Tehama Country Real Estate

Tehama Country Real Estate – 3 Why You Must Hire A Home Inspector for New Construction Real Estate Spotlight By Alex Mason ready to build your dream house. The process is an exciting one to watch your home grow from a speck of dust into a fabulous structure with all the bells and whistles at your command. S However, there's a thorn in every rose, and one way to avoid getting pricked is to have a licensed home inspector at your side. When we hire a contractor, we tend to give a lot of gravity to what they say and assume that they always know what they are doing. However, unscrupulous behavior or momentary mistakes can come from almost any construction firm, and the home owner is the one who will ultimately pay the price. As a precaution, it is wise to invest into a licensed home inspector to ensure the home was constructed according to legal codes. What Does a Home Inspector Do? Your home inspector will check the materials and installation of essential components of the home to ensure that they meet the legal standards. This will include the plumbing system, electrical wiring, the sturdiness of the foundation, spacing from exterior wall to the fence or pool, satisfactory framing, and a myriad of other factors that need to be verified. If a new construction home is built outside of the city code laws, the property will not be able to be re- sold until it gets the A-OK from the new buyer's inspector. In addition, faulty wiring or sewage sys- tem can cost a home owner thousands of dollars in repairs and higher insurance premiums. To be safe and sane when venturing into a brand- new construction, don't worry about offending your contractor. You have to take care of your own inter- ests first and get an official opinion from the inspec- tor to ensure your new home is safe to live in and will meet the grade for re-sale. Contractor Excuses o, you have bought a plot of land and are Some contractors will communicate false and mis- leading information to the home owner by giving vague and ambiguous answers to tough questions. You may hear excuses such as they are building under industry standard conditions without clearly defining what they mean. This is a red flag to the home owner and should be cause for alarm. In addition, watch out for rebuttals that the con- tractor will take care of shoddy work under the war- ranty, as this is no excuse to build outside of city codes in the first place. Your best bet is to get a neutral home inspector that you have found yourself that has no ties with your contractor company. Check the phone book or ask your real estate professionals to recommend someone they know and trust. Your new home is a significant investment, and you owe it to yourself to ensure everything is finished correctly. If your contractor is a seasoned profession- al and has nothing to hide, he or she will stand with you in agreement to bring in an outside party for inspection. You may also check your contractor's references with online feedback forums listing the pros and cons from prior clients. Many of these consumer sites are free to use and can steer you away from a question- able contractor that could turn your dream home into a nightmare. Knowledge is power, so get all you can before you begin to build. Your contractor may work magic with bringing your house into being, but your home inspector is your watchdog to make sure you get everything you paid for and the house is safe and secure. Alex Mason is a former real estate agent and mortgage bro- ker living in Los Angeles.

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