to do just that, Inforce the minimum requirements for buiding components which include electrical, mechanical, plumbing, framing, foundation, and site setbacks.

Stucco installation is beyound their scope of work and dose not really fall into a code category.

It is therefore, safe to assume that there is a house inspector available to the buyer available at the time of the purchace. That is where NACHI inspectors come in to play.

It is good that you have researched this product and assummably also the installation techniqes that are used. The extended knowlegde in this type of work will enhance your inspecting skills to the public.

Good Luck.

Marcel


They are now doing moisture barrier and lath inspections in ovpk ks and so called window&flashing inspections, it is spreading to the other citys in the kc metro!
My knowlegde comes from the trade its self! Going on 27 years and I choose to quit. I am not going to even try to compete with whats going on here. The house wrap guys (tyvek) will not return my calls,The window salesman won't either, most of the codes officials, and when I called them about the brick job the city guy said what do you want me to do drop everything and run everytime you call!!!
The builder said (O no that could cost me a sale)

So I am going to try to help both those fellows out! When I caught up with the new homeowner I gave them a set of 8x10s and told them to call me when they went to court I have a little story for them! And i would be a witness!

I think it would make them start to pay a little more attention if guys/gals like yourselves with credentials were posting in the new forum at http://www.badstucco.com
So I invite you all to register and post!

Sincerely
Carl Brown


Originally Posted By: bking
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Clients want to have cosmetic items reported on new homes and they deserve to have them listed. For that reason, new home inspections should cost more. I do not charge extra for new homes but they can take longer especially when the client is there.


I go over the house about 3-4 times looking for things. I found a dining room light fixture that was off center by 5 inches in an expensive home and the client was very happy to get that corrected.

I do list these in the summary as substandard rather than a defect.

Also this goes in the report:
New home reports may include many more cosmetic items than older homes as a courtesy but no guarantee is made that every cosmetic issue will be reported. Contact your builder for warranty service for those issues.