Date Published: 03/05/2020 [Source]
You've just bought a new home. I'm talking brand new — the builder just added all the finishes and handed over the keys. You're the first person to own it, and the home is brand new, so everything should be in good shape, right? You hope so, but that's not always the case. Even the best builders in the world can make a mistake during construction, or accidentally skip adding something crucial to your final build.
So how do we ensure that the quality of the home is up to par? What I like to see builders include in their packages are quality inspections by third-party home inspectors. To me, this marks a great builder from one who's just good. It means protection for you as a homeowner and helps protect the reputation of the builder too.
Inspectors can test air quality to search for pathogens that can be harmful to your health. I'm talking about things like formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mould and radon. VOCs are present in many building materials and finishes, so newly built homes tend to have higher levels of VOCs overall. High levels of radon can be present in any home, new or old, and in any location. A radon test is the only way to detect radon levels, so good builders will test their build site for radon and provide a rough-in for a radon mitigation system.
If you're purchasing a new build, find a builder that includes third-party inspections in their package. This is the largest purchase you'll likely ever make and it's important to ensure that it's been built to last. I get a lot of horror stories from homeowners whose new homes started falling apart immediately.