Category Archives: New Home Inspections

Who is looking after your investment?

Building a new home? What’s cooking?

You would not think that building a new home has anything to do with cooking. It does not but cooking is great analogy to building a home. There is recipe, a dish and the cook. Builder is the cook, your … Continue reading

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Guide to Standards and Tolerances, it’s just “Tolerances For Dummies”

This is a copy of my post on Homeone forum: Ownit: what can anyone tell me about the responsibility of the builder when there are visible ceiling and wall joins? they claim it’s within “tolerance” but in my opinion it’s … Continue reading

Posted in frame inspection, New Home Inspections, pre final inspection, pre plaster inspection | 2 Comments

Pre final inspection, settle without one could give you a headache!

I have just inspected a unit settled without pre final inspection that among many other things suffers from serious garage flooding. It’s not surprising because there is failure to design and construct proper retaining wall and the competent drainage and … Continue reading

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Building pre final inspections, talk is cheap I deliver!

There are many pretenders out there who would like to do what I do but just can’t cut it. Would they have the balls to say this in their report? Expert Opinion: The builder is not co-operating regarding fixing of … Continue reading

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Pre plaster inspection, Small defects could ruin the quality of your build.

We recommend pre plaster inspection because it is the last chance we have of checking the frame and the preparations for plaster before everything becomes covered up. Why is it necessary tho check the frame? Wasn’t it checked at the … Continue reading

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brickwork articulation joints- why are they important?

On a recent new home inspection I discovered brick walls have grown and pushed out house corners. This was unusual because all the brickwork articulation joints were constructed to correct spacing apart and should have absorbed any growth. I declared … Continue reading

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New house slab, top Dollar equals top job? Don’t bet on it!

Recently I inspected lab preparation for a new home by one of the premium builders. The preparations were woeful and inadequate. This is what I said : (edited) Expert Opinion:  Builder has ignored earlier warnings of inadequate preparation and has … Continue reading

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House frame, the lost art of setting out

On my independent frame stage inspections I am regularly appalled at how badly the house frames are set out. Why? It seems they are designed by a dumb computer program with no regard for workmanship. I am told that the calculations … Continue reading

Posted in Building Defects, frame inspection, New Home Inspections | Leave a comment

House framing, saving on inspections?

The inspection today was a perfect example why you should have your own expert keep an eye on the build of your house:   This house frame was fully loaded with roof tiles and there was a score of other … Continue reading

Posted in Building Defects, frame inspection, New Home Inspections | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Building contract, don’t sign anything!

Yes its very exciting to get going on your new home but STOP RIGHT THERE! Are you going to sign building contract for the biggest investment of your life thinking less than buying shoes? If you don’t understand what you … Continue reading

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