NEW CONSTRUCTION QUALITY ASSURANCE

In our experience, however, most home builders produce a demonstrably good product; instances of gross negligience are few and far between. Still, building a new home is a complex and major endeavor. The quality of your new home's construction can be affected by many human and material performance factors, including but not limited-to:

• The size and scope of the builder's business operations
• The builder's schedule, profit requirement(s) and operating efficiency
• The quality reputation the builder and any subcontractors strive-for
• The availability and commodity cost of appropriate building materials at the time of your home's construction
• The soundness of the home's original design
• The experience and motivation of the builder's field superintendents and project managers or supervisors
• Local politics, and their impact on local development
• The capabilities of the builder's contractors and sub-contractors
• The quality and thoroughness of the local jurisdiction's building inspectors and building inspection department(s)

Everyone would like to believe that their new home is built to code; it is, after all, the LAW. Local jurisdictions (town, city, county and state) are charged-with reviewing construction plans and are also solely-responsible for issuing permits and inspecting work completed by your builder. In point-of-fact, the municipal or county building inspection department is the only entity possessing the authority to interpret and enforce building codes. So...where do the problems come-in?

Many home buyers are discovering that "building a home to code" is not an assurance that the home and its systems and components will meet their expectations for quality. In the end, compliance with building codes provides you only with the assurance that your new home is designed and built to safeguard life, health and public welfare.

Stem to Stern Inspection Services helps you receive the construction quality assurance you seek. We provide thorough, independent construction phase inspections of your home from foundation preparation, framing and mechanical installations, right through home delivery.

Typically, new construction quality assurance inspections (also known as new construction phase or new construction monitoring inspections) break-down into four or five phases:

PHASE I: Inspection of the home's foundation. Typically, a site inspection visit is performed just after the home's foundation is poured or constructed. Inspected items include the quality of the concrete pour (or block build), wall penetrations, rough grading around the site, floor slab pour, and visible rough utility installations. Some of our clients request that this inspection phase be broken-down into two site inspection visits, including a pre-pour or pre-build visit to inspect foundation preparation measures and all rough utility installations.

PHASE II: Inspection of the home's completed framing. A site inspection visit is performed when rough framing is completed, and includes the inspection of all wall, floor and roof structure(s), as well as supporting columns and beams.

PHASE III: Inspection of the home's rough mechanical installations, including fuel supply piping, heating and cooling supply and return ductwork or piping, water supply and drain/waste/vent plumbing, passive Radon reduction systems, and electrical supply and distribution provisions. Some of our clients also request that this inspection phase be broken-down into two site inspection visits; the second portion of the phase includes a return visit to the site to inspect all wall, floor and any overhead insulation provisions installed after completion of the rough mechanical installations. You may often hear this type of inspection referred-to as a "pre-drywall" inspection.

PHASE IV: Final inspection of the home, just prior-to, or during delivery of the home to you from your builder. All switches, fixture and outlets are tested, all plumbing fixtures and drainage provisions are tested, air conditioning and heating systems are operated, water heating provisions are inspected, windows, doors, cabinets, counters and interior finishes are inspected. The home's roof and exterior wall coverings are inspected, as are garage overhead doors and door operators, sump and ejector pumps, kitchen and laundry appliances, and any completed exterior hardscapes (driveways, sidewalks, patios, fences, etc.)

PHASE V: A 10- or 11-month "warranty inspection" is performed, just prior to the expiration of your builder's 1-year warranty period. All home systems are reviewed and inspected; any components requiring re-work, correction, repair or improvement are documented to prepare you for your builder's 11-month callback. Stem to Stern clients who order a full construction monitoring inspection series (Phases I - IV) receive their Phase V inspection at 1/2 the normal inspection price.

LOCAL (815) 521-1215

E-MAIL: inspect4me@sbcglobal.net