Did you know that residential builders/contractors don’t have to be certified or licensed by the state of Texas? They only need to take a few classes. Most people who become builders have experience, but it’s not required.
A few weeks ago we inspected the worst new home we have ever seen. There were serious foundation issues already which had us wondering about this independent builder’s qualifications and experience. We found many deficiencies in every area of the inspection.
MEP- Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
The 220 receptacle for the clothes dryer and the car charger did not work. The breakers were on, but the receptacles were not energized. That would have upset the client when they tried to wash clothes! Additionally, the breaker for the HVAC (heating and cooling) unit was too low, so it was likely to trip often. The unit also had ducts that were kinked or crushed which reduced its energy efficiency. Overall, the house was not thoughtfully laid out. There was a sewer cleanout located at the bottom of the front stairway, making it a trip hazard. In the crawlspace, there was a drain line with duct tape wrapped around for a repair! There was already rust on the new water heater and none of the pipes in the floor were sealed against moisture and pest intrusion. Besides no water being supplied to the dishwasher, the range couldn’t be inspected for performance because there was no gas meter attached to the house yet.
Foundation & Roof
This foundation was already in trouble. Many of the anchor bolts were not installed deep enough into the foundation wall. The entire structure anchored to the foundation by these bolts was severely compromised. The strain was showing in a crack on the new foundation wall at the garage. While there was moisture barrier on the ground, it did not cover and overlap in the crawlspace, so there was vegetation growing underneath the house. This would only get worse with time. Amid lifted shingles and flashing, the roof penetrations and a number of nail heads weren’t sealed. The worst part was the parapet wall was missing metal flashing to prevent rain from entering INSIDE the wall.
Structure
Insulation was missing under the floor and in the attic, so the air conditioning would leak outside. The attic was extremely hot due to no ventilation. Lack of ventilation makes the A/C work harder and reduces the life of the shingles on the roof. The siding was warped on one side from being installed too tightly. One interior wall bowed instead of being straight and plumb in a bedroom. There were numerous cracks, doors that opened voluntarily or were binding, and a jamb that was separated which indicated foundation issues. One unusual problem was that the garage was only 15 feet long. The new owner would need an economy vehicle or Smart Car to park and close the garage door! There were 4 sets of stairways and none of them were built correctly. One step was 13 inches high! The porch and stair railings had not been bolted down!
This is not an exhaustive list of the deficiencies we found in this new build. While we made recommendations for a structural engineer, electrician, and roofer, we were concerned for our client. Thankfully, he did not buy the house. But we wonder… How long will that house last? What if we didn’t inspect it? Unlike builders, inspectors are licensed after a rigorous education process: we are trained to find it all.