Do I Need A New-Home Warranty Inspection
One-year home warranty inspection, yes you should have one
One Year Builder’s Warranty
Do you need a one-year warranty home inspection?
It’s been almost a year since you bought your brand-new home, congratulations. Now you are wondering to yourself, Do I need a home inspection before my one-year warranty is up? Didn’t my house pass all the city inspections; therefore, I don’t need another inspection? Your builder told you a home inspection is unnecessary, they assured me everything will be fixed, and they will take care of any issues that arise. Everything in the house seems okay to you, you haven’t noticed any issues, so what would be the point of paying for a home inspection. Perhaps you have a friend or uncle that is in a trade, and they gave your house a looksie and said everything appeared good to them. So do you need a home inspection before your one-year warranty expires, I personally think so. You may think I am biased to say this, and I probably am. That is because I have performed hundreds of these inspections and am still continuously surprised by the things that I come across. Missing insulation in the attic/walls, disconnected vents, slow plumbing leaks only detectable by thermal camera, foundation cracks, incorrectly installed heating equipment, appliances not correctly installed, missing or incorrect flashing; these are just some of the things I have come across.
When is the best time to have your one-year warranty inspection?
After making the wise choice to have a professional home inspection on your new home, now you need to figure out when is the best time to schedule it. At the one-year mark makes sense as that is when the warranty expires. However, the best time to schedule the inspection is for around the 11th month. This way it gives you time to have the builder complete all the deficiencies that are found during the inspection. If for some reason the builder is unable, or unwilling, to repair the issues that arise during the home inspection then it gives you time to take the next necessary steps. If there are outstanding issues on your home that are not resolved, you will need to put in a claim with new-home warranty before the end of your first year. We all know how warranties work; they will find any way they can to get out of having to accept your claim. That is why it is important to schedule your warranty inspection around eleven months after possession to ensure that you and your family are protected.
What is included in a warranty inspection?
A warranty inspection is performed the same as a regular home inspection. This means that it is a complete and thorough inspection of your home with a comprehensive report that has lots of pictures and a complete thermal scan of your home. This means that you can be assured that your heating system, plumbing, electrical, structure, attic, crawlspace, siding, lot grading, roofing, windows, doors, appliances, insulation, vapor barrier etc. will all be in good working condition after any deficiencies that are found are repaired. You will receive an informative, in-depth report with plenty of pictures and information that you can forward to your builder so they are aware of and can complete all necessary repairs. The report will also include images of all important shut offs and some maintenance tips to help you in case of emergency and ensure you are aware of necessary home maintenance to maximize the lifespan of your home.
What are some of the deficiencies that come up during the inspection?
A lot of the issues that come up in a warranty inspection are things that the builder or their trades have not fully finished. That can be anything from missing caulking, unfinished cabinets, missing hardware, final touches on finishing items. Sometimes its exterior work that was supposed to be completed but they ran out of time to finish due to weather. Most of these issues are known by all parties and hopefully being resolved, but having a professional report that points out these deficiencies can be helpful to get your builder to complete them faster and correctly.
There are frequently other more important issues that are found during the inspection that are unknown to you and the builder. I have found attics completely void of insulation, when is the last time you were in your attic to check (I don’t recommend you go in your attic. You need proper safety equipment to safely do so). Speaking of attics, I continuously find bathroom/dryer vents that are poorly sealed which can cause mold and rot that can go undetected for years. A lot of plumbing leaks don’t pour water out, making them difficult to detect. After running all the water in your home for a period a thermal scan is performed which can detect slow, unseen leaks.
An attic without insulation was found during a home warranty inspection.
High-efficiency furnaces are great, but they can be very prone to issues that greatly shorten their lifespan. Most of those issues arise in the first year but can go undetected without a warranty inspection. Common issues with the furnace are leaks, incorrectly installed vent pipes, HRV units not installed properly, humidifier leaks, missing or incorrect ductwork. Furnaces are not cheap and you want to make certain they were correctly installed and not having any issues. Even when furnaces were correctly installed by the contractor, sometimes there are deficiencies inside the furnace from the manufacturer which only come up after the furnace has been in use for awhile.
High-efficiency furnaces are prone to leaking, performing a home inspection can find these issues before the problem worsens.
A major cause of home fires is from electrical defects. The city does inspect the electrical, but they don’t always do a thorough job. It is of the utmost importance that the electrical work in your home is safe for you and your family. A proper home inspection will find these deficiencies before something worse can happen. Loose connections, incorrectly wired outlets, missing GFCI or AFCI protection, unsecured wiring, damaged conduit are just some of the common issues that occur on new-home inspections.
One of the first defenses for your home is the roof and siding, protecting you from our harsh elements. If incorrect or missing flashing/sealant goes undetected then you may have some major and expensive repairs for what would have once been an easy repair that your builder would have been responsible for. I have also come across larger issues that should have already been caught which were unnoticed. Missing shingles, flashing, ventilation, etc. all issues that can lead to very costly repairs which should be repaired by your builder at no extra cost to you. The proper drainage of the roof is almost as important as the roof itself. That is why we will also determine if the placement of your downspouts is correct, gutters sloped right, and the water is always draining away from your foundation. Something as simple as extending or better angling your downspout can save you from extremely costly foundation issues or water intrusion into your home.
Appliances are not cheap, and quite frankly not built as well as they used to be. That is why it is even more important then ever to have them professionally inspected because if they were not it can lead to shorter lifespan of the appliance or even water damage to surrounding areas in some cases. Proper ventilation of your range is of the utmost importance to ensure moisture and, in the case of gas ranges, carbon monoxide is removed from your house.
Windows and doors may seem straight-forward and something a layperson can inspect themselves, normally they are. When they are installed incorrectly though they can be very costly to repair and can lead to unforeseen damages to your home. That is why it is important to have them professionally inspected, especially with a thermal camera.
The structure of your home is very important. That is why it is a must to have your house inspected to determine if there are any issues that need addressed. Whether it’s a typical foundation or slab crack that needs filled, missing bracing in the attic, incorrectly or missing joist hangers or a whole litany of other concerns. On multiple occasions I have come across structural joists that have been hacked apart by other trades to make room for their work, obviously this is something that you will want addressed before a more significant issue arises in the future.
How Much Is A Warranty Home Inspection
The cost of a home inspection varies. It is based off the total square footage as well as the type of home. A condo is obviously going to cost less then a detached mansion. Feel free to get a free quote by clicking here. How much does it cost to not get a home inspection is the better question though, as skipping this crucial aspect of home buying can end up costing you thousands of dollars which could have been easily avoideA new-home warranty is an investment into one of, if not the most expensive purchase you will make in your lifetime. It is a proactive way to ensure your house was not only constructed properly, but safely. The advantages of an inspection and catching the issues before they snowball into costly future repairs are greatly outweighed by the upfront cost of a thorough, in-depth, comprehensive new-home warranty. This is your last chance to hold your builder accountable for all necessary repairs, latent defects and incomplete work. This extra layer of protection is available to you at a reasonable cost that will ensure that the dream home for you and your family continues to be a dream home and not a nightmare for you in the future.
If you have any questions regarding our new-home warranty services, or you would like to book an inspection, please contact us at ryan@housetohomeyyc.com or click on this link to book an inspection.
-Thank you
Ryan Davidson
Owner/Operator House to Home Inspections
