Why It Pays to Have a Home Inspection Before Your Builder’s Warranty Expires

For many new homeowners, the first year of living in a newly built home can feel like an extended honeymoon. Everything looks shiny and showroom fresh: the gleaming appliances, finished attic, sparkling granite countertops, track lighting in the master bedroom, polished wood floors, and all the touches that turn a house into a home. Sipping coffee in the breakfast nook, a content homeowner may look around and exclaim, “This is perfect. Simply perfect!”

But is it?

As you approach your first-year anniversary in the house, it can be easy to forget that your builder’s one-year home warranty is about to expire. First, take the time to read over what the warranty covers (for example, one to two years for materials and workmanship, as in many contracts). Then, call a home inspector to give the property a thorough examination before it’s too late.

For those warranties that are set to become ineffective, companies like A-Pro Home Inspection offer an 11-Month Warranty Inspection—an ideal opportunity to have contractors and subcontractors fix often hard-to-detect problems at their expense rather than your own. Even when no issues are found, such inspections give homeowners the peace of mind of knowing there are no major problems to contend with at the moment. Anyone who never skips a yearly doctor’s physical understands the genuine value of these examinations.

The 11-Month Warranty Inspection includes a comprehensive visual and operational inspection of the following (when accessible):

· Interior and Exterior Walls, Windows, and Doors

· Heating and Cooling Systems

· Basement/Crawlspace

· Fireplace

· Roof and Attic

· Electrical

· Plumbing

Within 24 hours of the A-Pro inspection, the homeowner receives a detailed report—with digital photos—noting any defects. This report can be used to ensure that the contractors and subcontractors honor the builder’s warranty while it’s still in force.

Even if the builder’s warranty includes a quality control checkup from the contractor (as some contracts do), calling a home inspector—a trained and impartial third party—is a smart idea to receive a completely unbiased report on the property.

What Your Inspector May Discover:

Over more than 25 years, the certified home inspectors at A-Pro Home Inspection have discovered a number of issues while performing 11-Month Warranty Inspections, including wet basements; improper grading; broken gutter systems; substandard or damaged roof flashing that is causing undetected leakage; and major safety concerns, such as flue pipe disconnections and wiring fire hazards. While some 11-Month Inspection issues may be due to improper installations and questionable workmanship, others can result from normal occurrences in a new home, such as shrinkage cracks in lumber. These can appear when the wood’s moisture content is lost after the heating season.

Ask your local A-Pro Home Inspection team about 11-Month Warranty Inspections in Boulder. To schedule one, call 1-720-438-4595 or visit the link below.