TITLE: Should You Get a Home Inspection on a New Construction Home in Illinois?
META DESCRIPTION: Buying a new construction home in Illinois? Learn why an independent inspection can uncover workmanship, drainage, roofing, HVAC and other issues.
Should You Get a Home Inspection on a New Construction Home in Illinois?
The house is brand new. The builder has inspected it. The municipality has been involved. Everything is under warranty.
So why would you pay for another inspection?
Because new doesn’t mean problem-free.
A new construction home inspection in Illinois gives the buyer an independent look at the house before taking ownership. It isn’t about assuming the builder did poor work. A new home involves many trades, hundreds of components and a long construction process. Things can be missed.
Pristine Inspections & Testing has been inspecting homes throughout Champaign and Central Illinois since 2007, including new construction. Their inspectors regularly find items in new homes that buyers are better off knowing about before closing rather than after moving in.
But Didn’t the City Already Inspect the House?
Probably, but a municipal building inspection and a buyer’s home inspection have different purposes.
Municipal inspections are part of the construction and permitting process and focus on applicable building requirements at different stages of construction. Your independent home inspector is working for you and evaluating the visible, accessible condition and operation of the home and its systems.
Pristine has made this point before in its article about why buyers shouldn’t automatically waive an inspection on new construction. Passing required construction inspections doesn’t mean every workmanship or installation issue that could matter to the homeowner was identified.
Think of the two inspections as serving different jobs rather than one replacing the other.
What Can Be Wrong With a Brand-New House?
More than most buyers expect.
A house isn’t manufactured as one finished product and delivered to the lot. It’s assembled over months by different crews and subcontractors.
Foundation and framing crews may be followed by roofers, plumbers, electricians, HVAC installers, insulation crews, drywall contractors, siding installers, flooring installers and finish carpenters.
Even a good builder coordinating good subcontractors can end up with something overlooked.
Pristine has documented this firsthand in its guide to 11 defects its inspectors keep finding in new Illinois construction.
Grading and Drainage Deserve Attention Before You Move In
The house may be new, but water still follows gravity.
Pristine’s inspectors report finding new construction where soil grading directs water toward the foundation rather than away from it. Drainage problems can also involve downspouts and areas where water is likely to collect around the house.
These aren’t particularly glamorous things to inspect. Buyers are understandably more interested in countertops and flooring during a final walkthrough.
But drainage can matter far more after several seasons of Illinois rain and snow.
Pristine’s standard residential inspection includes examination of exterior drainage along with the foundation and other structural components.
A New Roof Can Still Have Installation Issues
A roof doesn’t need to be 20 years old to deserve inspection.
On new construction, the question isn’t primarily whether the roofing material has worn out. The question is how the roof and related components were installed.
Pristine’s inspectors include the roof as part of the residential inspection, looking at visible and accessible roofing components rather than assuming new materials equal correct installation.
Flashing, penetrations, drainage and other visible details can be worth identifying before the buyer takes possession.
What Does an Inspector Look for in the Electrical System?
New electrical components can still have installation problems.
An independent inspection includes visible and accessible portions of the electrical system, including the electrical panel, outlets and other components covered by the inspection.
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation regulates home inspectors in Illinois. The state’s Standards of Practice include electrical systems among the systems evaluated during a licensed home inspection.
Pristine’s residential inspections include the home’s electrical system, outlets and related components. The objective isn’t to duplicate the electrical contractor’s work. It’s to evaluate the completed house from the buyer’s perspective and document observable deficiencies.
Plumbing Should Be Operated, Not Just Admired
A brand-new sink looks great.
Turn it on.
An inspection gives the plumbing system an opportunity to actually operate. Pristine’s residential inspection includes plumbing supply, functional flow and waste drainage.
An inspector can look for visible leaks, drainage problems and other observable concerns while fixtures are being operated.
This is exactly the kind of issue that’s easier to deal with while the builder still has crews finishing the house than after your moving boxes are stacked in the bathroom.
What About the Furnace and Air Conditioner?
HVAC equipment can be brand new and still deserve inspection.
The furnace, air conditioning system and water heater are among the systems Pristine examines during a Central Illinois home inspection.
The inspector is looking at accessible components and operation under the conditions present at the inspection.
Season matters here.
An air conditioner may not be appropriate to operate during cold Illinois weather, for example. A home inspection is subject to weather, accessibility and operating conditions, so the report should explain components that couldn’t be inspected.
The Attic Can Tell You a Lot About New Construction
Most buyers spend plenty of time in the kitchen before closing.
Very few spend much time in the attic.
An accessible attic can reveal information about insulation, ventilation, roof construction and other components that aren’t visible from the finished rooms below.
Pristine’s standard residential inspection includes the attic along with insulation type and amount where visible and accessible.
That makes the attic a useful part of a new construction inspection, even though it’s probably the least exciting part of your new house tour.
Should You Inspect Before Closing or Wait for the Builder Warranty?
If possible, finding issues before closing has an obvious practical advantage: you know about them before you’ve moved in.
That gives you an inspection report you can review with your real estate agent, attorney and builder as appropriate to your transaction.
Waiting for something to fail is different.
Yes, your builder may provide warranties. But a warranty doesn’t identify a problem for you. Something still has to bring that issue to your attention.
A small roof, drainage or plumbing concern is usually more useful to know about before it causes secondary damage.
Should You Attend the New Home Inspection?
If your schedule allows it, yes.
Pristine encourages buyers to accompany the inspector during the inspection process. This gives you an opportunity to ask questions and learn how the house and its major systems work.
That’s particularly useful with new construction because you’re starting with a clean slate.
Find the electrical panel. Learn where important shutoffs are located. Understand what the inspector is seeing rather than opening the PDF report later and trying to remember which attic vent or exterior corner a photograph refers to.
What Does an Illinois Home Inspection Cover?
Illinois regulates professional home inspectors through the Home Inspector License Act and associated Standards of Practice.
The state’s standards cover major areas including structure, exterior, roofing, plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling, insulation and ventilation, fireplaces and interior components.
Pristine’s residential inspection service examines the foundation, framing, roof, furnace, air conditioning, water heater, electrical and plumbing systems, attic, insulation, interior components, exterior, garage and drainage, among other visible and accessible components.
It’s still a home inspection, not destructive testing or a guarantee that nothing will ever go wrong. Accessibility, safety and conditions at the time of inspection affect what can be evaluated.
New Construction Home Inspection FAQs
Do I need a home inspection if my new Illinois house passed municipal inspections?
A buyer’s independent home inspection serves a different purpose. Municipal inspections address applicable construction requirements, while your home inspector evaluates the visible and accessible condition of the completed home and reports observed deficiencies for you.
Can a home inspector find problems in a brand-new house?
Yes. Pristine’s inspectors have documented issues in new Illinois homes involving grading, roofing, electrical components, plumbing, HVAC and other areas. New materials don’t eliminate the possibility of installation or workmanship problems.
When should I schedule a new construction inspection?
A buyer should generally discuss inspection timing with the builder, real estate agent and attorney so the inspection can occur when the home is sufficiently complete and there is still time to review the findings before closing.
Does a new construction inspection guarantee the builder will fix everything?
No. The inspection documents observable conditions. What the builder is required or agrees to correct depends on your purchase agreement, warranties and other terms of the transaction.
Are Illinois home inspectors required to be licensed?
Yes. Illinois regulates home inspectors through the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Pristine’s inspection team includes Illinois-licensed home inspectors with additional professional training and certifications.
Brand New Is Exactly When You Want a Baseline
There’s another reason to inspect a new house that doesn’t get discussed enough.
This is the beginning.
You haven’t owned the house for five years and wondered whether a problem was there when you bought it. An independent inspection gives you a detailed look at the property near the beginning of your ownership.
Hopefully, the inspector finds very little. That’s a good inspection result.
But if there is improper grading, an overlooked plumbing leak, an electrical concern or an installation issue somewhere in the attic, knowing about it before you’ve unpacked is considerably better than discovering it later.
If you’re buying a new construction home in Champaign, Urbana, Mahomet, Savoy, Bloomington or elsewhere in Central Illinois, schedule a home inspection with Pristine Inspections & Testing or contact Pristine with questions about inspecting your new home before closing.