Discovering hidden flaws soon after moving into a brand-new home can be crushing. Besides dampening your home-owning excitement, construction defects require costly repairs. This undermines your decision to buy a newly built house and puts a considerable strain on your finances. That’s what makes phase inspections a crucial safeguard for new construction homebuyers.

What are Phase Inspections? 

Phase inspections are meticulous checks that ensure your new house is built to code. They epitomize the popular adage “a stitch in time saves nine” when buying a newly built home.

Inspectors take a fine-tooth comb through the house while it is still under construction, hunting for potential shortcomings. They check every system, including foundation, carpentry, plumbing, and electrical wiring, to ensure they’re up to par.

Checking for design flaws and defects while construction is ongoing pays off in droves. Detecting home system problems is easier when they aren’t hidden behind walls or dry concrete. That keeps your contractor accountable and ensures they don’t cut corners.

Phase inspections are a preemptive move that lowers a home’s maintenance needs. With proper installation, most home systems have an exceptionally long lifespan. You can enjoy your new home for decades without major repairs or upgrades.

Skilled inspectors know exactly what to look for in each construction phase and can quickly identify deficiencies. Since the contractor is on the hook for the shoddy work, they’ll often fix the problems at no charge.

As such, hiring a phase inspector offers the highest guarantee that you’re moving into a maintenance-free home.  While there’s no limit to how many phase inspections you may have, most owners settle for three, including:

• Foundation: An inspector assesses the home’s surface preparation and evaluates the sewer and drain lines before the builder pours the slab.
• Pre-drywall: This inspection happens before the builder installs the insulation and drywall and closes the walls. It’s the best time to inspect the electrical wiring, plumbing pipes, roof structure frame, and duct installation because they’re fully exposed.
• Final inspection: It happens before closing on the home. An inspector checks the home systems, electrical, plumbing, doors, windows, and roof. While helpful, this type of home inspection doesn’t tell the whole story since most of these systems are hidden behind the sheetrock.

Common New Home Problems 

Unfortunately, hiring the most reputable builder doesn’t guarantee a perfect home. Construction is a complex process with multiple timelines and trades, creating room for construction defects.

Phase inspections help ensure such mistakes—intentional or not—don’t go unnoticed. Without proper oversight, you may move into your dream home only to discover:

• Cracks in the foundation
• Leaking pipes
• Faulty electrical wiring
• Drafty doors and windows
• Safety issues
• Problems with the roof
• HVAC system issues
• Drainage problems

Benefits of a Phase Inspection

Conducting a phase inspection guarantees a flawless home by ensuring every system is built to code. They help you detect and fix building code oversights and construction defects before the house is complete.

A typical phase inspection helps detect issues with the home’s energy efficiency, water intrusion, fire-blocking techniques, and poor indoor air quality. Such problems usually become apparent after moving in or a few short years.

After each phase inspection, your inspector prepares a detailed report of the findings. It highlights what’s been done right and provides irrefutable proof of the shortcomings. You may then ask your contractor to fix the identified problems before completing the build.

While most builders are happy to fix the problems, others aren’t too keen. In that case, a written home inspection report provides grounds for legal action against the contractor.

Don’t Settle for Anything Less than Perfect

Despite the prevailing affordable interest rates, the cost of new houses is through the roof. After spending a fortune on newly built, you rightly deserve a maintenance-free home. Conducting phase inspections ensures your builder delivers a perfect house, guaranteeing a smooth and rewarding home-owning experience.