A few good reasons new home buyers need us!

**Scott Patterson** · 08-19-2008, 06:46 AM

The following are from an inspection on a $700K home built by a national home builder. Home had just received it's CO from the city an hour before I did the inspection.

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**James Bohac** · 08-19-2008, 07:00 AM

I have found more problems with new construction than existing homes lately. The quality of workmanship has declined over the years. The best builder is only as good as his worst sub. I get so tired of hearing " it passed code inspection " by builders.

**Dan Harris** · 08-19-2008, 08:10 AM

Locally, the new home market is huge, yet less than 10% new home owners see the value using us.
Big question is.. How do we get the message to the other 90%??

**James Bohac** · 08-19-2008, 08:42 AM

Educating the Realtors is crucial. The problem with many developments is that they hire a specific company to list their homes. As with most listing agents, home inspections are not a big priority, more of a nuisance. They like to use language such as " everything is covered under warranty". Quality buyers reps tend to seem to be more protective of thier clients

**Nick Ostrowski** · 08-19-2008, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by James Bohac

Educating the Realtors is crucial. The problem with many developments is that they hire a specific company to list their homes. As with most listing agents, home inspections are not a big priority, more of a nuisance. They like to use language such as " everything is covered under warranty". Quality buyers reps tend to seem to be more protective of thier clients

Luckily, realtors generally are not involved when a new construction home sale takes place. So that is one obstacle out of the way. But public perception is that the house is new so what could be wrong. If you have a bunch of pictures of defects from new construction homes, post them up on your websites. If new home buyers even look at HI websites out of curiosity, seeing some actual defects that slip through the cracks may make them think twice.

Brian Thomas · 08-19-2008, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by James Bohac

I have found more problems with new construction than existing homes lately. The quality of workmanship has declined over the years. The best builder is only as good as his worst sub. I get so tired of hearing " it passed code inspection " by builders.

Exactly, how much time does a building inspector actually spend on a job site these days? 15 minutes? Especially considering he is probably looking at 10 houses that day. No way they can see eveything just quickly walking thru the place.

Id be scared to death to buy a brand new house these days unless it was builtby a very reputable custom home builder that took his time doing it. I would never want a new home built by a builder that is a mass producer.

Scott, maybe im missing something but whats going on with the 2nd picture? I see in the last picture that the morons switched the water lines. thats hilarious. People seem to think "its a new house what could possibly be wrong with it"? Plenty!

Ted Menelly · 08-19-2008, 10:20 AM

Brian

"very reputable custom home builder"

He just has custom in front of his name so he can get a better mark up. Most builders in a particular area all use the same subcontractors. (shoot, subcontractors, am I going to catch hell, I know some folks say there is no such thing as subcontractors)

Brian Thomas · 08-19-2008, 10:26 AM

Well im definitely gonna do a ton of research on the builder before hiring anyone ever again. I got burned once on a contractor that put a new porch on my house.

For a builder, Im going to do 10 times the research I did on that contractor. I know there are alot of very bad contractors and builders out there but im sure there are actually some reputable ones as well(I hope)

**Scott Patterson** · 08-19-2008, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Brian Thomas

Scott, maybe im missing something but whats going on with the 2nd picture? I see in the last picture that the morons switched the water lines. thats hilarious. People seem to think "its a new house what could possibly be wrong with it"? Plenty!

In the second picture it shows a TJI joist that has had the top cord cut to accommodate the line for a toilet. Can't cut the top or bottom cord of a engineered joist.

This is a better picture:

Brian Thomas · 08-19-2008, 11:32 AM

ah ok, i see what youre talking about now. I didnt see that it was an engineered joist in the first pic

**Jerry Peck** · 08-19-2008, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

In the second picture it shows a TJI joist that has had the top cord cut to accommodate the line for a toilet. Can't cut the top or bottom cord of a engineered joist.

This is a better picture:

Also needs to be firestopped around that pipe. And, no, more 'caulking' is not going to do it.

In fact, ... (oh, no, not this again) ... is that caulking even compatible (chemical compatibility-wise) with that PVC?

I know, the TJI cut top chord is more of a major issue, just checking to see if you got the secondary issues too.

**Scott Patterson** · 08-19-2008, 12:01 PM

That caulk was latex caulk that somebody squirted under the toilet to try and level it out. They must have pumped 2 or 3 tubes of caulk under the toilet. The joist had already allowed the floor to sag about an inch. I figure it took about six months of the home just sitting and folks using the toilet. This was a half bath that was used by folks looking at the quality work that this builder did!

I did not say anything about the caulk being compatible with the PVC, never knew it to be a problem with latex caulk.

**Raymond Wand** · 08-19-2008, 02:37 PM

Just out of interest, I saw somewhere that caulk was a suitable firestop providing it was rated as such. I know some silicones are used on woodstoves are rated upto 600 degrees F, and some are even higher rated than that.

3M™ Fire Protection Product Catalog

Shop 3M: CP-25 WB+ 10.1 fl oz Cartridge

imported_John Smith · 08-19-2008, 03:14 PM

Does any of your feedback ever make it to the city engineering department. It seems like they would like to know if there are problems that one of their crew accepted.

**Jerry McCarthy** · 08-19-2008, 06:21 PM

Bean counters + low bidders = crapola

**Jerry Peck** · 08-19-2008, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

I did not say anything about the caulk being compatible with the PVC, never knew it to be a problem with latex caulk.

I'm not sure about PVC, but they are mostly not compatible with CPVC. Take your everyday White Lightning, Polyseamseal, etc., all latex "adhesive" caulks and all not compatible with CPVC. I raised the question because I am not sure if the same applies to PVC, but if it does, that would be one area I would not want to have to access and repair later.

**Scott Patterson** · 08-19-2008, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by imported_John Smith

Does any of your feedback ever make it to the city engineering department. It seems like they would like to know if there are problems that one of their crew accepted.

Nah, its not my problem. I have a job to do, and I think I do it pretty darn good. The Code Bubba's have a job to do and some do a good job and some really are stinkers.

What many folks don't realize is that the Code Bubba's in many if not most municipalities are under tremendous political pressure from the powers to be. Might be the Mayor, county supervisors, etc., whenever one of their builder friends gets upset because they are being forced to follow the minimal standard they complain and a phone call is made.

I kind of like it when the Code Bubba's are missing things left and right. Means more work down the road after the neighbors start talking!

**Jack Feldmann** · 08-21-2008, 01:26 PM

We (local inspectors) have a pretty good relationship with the County Code guys. Many times they have used our findings to "instruct" their guys to do a better job. LIke the house without a plumbing vent through the roof and code guy just passed the CO as I was standing there.