Home inspections on a new home
 

What do you think about having an independent home inspector looking at a new home before you buy it ? It it really needed? Can anyone recommend independent inspectors in the villages ?
Thanks

Perhaps just search through the Forum, for the 1,000's of posts on this subject?

You should plan on the inspection before the 1 year warranty is up, you can do it any time so that it is completed before the warranty runs out. We used Frank DeAngelo and were very pleased with his work, found several things I would have never found. Note he is typically booked 2 to 3 months out, so plan ahead.
As for your specific question I do not see the need to have an inspection immediately for a new house, just be careful with any changes that you might make which could void the warranty.

I think the OP was saying BEFORE you buy which I would think it would be a great Idea.

D’Angelo inspection just before one year will accomplish the same. Book it early

Bottomline is you.

Are you capable, confident & "qualified"???

It's your money for an inspector, It's your money if something comes up later.

What guarantee do you get from an inspector and are they financially able to back up the guarantee?

We had three of our glass lanai doors replaced because of scratches. If we had waited 11 months to have the inspection Villages would not have replaced them.

It’s not your home til closing doubt The Developer would allow it.

Do it!

For those having their own home built, get a pre drywall inspection done as well. This way you can really see the quality of the framing, plumbing and electrical. Once covered with drywall, it’s too late.

We had scratches on all ours as well. Got them replaced and one of the replacements had a scratch as well.

New homes are covered by a warranty, so I stand by my previous reply.

OP not sure I would hire an inspector unless house was a done deal. Punch list inspections can start at $350 depending on SF. So could get expensive if you are looking at couple of houses.

Punch Used to have 30 days. Yes Windows are a huge problem with multiple scratches. All 8 of our sliders were badly scratched. Took 3 times of replacement before all were clear and without defects. Some cabinet issues, couple floor issues. As a build house, every week we took pics with descriptions of issues. So day of closing my list was emailed to warranty by 5pm.

Initial punch list has to be submitted by day 7 or they may not replace it. We had 27 items on initial punch. Some of those had to be replaced or repaired again at 11 month inspection with Eric D’Angelo. Yes we booked Frank 6 months out. It’s our 4th with him.

The 1 year Warranty Inspection Is the fundamental inspection
 

I agree with VT that this one year inspection is the fundamental inspection that gets the Villages Warranty work list established. However there are certain aspects of your new home which have to be documented earlier as pointed out in previous posts: Check your contract to ensure the current rules.

The walkthrough with the builder is your first chance to get problems documented especially on cosmetic scratches etc. on sliding doors, cabinets etc. This used to be a 30 day limit.

Landscaping also had a 30 day limit. I documented a severe insect/ army worm problem and after tedious complaints and documentation up the line, The Builder replaced 9 pallets worth of sod.

During construction, I pointed out hose bib location, electrical outlet location errors caused by not following the documented specific building plans that our contract was based on and using a standard model layout.

The request to do detailed construction inspection on structure, electrical, and HVAC is the responsibility of the Local Building Inspection Department. The Builder needs to get signed approval for each stage which is documented on the Board for the job and in the County Records. You could not afford to get someone such as Frank D. to oversee the County's Job; and Frank or other inspector may not want to do it do to time constraints, etc.
Your Inspection visits during construction need to be discussed with the builder since he needs to permit your access during non working hours for safety. Hopefully you can establish a cordial working arrangement.

Remember as pointed out above. it is NOT your home until the Closing.

Home Inspectors
 

Always hire an independent home inspector to inspect your potential purchase. Warranty inspections are needed on a new home, but regular home inspections are very important on pre-owned. Your Realtor may have a list of preferred inspectors, watch out for this and find and hire your own guy.

You won’t be able to get inspection prior to closing. You have a short time for what they consider cosmetic. I closed in Dec 2022. I wish I had an inspection the first week.

Also, Jeff Aspach is a very good inspector. 352-748-2008. We used him and so did most of my neighbors.
I know they say, you get what you pay for. In this case that’s not true and he did come in less $$ than D’Angelo and did an excellent job.

doesn't matter if it's new or not ALWAYS do the inspection. It has paid off for us in the past big time.

YES, you need one,
Jeff Asbach.

If you’re talking about a brand new villages home you won’t be allowed to do anything before closing. We closed in Dec 2022, and weren’t allowed to hire anyone to do anything while still in escrow.

I don't think it matters if there isn't a contingency in the contract. Just like there's no contingency for a loan.

Personally I think most of them are a total waste of money especially on a brand new home that is covered with a a bumper to bumper warranty for a year.

$275 great investment

Grant inspections. Very smooth inspection. Very few items. Actually they pointed out good things the builder did.

I believe as a real estate agent for 30 years, I have always recommended having a four stage inspection during the building process. Foundation/ frame, plumbing and electrical, drywall and roof. It is a little more expensive but well worth it. If the home is already built the one year inspection is perfect

I agree with the Village Tinker. You should definitely get a home inspection on your new home before the one year warrenty runs out. You will be amazed what they will find. When I had my house done they found cement in my patio that was breaking up. I never would have looked for that. They also found problems with roofing shingles. They gave me a very detailed report which had pics of all discrepancies and info about my house that I wasn’t aware of.

I do not think The Villages allows you to have a home inspection on new construction before purchase since you don't own the home and they do. I know they allowed my State Farm inspection for sinkhole coverage to be performed prior to closing. I suggest a home inspection right after closing even if just for cosmetic issues. Cosmetic issues must be reported within the first seven days. If you do not have an attention to detail, then at least have someone who does come in and give a good exam. A good way is to examine during different times of day and night. When direct sunlight hits my cabinets they look awful. When it is very dark out, turn out all the lights and examine everything with a flashlight - you will be shocked! You may need to clean the windows and I say this is a priority to examine them. If cosmetic defects do not bother you and you are willing to live with them then you do not need to worry about this at all. I have been in numerous new homes that have tons of cosmetic defects and other people seem to be oblivious or choose to do nothing about them.

UNFORTUNATELY it is probably NOT in your best interest
to rely on your RE agent to assign the Home Inspector, and
represent you if you cannot be present for the process.

AS my wife and I found out when ALL 12 windows were
in need of repair, but Inspector only noted 4 as in need
of repair/replacement on the report, and

have also noticed that the Circuit Breakers for countertop
receptacles are 20 amp, BUT All outlets are only 15 amp.
* NOT recommended for Air Friers and assoc appliances

MANY MORE miscellaneous Defects and Discrepancies
are being revealed as we acquaint with our new home

You can hire an independent home inspector for right after closing. D'Angelo and Asbach are the most popular and send their reports directly to the warranty department. They are very good inspectors and find things you probably will not. The D'Angelos told me they focus on what they know warranty will fix. I would suggest you to look at the report before it goes over and make sure everything you want is in it. I wish I would have had an inspection right after closing. I waited until 10 months. We had almost no insulation in our attic and that could have been remedied a lot sooner. We reported well over 100 defects after closing. Our 10 month D'Angelo
inspection reported 62 defects. The warranty department told me all warranty work must be completed by the one year anniversary date. This contradicts what we were verbally told, "As long as it is reported before the one year is up it will be fixed." Also many people will repeat the salepeople's pitch, "Warranty is wonderful and will fix everything." This we also found not to be true in our case. The sooner you get defects reported and fixed, the more time you have to stay on it, and the better off you are. Good luck!

PGT Windows
 

I am 28 months since closing and still dealing with these very subpar PGT windows. Many of our windows and sliders have been replaced multiple times. One visit we were scheduled for 17 windows and two sliders. They showed up short 5 windows! The latest visit was an inspection I requested that found 8 windows that were previously replaced were the wrong glass. So next visit will be replacing them again. After that is resolved, I have asked that the many manufacturing marks be removed. I have been looking at them for 28 months but can't have that work done until all the glass is replaced. When we signed to have our custom home built, PGT was not the window supplier. This is a major disappointment. PGT windows used in The Villages new construction are a terrible product and have terrible installation. The vinyl is all scratched and the caulking is extremely messy. I know a couple who right after closing had every single window replaced due to poor installation.

Gonna have to disagree with you….. our inspection noted not enough insulation in attic, HVAC Condenser placed directly under area where two sections of roof created a valley….thus allowing water from roof to pour into condenser……just to name a few issues.

Great Florida home Inspector
 

Give Accurate Home Inspection a call 352-915-9084 For pre-owned full home inspections.

Not necessary. You should have a one year warranty on your new home. We found the warranty dept to be very responsive to even small problems, Get your inspection towards the end of your year before your warranty expires.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo, I get your first post now.

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

I don’t think it is necessary and would think it is rare. When we bought ours we did a walk through when we were giving the deposit and made a list of some obvious things that were fixed right away. Many/most do a walkthrough the day of closing with the developer or warranty dept I believe. This we didn’t do as we closed through the mail. On our first trip down our son who is a contractor went through the house and made a list of all the issues he found. We let the warranty dept know and I think we had 6-7 different vendors at the house over time. We never did a 1 year inspection since we had everything taken care of already. Long answer to say do what makes you feel comfortable.

Have the inspection. “New houses are covered by warranty for the first year” doesn’t cut it. Why? You have to find the issue. If the problem occurs after one year, you will have to pay for the repair. Pay the $350 to have an independent inspector go through your home at purchase AND before your 1 year anniversary.

Ive owned two homes here. During both inspections, the inspectors found issues that go back to construction. Issues that were not identified because “your house is under warranty for the first year”

Yes
 

Do it on day of close have them complete the 7 day punch list and file to warranty. They had to cut open kitchen ceiling to add 5 feet of insulation that got removed when dry wall went up. It is worth doing.

Home Inspection's on a New Home
 

I would recommend it. I had one done prior to receiving my Home Inspectors License and they found a window that wouldn't stay open. You can also ask the Inspection Company if the will do a punch list as part of the inspection as well.

Home - Central Florida Home Inspections

I agree about D’Angelo and all that you said. I am a retired commercial mortgage lender, and I can tell you that you need to have the home inspected and the repairs done by the warranty folks (who are terrific here) before the one year is up.

your real estate agent should be able to give you a name or two

Hawkeye home inspection is who I used he found over 60 items..

We also used Frank D'Angelo for our 1 yr home inspection. Very satisfied.