Residential Construction Consulting & Inspections

Under Construction Inspections

Know what you have before it's bricked and sheetrocked. When the roof covering is installed and the electrical wiring rough-in is done it's time for a Frame/Cover Inspection. If the electrical is in that means the plumbing water lines and air-conditioning/heating ducts are installed. These mechanical systems are important for a complete frame/cover inspection because mechanical contractors are known to remove roof braces, cut through supports and beams and generally alter the structural frame by their drilling, notching and cuttings. This is a very important inspection because once the drywall is up, all deficiencies/problems get buried and covered up.

I have performed pre-drywall inspections since 1977. This is one of the subjects I teach. If your home inspector is not building code certified then they are not qualified to inspect a property prior to pre-drywall.

Frame / Cover Inspection

Construction inspections require long term experience not learned in a book. When building superintendents buy their home they know who to call and I always look forward to providing that inspection. Builders large and small use my services when they have a problem or want a straight answer. I can also perform frame inspections for inspectors that are not comfortable or experienced in frame/cover inspectons.

The common belief of many buyers is that city inspectors or 3rd party private builder inspectors are providing a quality of construction inspection for code compliance which just doesn't happen.

This, however, could not be farther from the truth. The city building inspectors role is only to see that the contractor is complying with a short list of requirements. In coastal areas cities may not even provide structural inspections as they do not inspect for any windstorm construction issues. Of course, local politics play a very important role on the level of city inspection provided. Considering one person may have 50-70 inspections a day you have to wonder how well they are performed or what they look at.

What do experts say about only using full code certified inspectors?

From Aaron in Garland, Texas -

Inspecting new home construction is not for amateurs or even state-licensed resale home inspectors. This is an extremely complex profession that requires an enormous pool of knowledge and experience from which to draw.

The residential building codes in Texas consist of literally thousands of pages of technical documents intended to legislate the minimal building standards for homes in this state. In addition to the International Residential Code and the National Electrical Code a builder must comply with industry standards set forth by each materials and systems manufacturer, the Underwriters Laboratories (UL), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), ASTM International, and literally hundreds of other organizations.

A minimum of a Residential Combination Inspector (R-5) building code certificate from the International Code Council is the only way to verify that your inspector has adequate knowledge of the codes your builder is required to comply with, and thus the qualifications to critique your builder's work. This certificate insures that your inspector has obtained separate certifications as a residential electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and building inspector.

Hiring a non-certified inspector? You could save the money and do the inspection yourself with the same lackluster and potentially dangerous results