Purchasing a new construction home comes with a lot of advantages that are usually worth the higher price tag to a buyer. Unfortunately, there tends to be a misconception surrounding new construction homes and whether or not they need an inspection. While new construction homes do tend to have fewer issues than older homes, this does not guarantee that a home is without flaws or safety defects. Just like having a research paper peer-reviewed, there are always errors that come to light with a fresh set of eyes. 

One of the biggest issues in new construction homes is a contractor's use of sub-contractors. When hiring multiple outside contractors to work on different components of the home, some of the smaller items could be looked over, rushed, or forgotten all-together. ​For instance, all of the photos below were taken at an inspection of a new construction home. If a homeowner found all of these issues after moving into their new home and didn't obtain a home warranty, the repairs alone could cost upwards of $1,000. 

Some of these specific issues are small cosmetic mistakes that won't cause much damage however, left untreated the issues with the fascia and loose siding could lead to excess water damage over time and cause thousands of dollars in repairs.

If an builder does include a 3rd party quality inspection in the purchase price of your home, looking into additional ancillary inspections could also protect you and your investment in the long run. For instance, we inspected a new construction home recently and our client decided to add on a sewer scope inspection. At some point during the build of their new home, someone crushed their sewer line. Sewer line replacement can cost anywhere from $6,000-$12,000 and in most cases, is not covered under home warranties or common homeowners insurance policies. 

Radon is another Inspection that should still be purchased regardless of the age of a home. Radon is a Radioactive gas that comes up from the ground and can enter a house in many different ways. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and should be tested for in order to install a mitigation system if needed. Radon does not discriminate between new and old homes.
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This blog is in no way meant to tear down builders or their work however, it is meant to equip clients and their realtors with more information. 

Have you used, or been told to use RID-X for septic maintenance? 

Additives like RID-X or yeast can actually cause you more money and headache than not using anything. RID-X contains much stronger enzymes than the natural bacteria that is found in a healthy septic system. Breaking down solids at a much more rapid rate actually allows them to travel out to your drain field. This will lead to your drain field becoming clogged and potentially even needing to be replaced, and the average septic system replacement cost could set you back anywhere from $8,000 - $25,000!

How can you maintain a healthy septic system?

• Avoid adding harsh chemicals like bleach, antifreeze, and pesticides to your system that could destroy the natural bacteria
• Never flush inorganic materials like dental floss, feminine hygiene products, kitty litter, cigarette butts, or paper towels
• Tanks should be pumped, on average, every 3 years depending on the size of the tank and the home's water usage
• Get a septic inspection to ensure your system is working correctly and there are no clogs or broken pipes leading to your drain field

Be aware of everything you are putting down your sinks and NEVER treat your toilets or sinks like
a garbage can.