| The belief that any new product is free of defects | | | | can be done only after the power is turned on. Nor, |
| and necessarily flawless runs contrary to common | | | | without power, can they test the performance of |
| sense and experience. The return counter at any | | | | GFCI or AFCI safety breakers. Because there is no |
| department store provides ample evidence of this fact. | | | | water or gas yet, municipal inspectors can't test |
| When applied to new homes, the belief that new | | | | plumbing fixtures such as sinks, showers, tubs and |
| means perfect can lead to very costly mistakes. | | | | dishwashers, or gas fixtures such as furnaces, |
| Many home buyers feel that they do not need to | | | | fireplaces and water heaters. |
| employ a professional home inspector because | | | | The municipal inspector is not looking at specific |
| municipal building inspectors regularly inspect new | | | | construction practices that tend to determine if a home |
| homes. Let me personally tell you that a municipal | | | | is going to be a trouble-free investment or one that will |
| inspection is not enough. The purpose, scope, time | | | | require significant modification and repair in the future. |
| allotment and procedures are not the same for | | | | As I previously mentioned, they are primarily code |
| municipal inspections as they are for home inspections | | | | compliance inspectors. In the past, I've always picked |
| on the behalf of Buyers. | | | | up on many building or safety infractions that municipal |
| Home Buyers need to understand that many building | | | | building officials had totally ignored. I've never |
| inspectors are seeing over 12-15 homes a day and are | | | | performed a newly constructed home inspection that |
| inspecting primarily for code compliance's, and not for | | | | was totally flawless. Your home inspection report will |
| quality of workmanship. They can cite a builder for | | | | always contain a list of items that need to be |
| improper structural framing or for non-complying drain | | | | corrected. There is no perfect home. So, a |
| connections, but a poorly fitted door, improper | | | | professional home inspection on a brand new home is |
| installation of components, unprofessional installation of | | | | always beneficial. As one municipal inspector has |
| wiring, an uneven tile counter top and shoddy finish | | | | stated in the past..."What we do is a cursory inspection, |
| work are not on their list of concerns. Municipal | | | | we do not check everything. That is not our job. We |
| inspectors rarely inspect an attic or a sub-area | | | | don't even warrant the work. We are going to look for |
| crawlspace. They come to the job site with a | | | | the big stuff." The keyword here is "BIG STUFF". My |
| clipboard and a code book, not with a ladder, high-tech | | | | question is... How do they find the BIG STUFF on a |
| tools and overalls. Construction defects in such areas | | | | simple cursory inspection? |
| can escape discovery. Municipal inspectors typically | | | | Another interesting fact is, anyone who has worked in |
| inspect a roof from the ground or possibly from the | | | | the construction field can tell stories of the shortcuts |
| builder's ladder. From these perspectives, roof defects | | | | and human errors that routinely occur, even on the |
| are not always apparent. | | | | best built of homes. Workmen have bad days, |
| Municipal inspections are performed before the utilities | | | | materials can have defects, details can be overlooked, |
| are turned on, so municipal inspectors cannot | | | | components can be omitted, and municipal building |
| determine if the appliances and fixtures work. They | | | | inspectors can have too little time to check every |
| don't test outlets for ground and polarity because this | | | | nook and cranny within the house. |