The answer is YES...

No building contractor can build something as large and complex as a house without committing a few errors at various stages of the process. Throughout my years of inspecting, I have learned that all new homes will have their defects of one kind or another, regardless of the quality of construction or the integrity of the builder. This is because human imperfection prevents anything as large and as complex as a home from being constructed flawlessly.

The belief that any new product is free of defects and necessarily flawless runs contrary to common sense and experience. The return counter at any department store provides ample evidence of this fact. When applied to new homes, the belief that new means perfect can lead to very costly mistakes.

Many home buyers feel that they do not need to employ a professional home inspector because municipal building inspectors regularly inspect new homes. Let me personally tell you that a municipal inspection is not enough. The purpose, scope, time allotment and procedures are not the same for municipal inspections as they are for home inspections on the behalf of Buyers.

Home Buyers need to understand that many building inspectors are seeing over 12-15 homes a day and are inspecting primarily for code compliance's, and not for quality of workmanship. They can cite a builder for improper structural framing or for non-complying drain connections, but a poorly fitted door, improper installation of components, unprofessional installation of wiring, an uneven tile counter top and shoddy finish work are not on their list of concerns. Municipal inspectors rarely inspect an attic or a sub-area crawlspace. They come to the job site with a clipboard and a code book, not with a ladder, high-tech tools and overalls. Construction defects in such areas can escape discovery. Municipal inspectors typically inspect a roof from the ground or possibly from the builder's ladder. From these perspectives, roof defects are not always apparent.

Municipal inspections are performed before the utilities are turned on, so municipal inspectors cannot determine if the appliances and fixtures work. They don't test outlets for ground and polarity because this can be done only after the power is turned on. Nor, without power, can they test the performance of GFCI or AFCI safety breakers. Because there is no water or gas yet, municipal inspectors can't test plumbing fixtures such as sinks, showers, tubs and dishwashers, or gas fixtures such as furnaces, fireplaces and water heaters.

The municipal inspector is not looking at specific construction practices that tend to determine if a home is going to be a trouble-free investment or one that will require significant modification and repair in the future. As I previously mentioned, they are primarily code compliance inspectors. In the past, I've always picked up on many building or safety infractions that municipal building officials had totally ignored. I've never performed a newly constructed home inspection that was totally flawless. Your home inspection report will always contain a list of items that need to be corrected. There is no perfect home. So, a professional home inspection on a brand new home is always beneficial. As one municipal inspector has stated in the past..."What we do is a cursory inspection, we do not check everything. That is not our job. We don't even warrant the work. We are going to look for the big stuff." The keyword here is "BIG STUFF". My question is.....How do they find the BIG STUFF on a simple cursory inspection?

Another interesting fact is, anyone who has worked in the construction field can tell stories of the shortcuts and human errors that routinely occur, even on the best built of homes. Workmen have bad days, materials can have defects, details can be overlooked, components can be omitted, and municipal building inspectors can have too little time to check every nook and cranny within the house.

So the choice is yours. If you still would like to take chances on waiving your home inspection on your newly constructed home, I seriously think you're making a big mistake and I honestly wish you the best of luck. There is a lot of shoddy construction out there and the construction errors I find on a daily basis is absolutely astonishing. Maybe this news clip will help you make your decision.

Welcome! My name is David Valley and I want to thank you for your interest in Massachusetts Infrared (Thermal) Inspections. As part of my on-going commitment to reliability for my Home Inspection clients, I am now offering a valuable preventive and predictive maintenance option called…Infrared Inspections, also known as Thermal Imaging. This outstanding technology gives me the ability to actually observe what’s going on behind those finished walls and ceilings of your existing or prospective home?

Thermal imaging (IR) is highly advanced technology that was originally developed by our high tech military for use in enhancing night vision in advanced weapons systems during the Korean War. It was used extensively by our ground forces for general theatre scanning, target acquisition and sighting enemy objects in the midst of darkness.

This truly amazing camera technology is so astonishing, that it is now slowly migrating into the residential and commercial inspection field. Thermal Imaging is quite possibly, the most important technology to be utilized in the Residential and Commercial inspection profession today. In the hands of Certified, Trained and Experienced Thermographer's (such as myself), an infrared camera allows me to detect hidden issues behind finished surfaces of any building by evaluating the camera’s images and temperature readings and then interpreting these readings directly to you.

Everything from faulty wiring (whether it is in the wall or exposed), to the presence of concealed Termites, concealed wet insulation and even Mold build-up will affect the surrounding temperature of a surface. Heat-sensitive photography (IR) can reveal these and many other serious issues that cannot be seen by the naked eye or with conventional or digital photography. My infrared camera enables me to detect extremely small but crucial heat patterns from one area of a structure to another. Even though thermal anomalies are invisible to the eye, temperature variations will clearly show up on my infrared camera’s view screen as “cold” or “hot” spots. These spots will contain color variations along with excessive temperature differentials if hidden issues are lurking behind surfaces of your building. The spectrum's of light will allow me to analyze what’s going on in specific areas throughout your building. As you and I walk through your building, I will be pointing out any areas of concern and then interpreting my IR camera readings directly to you. These readings and images will be "saved" for insertion into your final Infrared Report.

Without utilizing my infrared camera, there may be hidden defects that can normally go undetected in the course of my standard visual inspection. Infrared cameras are the latest technology that is being used today for fast, reliable, and accurate building diagnosis in the entire range of building problems. It is now recognized as the most effective and least intrusive of all building diagnostic procedures. Thermal imaging allows me to easily locate an array of hidden building conditions with astonishing speed and accuracy.

Hello Everyone,

I'm would like to introduce myself. My name is David Valley and I'm the owner of Massachusetts Home Inspections out of Methuen, Mass. I was invited here from Susan deRosas who I want to thank very much for the invitation.

I joined this social network so that I can assist you all in getting your home related questions answered in a timely manner. I have inspected over 3,000 homes in the states of Massachusetts, and New Hampshire and there isn't a home related question that will ever stump me. I know homes and their components like the back of my hand and I feel comfortable in giving you all the correct answers to any question you may have.

If you're interested in learning more about myself and my background, please visit...

http://www.masscertifiedhomeinspections.com/?D=5