Having a home constructed is an exciting but stressful process, there are so many choices to be made during the planning and construction process. Retaining the services of a licensed professional who specializes in new home construction can relieve the home buyer of a lot of stress. The home inspection is familiar with pitfalls that can be avoided early in the construction, it makes good sense not to try to reinvent the wheel when the inspector has been down the same path many times before.

The home inspector may know some things that the contractor may not be aware of because the contractor sees the home when it is built when everything looks fine, the home inspector sees the results of the construction many years down the road. Some construction materials and components that are being used these days may be an economical choice to the builder to help increase profits; however, the downside to the home buyer is a shorter service life with increased maintenance expenditures. Speak to your home inspector regarding these construction issues.

First, it is advisable to have your home inspector review the plans for the home to look for obvious problems such as water supply pipes located in exterior walls where freezing temperatures are encountered; these pipes are subject to freezing and bursting. Having your home inspector inspect the home at the various stages of construction is advisable. Second, it is a good idea to have the inspector visit the site before the construction begins. A visit to the site when the foundation walls and footings are constructed is next in order. Subsequently, your inspector should return to the site when the structural framing is complete to be sure that there are no structural problems or areas that need reinforcement.

The next visit should be planned when the rough electrical, heating, and air-conditioning is installed and prior to the installation of the finished walls. At this time, the inspector can look for any defects or omissions that will not be visible once the finished walls are constructed.

A final inspection should be scheduled when the house is complete; at this point a complete test all electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems for proper installation and function, and an inspection of all physical components for proper installation can be conducted. Retaining the services of a home inspector is a well worthwhile investment that can not only help you through the construction process, but the advice you receive can help you avoid pitfalls that might otherwise surface years down the road.