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American Dream Home Inspection LLC
Helping you realize your American Dream
 
Phone: 847-638-6471                          Home                          Fax: 847-387-3036
 

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Text Box: New Construction Issues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Congratulations! You're building a new home. It is important for you to realize that no house is perfect. A home inspection is needed by you, too. Below is a list of common problems found in newly constructed homes.  In many new homes passive Radon mitigation systems are installed. These systems do not significantly lower Radon levels in your new home. This does not eliminate the need for Radon testing. You need to know the Radon levels in your new home! Call American Dream Home Inspection LLC. for a complete home inspection and Radon testing. Make your dream home a safe home for you and your family. Text Box: PROBLEMS TYPICALLY FOUND WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION Poor paint job missed places, paint drips, or paint on areas where it should not be. Poorly done drywall job with seams, nail and/or screw head pops showing. Appliances not installed or poorly installed. For example the dishwasher not secured to the countertop. Damaged appliances, resulting in lost warranties. Failure to paint the tops, bottoms, and sides of exposed wood on wooden sashes and doors. Failure to clean the ductwork. Switches and receptacles that don't work. Scratches and gaps on the hard wood floors. Kitchen and bath cabinet doors may not be properly aligned. Doors, stiles, and rails may be split, cracked, or broken. Scratches or cracks present within the granite or Formica counter top.  Failure to properly bond or electrically install the garbage disposal. Leaking plumbing traps. Shower and bathtub tiles are poorly caulked into the tub or floor.  The ceramic and marble floor and wall tiles are poorly sealed. Loose shingles or debris remaining on the roof's surface. The insulation board is broken during the installation of the exterior siding or the brick veneer. Floor and ceiling mechanical and electrical penetrations are not sealed with an appropriate fire and fume-stopping material. This is a safety hazard! Joist hangers are not nailed in every slot, as is required. The result is weak framing. Mudsills are not flat washered and nutted, as they are required to be. The problem is the house will not be secured to the foundation. A poured concrete foundation wall that is not poured level and to the correct height and dimension. Gaps below the mudsill should be filed with a non-shrink structural mortar. Cracks in foundation walls with water seepage. Concrete contractors might not remove their form ties or they forget to parge over any areas where the form ties were removed. Sooner or later, these form ties crack the foundation walls as they rust. Therefore, the basement will take on water. Structural steel beams may not be mortared into their beam pocket. This can cause the structural beam to shift. Heating and cooling ducts are not tape sealed with an approved heating tape, as is required. The result is lost air flow. Supply and waste piping may not have an adequate number of supports or fasteners to secure them. Electricians and plumbers may notch or cut through joists and studs in the correct spot, making the framing weak. Crawl spaces may not be covered with plastic and stone, in order to prevent excessive moisture. Dryers should be installed with steel flue pipes and clamps. This is a safety hazard. The primary sources of heat loss, in new construction, are due to the lack of insulation or sealant around the band joist, the mudsill, and around the doors and windows. NOTE: Heating and cooling bills are going up$$$. Over flow tray or tub not installed under the wash machine and hot water heater. This may result in future water damage. There might be some cracked or open mortar joints on any masonry building. Exterior structural lintels not painted. This will result in premature rusting and failure. Lintels are expensive to replace. Foundation windows and doors in masonry buildings may be inadequately equipped with flashing and weep holes. They are required in order to prevent moisture penetration and possible mold growth. Most municipalities require one basement exit window that is larger than the others. This exit window is required to have a ladder in the window well. Down spouts should extend 5' or more from the foundation, and exterior landscaping should be properly graded. These are crucial for water management that will help prevent the potential for wet basements and possible foundation failure. Radon levels can exceed 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L). Levels above 4 (pCi/L) should be mitigated. Elevated Radon levels can be a health hazard.  

American Dream Home Inspection LLC
Helping you realize your American Dream
Phone: 847-638-6471                                                                                                                     Fax: 847-387-3036
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