Top 10 Findings on New Homes

Workmanship in new home home construction continues to be a challenge for Central Texas builders and their sub contractors in 2023. Just last week I had a new home final walk inspection that revealed an AC system that was not working - the condenser unit would not cycle on. Low and behold, the service wires were left dangling in the service panel. There was a breaker labelled “AC” for the condenser, but that breaker had conductors installed that went elsewhere (to the car charger outlet in the garage to be exact).

So in the spirit of the old David Letterman Late Night Show, here are my top 10 Findings on New Home Construction:

#10. Electrical: Arc Fault/Ground Fault Interrupters that don’t trip or are not installed correctly (these are important safety features). Breakers & conductors that may not be identified.

#9. Gas Connections: Connected systems have not been set up correctly since the utility installed the meter and turned on the gas. Water heaters and furnaces are the most affected. As a sidebar, it is also important to ensure that the gas service is installed so that a complete inspection can be performed. It’s not unheard of for a gas leak to be present.

#8. Attic ventilation not installed or inadequate. Yes, I have inspected homes with no attic vents installed. This will affect your heating & cooling bill as well as shingle life span.

#7. Attic access missing in the garage or other area. Access should be installed where there is a vertical height of 30” or more.

#6. Fire door from house to garage that does not close automatically.

#5. Attic area: Attic access in livable space is not weather stripped and insulated. Access panel(s) not fire retardant rated. Distribution of insulation is non-uniform (will affect AC/Heating bills).

#4. Kitchen area: Dishwashers with inadequate drain line loops and garbage disposals with construction debris in them.

#3. Roof area: Missing or lifted roof flashing at critical locations - a sure fire way for water infiltration to occur into the home. Shingles that are lifted, not adhered correctly (potential wind damage) or shingles that were damaged during construction (like workers using ladders on the finished roof covering).

#2. Exterior envelope: Gaps and voids where moisture infiltration or unwanted pests could take up residence (including weather stripping at doors).

And the #1 finding: HVAC systems: Breaches either in the air handler panels; panel to plenum/duct connections; condenser line/condensate drain line penetrations; or condensate drain lines themselves. I find this problem on 99% of homes that I inspect. There are two kinds of problems with leaking air: Either the air leaks outward (efficiency) which can cause perpetual condensation (mold risk) or it can draw unfiltered air into the system (air quality). I also find (about 50% of the time) systems that aren’t cooling efficiently.

Hiring an independent third party inspector like me will uncover these problems as well as other items that can be unique to any given home. I will also make recommendations (according to best practice methods) to meet those challenges. My written report will give you leverage with your builder if anything goes wrong pertaining to an item I found & made recommendations for repair on, but they didn’t feel it necessary to address.