Pre drywall home inspection - new home buyers should watch

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Near the beach in Delaware
I watched this home inspection video and I am sure glad I am not about to buy one of those quickly built homes in a sub division. In southern DE they are building a 100 homes in any cornfield they can find.

This home inspection would scars the crap out of me if I was a perspective buyer.

The worst problem (not sure how they would fix it) was it looks like they were short one roof truss from the number on the design. So they spaced out the ones they had a little farther apart to make up for the missing one. Holy crap.

 
My Dad retired as an electrician, and then became a 3/4 time municipal building inspector.

He already knew what he was going to deal with as an inspector, before he ever accepted the job. He'd already been looking at other people's work for decades. He already knew which builders did a good job, and which ones didn't.
 
I've seen some real shoddy work in my 40+ years of painting working on high end new construction and renovation projects. A recent trip to Florida took the cake. I wanted to see a model home that used a flex room as a third bedroom, and they didn't have one so they took us to a house which was under construction getting ready for drywall. All the stud work was done as well as the electric and duct work. When I looked the studs that were going to hold the sheetrock ceilings up were spaced at about 36" on center. That's a first for me, I wonder if the building inspectors are paid to look the other way.
 
I watched this home inspection video and I am sure glad I am not about to buy one of those quickly built homes in a sub division. In southern DE they are building a 100 homes in any cornfield they can find.

This home inspection would scars the crap out of me if I was a perspective buyer.

The worst problem (not sure how they would fix it) was it looks like they were short one roof truss from the number on the design. So they spaced out the ones they had a little farther apart to make up for the missing one. Holy crap.


Yes they’ve destroyed DE with those stupid McMansion junk homes. Has been that way for the last 25 years.
 
I think something missed in threads like this is many people do not understand that the large national home builders do not build homes.
Period.
They hire contractors just like the smaller builders do and just like so called “custom”home builders do.

There are good bad and very bad experiences with all types of home builders. You will hear more about the national builders simply because of scale they build 5,10,50,100 times more homes than your small builders so you will have 10 to 100 times more complaints.

It’s really thinking small to think that in the given price range that they are any different.
 
I think something missed in threads like this is many people do not understand that the large national home builders do not build homes.
Period.
They hire contractors just like the smaller builders do and just like so called “custom”home builders do.

There are good bad and very bad experiences with all types of home builders. You will hear more about the national builders simply because of scale they build 5,10,50,100 times more homes than your small builders so you will have 10 to 100 times more complaints.

It’s really thinking small to think that in the given price range that they are any different.
Well the good plumbers and electricians and roofers and carpenters and HVAC won't work for the large home builders as they don't pay enough. They do fix mistakes that the low paid workers made building the houses too quickly.

The custom home builders hire better contractors.
 
Well the good plumbers and electricians and roofers and carpenters and HVAC won't work for the large home builders as they don't pay enough. They do fix mistakes that the low paid workers made building the houses too quickly.

The custom home builders hire better contractors.
I don’t disagree with you but a company calling itself “custom” does not guarantee quality.
Meaning there is no restriction from anyone calling themselves custom.
No industry test, no industry standard, it’s just a word one markets themselves or puts the word custom in their name.

So there are a huge number of bad custom builders out there just like there are bad contractors simply because anyone who builds a house can call themselves custom, there is no restriction to use the word is what I am saying. No standard, just a word.

Granted you can go in a community that a custom builder is building and see if it is quality looking job but this doesn’t mean outside that community other custom builders are the same.

We have a production home in a resort community as of spring 2023 spring. For one year EVERY and any concern we had was addressed without denying one request. I’m talking a boatload of them. Their warranty system so perfected that I have an online account with the builder detailing every work order.
Every request was met with a scheduled phone call and video call at the exact appt time to the minute. Followed up by a rep visit and contractor.

The two biggest issues were I was unhappy with the outside cement work, they tore it all out, 2 car driveway and front walk and did it over. Another big one was laminate flooring, it was NOT extremely bad by any means, after a repair we still weren’t happy, They had us move out for 3 days and installed upgraded top of the line laminate in the entire home, every room except the tiled baths and laundry. They also paid over $3,000 for moving expenses and 3 night stay in a condo.

Minor stuff was things like moving the HVAC thermostat to the very side of a wall instead of where it was towards the middle 1/4 ish of the wall because it would be over an aquarium I was going to put there or even if I wanted a large picture. It was the first time they had someone request that but they did it and it involved repairing a narrow area of 8 feet long drywall and repainting.

I’m not discounting any builder, there is good both large and “custom” and bad I guess. Our experience in both cases of production homes have been good and the key was at an INCREDIBLE price point. Since moving south almost 20 years ago.

Keep in mind all homes have to meet the latest building codes too. R15 in the walls, R38 attic, low E glass, hurricane strapping etc our home is stupid cheap to run. It’s really the town building inspectors who police construction. Also included was an air infiltration certification or whatever it’s called.

Now in our second production home bought new over the last 18 years I like the idea of a national builder who I know will take care of any concerns I have. This is not to say if you like a custom home in a community such as ours and want to spend the extra money for one that it is in anyway a bad choice. We have really nice custom homes here but many to us seem to be “over the top” very heavy moldings in the rooms, stuff like that and yet the floor plans for my wife and I weren’t as practical to fit our taste. Very “heavy” look to them and I agree some of the locals are small companies who may do a more quality job on some items if you want to pay for it. It still won’t guarantee the home will stand up to a hurricane any better.
But yes if you don’t mind paying 50+% more for the home in our area you will get a home loaded with fixtures and moldings everywhere you look.

BTW- I was on friendly terms with our warranty reps. All around the same age one told me coming out of Covid was a nightmare with suppler shortages, contractor labor shortages, lack of experienced workers, and to get homes built it was take it or leave it attitude from the contractors. Everyone was short on everything but his company backed any and every issue and concern from their homeowners.

Wow this was a long one! I’m sure you know that I am just discussing that we have been happy with our production builders.

BTW- that r38 in the attic? All builders use these big companies here to blow insulation. My inspector found some small area a little lacking above MBR. One phone call gets the wheels moving for the contractor to come back. They not only did that area but spent a fair amount of time going over everything in the attic. We have also have been very impressed with how nice all the contractors were. With that said most of this stuff could have been prevented, but for us in our case was just coming out of Covid the building industry was in disarray and at least our company stood behind every single issue we brought up. Very happy, would do it again however if you one to want to spend more “custom” that’s ok too!!
 
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I don’t disagree with you but a company calling itself “custom” does not guarantee quality.
Meaning there is no restriction from anyone calling themselves custom.
No industry test, no industry standard, it’s just a word one markets themselves or puts the word custom in their name.

So there are a huge number of bad custom builders out there just like there are bad contractors simply because anyone who builds a house can call themselves custom, there is no restriction to use the word is what I am saying. No standard, just a word.

Granted you can go in a community that a custom builder is building and see if it is quality looking job but this doesn’t mean outside that community other custom builders are the same.

We have a production home in a resort community as of spring 2023 spring. For one year EVERY and any concern we had was addressed without denying one request. I’m talking a boatload of them. Their warranty system so perfected that I have an online account with the builder detailing every work order.
Every request was met with a scheduled phone call and video call at the exact appt time to the minute. Followed up by a rep visit and contractor.

The two biggest issues were I was unhappy with the outside cement work, they tore it all out, 2 car driveway and front walk and did it over. Another big one was laminate flooring, it was NOT extremely bad by any means, after a repair we still weren’t happy, They had us move out for 3 days and installed upgraded top of the line laminate in the entire home, every room except the tiled baths and laundry. They also paid over $3,000 for moving expenses and 3 night stay in a condo.

Minor stuff was things like moving the HVAC thermostat to the very side of a wall instead of where it was towards the middle 1/4 ish of the wall because it would be over an aquarium I was going to put there or even if I wanted a large picture. It was the first time they had someone request that but they did it and it involved repairing a narrow area of 8 feet long drywall and repainting.

I’m not discounting any builder, there is good both large and “custom” and bad I guess. Our experience in both cases of production homes have been good and the key was at an INCREDIBLE price point. Since moving south almost 20 years ago.

Keep in mind all homes have to meet the latest building codes too. R15 in the walls, R38 attic, low E glass, hurricane strapping etc our home is stupid cheap to run. It’s really the town building inspectors who police construction. Also included was an air infiltration certification or whatever it’s called.

Now in our second production home bought new over the last 18 years I like the idea of a national builder who I know will take care of any concerns I have. This is not to say if you like a custom home in a community such as ours and want to spend the extra money for one that it is in anyway a bad choice. We have really nice custom homes here but many to us seem to be “over the top” very heavy moldings in the rooms, stuff like that and yet the floor plans for my wife and I weren’t as practical to fit our taste. Very “heavy” look to them and I agree some of the locals are small companies who may do a more quality job on some items if you want to pay for it. It still won’t guarantee the home will stand up to a hurricane any better.
But yes if you don’t mind paying 50+% more for the home in our area you will get a home loaded with fixtures and moldings everywhere you look.

BTW- I was on friendly terms with our warranty reps. All around the same age one told me coming out of Covid was a nightmare with suppler shortages, contractor labor shortages, lack of experienced workers, and to get homes built it was take it or leave it attitude from the contractors. Everyone was short on everything but his company backed any and every issue and concern from their homeowners.

Wow this was a long one! I’m sure you know that I am just discussing that we have been happy with our production builders.

BTW- that r38 in the attic? All builders use these big companies here to blow insulation. My inspector found some small area a little lacking above MBR. One phone call gets the wheels moving for the contractor to come back. They not only did that area but spent a fair amount of time going over everything in the attic. We have also have been very impressed with how nice all the contractors were. With that said most of this stuff could have been prevented, but for us in our case was just coming out of Covid the building industry was in disarray and at least our company stood behind every single issue we brought up. Very happy, would do it again however if you one to want to spend more “custom” that’s ok too!!
I have no personal information on the big builders for the developments I see in DE. Only what I hear from people I know that have bought a house in a cookie-cutter development. There are problems here and there.

But for me, most cookie cutter developments have the houses too close together and no established trees. Either the development is in an old corn field or they cut all the trees down before they started to build the houses.

And from driving by, most houses are still using house wrap which from my reading is old technology. Zipboard is a much better way than building wrap to seal a house.
 


And from driving by, most houses are still using house wrap which from my reading is old technology. Zipboard is a much better way than building wrap to seal a house.
I have no problem if someone such as yourself has a strong preference to what is used to build a house in as long as you could specify that preference to a builder I guess we could call that custom. If you don’t mind paying extra, there’s certainly nothing wrong with it.

With that said im a firm believer in any technology, it depends upon the instulation of the product that determines the usefulness of the product. I’ve seen your post before on the zip board however just because something is zip board doesn’t mean the installation will stand up as well as a house that is wrapped.

With the technology, it depends on the specific workers on that day that the sheathing is put up whether it is zip board or house wrap. Both products can be installed carelessly and incorrectly.

Just so we understand each other I have no problem at all for your feelings about subjects like house wrap versus zip board. That’s something that’s completely irrelevant to me because for me personally I know either product will be wonderful if it’s properly done and I actually think I might prefer the house wrap or maybe better said whoever is gonna do the best job!

It’s all good we all buy things that matter to us. Analogy would be I drive Chevrolet vehicles or General Motors products.
I have no problem for people who want to drive and own a BMW

https://buildingadvisor.com/zip-sheathing-vs-plywood-housewrap/

Just for the record, this is a cordial and friendly conversation! Happy holidays to you and your family!
 
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I have no problem if someone such as yourself has a strong preference to what is used to build a house in as long as you could specify that preference to a builder I guess we could call that custom. If you don’t mind paying extra, there’s certainly nothing wrong with it.

With that said im a firm believer in any technology, it depends upon the instulation of the product that determines the usefulness of the product. I’ve seen your post before on the zip board however just because something is zip board doesn’t mean the installation will stand up as well as a house that is wrapped.

With the technology, it depends on the specific workers on that day that the sheathing is put up whether it is zip board or house wrap. Both products can be installed carelessly and incorrectly.

Just so we understand each other I have no problem at all for your feelings about subjects like house wrap versus zip board. That’s something that’s completely irrelevant to me because for me personally I know either product will be wonderful if it’s properly done and I actually think I might prefer the house wrap or maybe better said whoever is gonna do the best job!

It’s all good we all buy things that matter to us. Analogy would be I drive Chevrolet vehicles or General Motors products.
I have no problem for people who want to drive and own a BMW

https://buildingadvisor.com/zip-sheathing-vs-plywood-housewrap/

Just for the record, this is a cordial and friendly conversation! Happy holidays to you and your family!
My plumber had a house built for himself with Zip board and realized the nail guns used pushed the nails slightly too far into the Zip board. I might have used Zip tape over the nails. He had the Zip board wrapped with house wrap.

I agree, part of the equation is the quality of the installation. One can also use some spray foam and fiberglass in stud cavities to help seal.

At the end of the day whats important from this discussion is how well the house is sealed and how it performs on a blower-door test.
 
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