 New
Home Walk-Through Pays Off For Buyers
Before you go to settlement on a new
home, you and your builder will do a "walk through" to conduct a final
inspection. The walk-through provides an opportunity for you to
spot items which may need to be corrected or adjusted, and allows you
to learn about the way your new home works.
Often, a builder will use the walk to
educate buyers about:
- The operation of the house's
components.
- The buyer's responsibilities for
maintenance and upkeep.
- Warranty coverage and procedures.
- The larger community in which the
home is located.
When you buy a new appliance or piece
of equipment, such as a VCR or washing machine, you usually have to
read the instructions before you can understand how to use all of the
features. With a new house, you will be receiving a stack of
instruction booklets all at once. It helps if someone takes the
time to show you how to operate all of the kitchen appliances, the
heating and cooling systems, the water heater and other features in
the home. Such an orientation is particularly useful since
people often are so busy during a move that they have trouble finding
time to carefully read instruction booklets.
Part of your “walk through” will be
learning about maintenance and upkeep responsibilities. Most new homes
come with a one-year warranty on workmanship and materials.
However, such warranties do not cover problems that develop because of
failure to perform required maintenance. Many builders provide a
booklet explaining common upkeep responsibilities of new homeowners
and how to perform them.
Should a warranted problem arise after
you move in, the builder is likely to have a set of warranty service
procedures to follow. Except in emergencies, requests for
service should be in writing. This is not because the builder is
trying to be bureaucratic, but to ensure that everyone clearly
understands the service to be performed. The person receiving a
service request is not likely to be the person performing the work,
and you don't want to rely on word of mouth for transmission of your
service order.
Many builders schedule two visits
during the first year -- one near the beginning and the other near the
end -- to make necessary adjustments and to perform work of a
non-emergency nature. You should not expect a builder to rush
out immediately for a problem such as a nail pop in your drywall.
Such problems occur because of the natural settling of the house and
are best addressed in one visit near the end of the first year.
If you have moved to a new home from a
nearby area, you probably will not spend much time at the walk-through
talking about the larger community in which the home is located.
However, if you are moving to a new community, a builder can often
provide a packet of material to help you become familiar with your new
community.
When inspecting the house, an effective
way to handle this is with a checklist. The list should include
everything that needs attention, and you and your builder should agree
to a timetable for repairs. Builders prefer to remedy problems
before you move in since it is easier for them to work in an empty
house. Some items may have to be corrected after move-in.
For instance, if your walk-through is in the winter, your builder may
have to delay landscaping adjustments until spring.
It is important that you be
thorough and observant during the walk-through. Examine all surfaces
of counters, fixtures, floors and walls for possible damage carefully.
Sometimes disputes arise because a buyer may discover a gouge in a
counter top after move-in, and there is no way to prove whether it was
caused by the builder's workers or the buyer's movers. Many
builders ask their buyers to sign a form at the walk-through stating
that all surfaces have been inspected and that there were no damage
other than what has been noted on the walk-through checklist.
Ask a lot of questions during the
walk-through and take notes on the answers. Never be afraid to
appear stupid by asking too many questions. That is how you
learn. It is important to view the walk-through as a positive
learning experience which will enhance your enjoyment of your home.
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