When you’re building a new home, mistakes can happen during construction. You have the option to have your own inspector during each stage of construction, which is a 3 part process known as phase inspections. This can save you time, money, and peace of mind as you know that every detail has been covered at each stage.
The problems we’re looking at today are specific to the Phase 2 inspection, which is after the foundation has been poured and the house has been framed but before drywall and insulation have been put in. This is a crucial stage as errors found at this point can still be be easily fixed before drywall and insulation cover wiring, pipes, studs, and HVAC systems.
Here are some examples of problems we found at Phase 2 inspections, or that could have been found at Phase 2 inspections:
Too Much Load To Bear
Something got lost in translation in the plans for this structure, possibly, because that’s an awful lot of load for a couple of two-by-fours. I’d have an engineer take a look if it were my house. This Phase 2 inspection caught a potentially catastrophic design problem.
Frozen Concrete
Possibly the most commonly used material in any building, even concrete has its limits. As explained in this article by FMP Construction, extreme cold temperatures can affect the finished structure when it’s formed from concrete. Because of the chemical reaction required to turn cement into concrete, a minimum temperature must be maintained to keep the concrete from cracking or shifting. Early inspections will consider this requirement and suggest alternatives if necessary.
It’s Getting Hot in Here
Or cold. Oops! This is a perfect example of something we’d catch pre-drywall during a Phase 2 inspection. Now they’ll have to cut into the drywall to put in a register, and then repaint and texture.
A Great Selling Point For Ants
A spa-like bathroom is a great selling point, but make sure it’s not an invitation for pests by sealing up those entry points during Phase 2 of construction. A phase inspection would have prevented this ant infestation and a headache pre-move-in for these new homeowners.
With demand for new construction homes in North Texas ever increasing, construction schedules are always under pressure, and mistakes can happen. A phase inspector is there to be your advocate — an extra set of eyes to ensure that no detail, large or small, gets missed. And if it does, it can be corrected while it’s still easy to fix.
