Tom Kollias, Chicago and Suburban Home Inspector Home Inspections in Orland Park, Tinley Park, Frankfort, Mokena, Palos Heights, Oak Forest, Palos Park, Chicago and all surrounding Communities
Welcome CHICAGO & SUBURBAN HOME INSPECTOR E-Mail: Tom



 NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION TIPS:
SOME PROBLEMS TYPICALLY FOUND WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION 		   

  1. Cracks in the foundation wall with water seepage.
  2. Most often there are always some cracked or open mortar joints on any masonry building.
  3. Concrete contractors often do not remove their form ties or they forget to parage over any areas where the form ties were removed. Sooner or later, these form ties crack the foundation walls as they rust out. Therefore all basements will take on water.
  4. Crawl spaces are usually not covered with plastic (visqueen) and stone, as they should be in order to prevent excessive moisture.
  5. Cracks in foundation walls with water seepage.
  6. Switches and receptacles that don't work.
  7. Failure to properly bond or electrically install the garbage disposal.
  8. Loose shingles or debris remaining on roofs surface.
  9. Overflow tray or tub not installed under washing machine and hot water heater. This may result in future water damage.
  10. Shower and tub tiles are often never caulked into the tub or flooring, as they should be.
  11. Supply and waste piping often do not have an adequate number of supports or fasteners to keep them secured.
  12. Leaking plumbing traps.
  13. Poor paint job-- missed places, drips, areas painted where they shouldn't have been.
  14. Damaged appliances, resulting in lost warranties.
  15. Failure to paint the tops, bottoms, sides of exposed wood sashes and doors.
  16. Exterior structural lintels not painted as required. This will result in premature rusting and failure. Lintels are expensive to replace.
  17. Most foundation windows and doors in masonry buildings are inadequately equipped with flashing and weep holes. They are required to prevent moisture penetration and possible mold growth.
  18. Appliances are either not or poorly installed.
  19. Scratches and gaps on the hardwood floors.
  20. Kitchen and bath cabinet doors are often not aligned.Split,cracked or broken door stiles and rails.
  21. Poorly done drywall job with seams, nail and/or screw head pops.
  22. Ceramic & marble wall and floor tile usually never sealed.
  23. Downspouts never extend 5' or more from the foundation, as they should. Exterior landscaping without the proper grade. Both are critical in help preventing wet basements.
  24. Failure to clean the ductwork, it's always dirty and has construction debris.
  25. Floor and ceiling mechanical and electrical penetrations are never sealed wit proper fire and fume stopping material. Safety hazard.
  26. Dryers are almost never installed with steel flue pipes and clamps, as required. Safety hazard.
  27. Heating and cooling ducts are often never taped or sealed with the approved heating tape, as required. Lost air-flow.
  28. The insulation board is usually broken during the installation of the exterior siding or the brick veneer.
  29. Electricians and plumbers often notch or cut through joists and studs where they are not supposed to, resulting in weak framework.
  30. Many structural steel beams are not mortared onto their beam pocket. This can cause shifting.
  31. Joist hangers are never nailed in every slot,as required. Resulting in weak framing.
  32. The primary sources of heat loss, in new construction, are due to the lack of insulation or sealant around the band joist, the mudsills, and around the windows and doors. Result: Higher heating and cooling costs.
  33. Mudsills are never flat washered and nutted, as required. Resulting in that the house is not secured to the foundation.
  34. In most municipalities it is required to have one basement exit window that is larger than the others.This exit point is required to have a ladder in the window well.
This is another area where a Licensed and Certified Home Inspector can help. Through education, experience and over 30 years in the  building construction industry, we can document, supply photos and  prepare a list of deficiencies for you to present to your builder/remodeler  for correction.
 Member - National Association of Certified Home Inspectors
Proudly Serving: Chicago, Orland Park, Tinley Park, Orland Hills, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Mokena, New Lenox, Lockport, Frankfort, Lemont, Homer Glen, Lombard, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Crest Hill, Oak Lawn, Evergreen Pk, Oak Forest, Worth, Alsip, Blue Island, Merionette Park, Plainfield, Hinsdale, Crestwood, Hickory Hills, Chicago Ridge, Matteson, Homewood, Flossmoor, Midlothian, Bridgeview, Burbank, Richton Pk, Willowbrook, Willow Springs, Sauk Village, Countryside, Olympia Fields, Steger, Elwood, Joliet, Downers Grove, Naperville, Lisle, Burr Ridge, Hillside, Shorewood to name a few.


(708) 349-4562