New or Existing, get it inspected either way

The March 2013 issue of Money magazine included an article examining the pros and cons of buying a just-built home versus an existing home. While the article focused on Sales Price, Speed of Transaction, Cost of Ownership, and Chance for Near-Term Gains, what it didn't talk about was that just-built homes and existing homes each need to be inspected by a certified home inspector before you buy.

A March 2012 post on this blog showed the attic in a new house I had inspected recently -

No insulation at all. Now, is that something you would check as soon as you move into your new home?

Probably not. Instead, you'd be wondering why it cost so much to cool and heat your new place.

In another new construction, I couldn't get the kitchen sink spray hose to extend from its resting place. The dishwasher's drain hose and the spray hose were tangled up under the sink. Further, the dishwasher was susceptible to backflow from the sink's garbage disposal because of the way its drainage hose had been placed. Again, you don't usually move into a brand new house and immediately check under the kitchen sink.

And a July 2009 post on this blog detailed a new house where I filled the whirlpool bathtub in the master bath as part of the inspection. As the water drained, it ran out all over the bathroom floor and flooded the rooms underneath. The tub's drain pipe hadn't been connected to anything. In another new house, I found that the control wire for the furnace had been connected to the doorbell instead of the house's thermostat. A couple of weeks into your first winter in the house, you'd wonder why the house only felt comfortable when the pizza guy rang the doorbell. And one more just-built house horror story for you - the kitchen garbage disposal had no power cord connected to it.

Yes, your builder's warranty covers things in your just-built home. Yes, you have a year to make a list of what needs to be repaired. Getting a Kansas City home inspection from Complete Home Inspection BEFORE you move in, though, gets you a jump start on that list and allows you to get many of those things fixed before you take occupancy. While warranties may protect you, the time lost, the inconvenience and the frustration you'll experience can only be handled by getting a Complete Home Inspection for your new property. So let me handle you final walk-through for you. Put my experienced eye to work for you and your family.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and new construction final walk-throughs, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.