How To Make Sure Your New-Construction Home Is Built To The Highest Quality

In the 10 years that Wendy Arriz has been a real estate agent in New York City, she’s seen some of the best, selling ultraluxe new-construction homes, as well as lower-priced properties. But she’s also seen some of the not-so-best work out there.

“One of the things I’ve seen, even in the ultraluxe real estate market, is that there is not the attention to detail in craftmanship that you’d expect from new construction,” says Arriz, a broker at Warburg Realty Partnership. “I can’t even tell you what some of my clients have had to deal with. In some cases, they have punch lists that are pages long. As an agent, we’re not trained to know how to attack that for a client.”

You’re probably asking yourself the same question Arriz has asked herself plenty of times: if a home is newly built, shouldn’t it be perfect? Absolutely, says Marnie Oursler, owner of Marnie Custom Homes in Bethany Beach, Del., and host of DIY Network’s Big Beach Builds.

Ensuring your home is built to the highest standards and that you won’t have any major repairs to deal with soon after moving in comes down to the things you do before purchasing a home, says Oursler. Before signing any contracts, research the homebuilders you are interested in working with to gauge customer satisfaction. And, don’t be afraid to ask builders questions.

Oursler suggests speaking with past clients to see how satisfied they are with their home and how the builder dealt with any changes or repairs. “That’s going to give you a lot of good insight,” Oursler says. “No process is going to be smooth the entire way. You have to trust and know the builder.”

“If (a homebuyer feels) intimidated, then that’s not the builder they should be working with,” Oursler explains. “You should have a good relationship with your builder. Good builders want to answer your questions and assure you every step of the way.”

It’s also important to investigate the builder’s relationship with their contractors, because if they aren’t happy with the builder, that can affect their workmanship. The lesson here? Research a builder’s past work, build a good relationship, and ask questions.

Oursler also suggests hiring a third-party inspector to help you along the way, even though the home will go through a series of inspections by city and county building inspectors throughout the construction process. It’s important to note that some builders may not allow a third-party inspector. That’s usually not because of anything precarious; there are liability issues that may be of concern to your builder. If that’s the case, ask for regular updates, pictures, or even video they can provide to help you stay apprised of the work happening on your home.

While you may want to skip the inspector, don’t! Inspectors can help spot problems before you move in. During walkthroughs, homebuyers are often concerned with cosmetic repairs. Inspectors will dig deeper, checking that the “bones” work properly.

“The home inspector will be looking at the house from top to bottom,” says Mark Diplock, a senior inspections manager with Mike Holmes Inspections in Toronto. Diplock says an inspector will check things like plumbing, electrical systems and indoor air quality to help prevent any safety or health issues.

Here’s a shortlist of things that Diplock suggests checking, aside from cosmetics, to help make sure your new-construction home is built to the highest quality:

• Basement and attic: these areas are often overlooked during walkthroughs. Are they neat and cleared of debris? Is there proper insulation in the attic? Is the ductwork properly sealed and not kinked? Is the wiring neat?
• Plumbing: Flush toilets and run faucets to make sure they work properly. Run a stress test by running the shower and faucet and then flush the toilet to ensure the system can handle it. Are there any leaks or issues when conducting a stress test?
• Electrical: Do all the outlets work? Is there exposed or visible wiring that looks off or messy?
• Outdoor Areas: Is the grading sloped away from the home (so that storm water flows away from it)?

“If you can see a lot of sloppy workmanship, you may want to bring in an inspector,” says Diplock, adding that third-party inspectors are usually welcome at your home’s final walkthrough. An inspector can also be useful if you are within a year of moving into your new home, as they can spot any issues before one-year warranties expire.

Your new home will go through plenty of inspections throughout the construction process, but things can still happen, such as a trim nail hitting a pipe. How your builder has responded to past complaints or issues will help you understand how they will handle issues you face. Creating a strong relationship with your builder before your home is built will help ensure that you are getting the highest-quality home possible.