Getting a New Home Inspection

One of the many reasons why you should always work with a buyer’s agent when purchasing a new construction home is the pre-drywall inspection, otherwise known as the frame inspection. The frame inspection is much more than an examination of the frame. It is an up-close look at the components of the home that will no longer be visible once the drywall is installed. Those components include the entire electrical system, water lines, drain pipes, heating and cooling systems, ductwork and much more. In many ways, the frame inspection is the last opportunity ever to get an unobstructed view of these systems.

While the buyer’s agent doesn’t perform the inspection, they can recommend quality inspectors who have specific experience with frame inspections. After the inspection, they will walk you through the results of that inspection, ensuring you understand every detail. Most important, they will work with the builder to ensure all of the items in need of correcting are addressed. Defects in these systems often times don’t reveal themselves as significant problems until years after the home is built, typically when the home is no longer under warranty. Therefore, catching the defects at the inspection can save thousands of dollars in future repairs.

A typical frame inspection is approximately $400, and of course buyer representation on a new construction home costs $0, so there should be no reason to forego either.



-Tom Wolf, Phoenix Arizona Real Estate Agent

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