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New Construction Residential Inspections

This six phase video taped inspection, inspected at critical times during construction offers the quality control, evidence, and assurance buyers are searching for. Suncoast Inspections is always protecting your interests and has a long-standing reputation for quality, trust, and protecting your investment.  Once everyone knows there is a camera running the quality gets kicked-up a notch.

The devastating hurricanes of the early 1990's/2000s in Florida revealed questionable building standards, practices, and cost cutting at the expense of quality and safety. New construction home buyers are searching for a way to ensure the quality in workmanship and adherence of local building codes and safety standards.

Inspections are taken at critical times during the building process. This documentation will give you invaluable peace of mind in knowing that your new home is being constructed in accordance with local building codes and design specifications, never allowing quality control to take a back seat to money saving short cuts.

We also perform extremely important interim inspections to stay on top of the construction progress as the builder may be following a different schedule. 


Phase 1: Foundation/Slab

This critical inspection takes place before the concrete is poured ensuring that the footing and/or slab are in accordance with codes and design specifications, i.e., size and /or dimensions, and structural steel content.  We check the slab for levelness using a PLS HVR 500 Rotary Laser.

Phase 2: Lintel

This phase is for block constructed homes. The block, window layout, and a pre-pour inspection of the lintel and block cells are inspected. Re-bar connections, proper sizing of steel, and proper stationing of pored cells are checked. Interim Inspections-follow progress of block installation for quality control.

Phase 3: Framing

Once the frame walls are complete and the roof sheathing and roof felt paper are in place, the structure is basically secure from water intrusion. At this time the wood framing, exterior wall under-laments and new hurricane codes are inspected. Interim Inspections-follow progress of framing for quality control.

Phase 4: Mechanical

Plumbing, electrical, and air conditioning sub-contractors are finished with their preliminary system installations. We inspect the HVAC for design defects and proper installation of ductwork and the electrical and plumbing for plan and code compliance. Interim Inspections-exterior window caulking, stucco lath, roof membrane and finish materials are checked.

Phase 5: Drywall

Upon completion of drywall hanging the nail patterns are checked based on code compliance and manufacturer's specifications.  Interim Inspection - Interior wall finishes, installation of doors and windows, painting, and the installation of all cabinetry, focus is diverted to the completion of the exterior finish, tile roof, and stucco code compliance. At this time site work should begin and proper storm water run-off is checked.

Phase 6: Final

The floor finish has been installed and the sod and landscape completed. A room-by-room inspection checking the operating condition of all the mechanical, plumbing, electrical, air conditioning, thickness of attic insulation and exterior finishes is completed. A complete walk through inspection is done to address cosmetic defects in all finishes: cabinets, paint, drywall, floor coverings, plumbing fixtures etc.

Actual Client Sample Inspections are provided upon request. 

Reports are generated at each of these phases. 

On-site meetings with the builder or their reps are at an additional cost based on time and an hourly rate of $150.00/hr.  when occurring outside of the above phase schedule.  Meaning, if we meet with the builder the while we are at the site performing a phase inspection it is included in our flat fee.  All other meetings are at an extra cost.

This is what Donald Trump has to say about new construction inspections:

Excerpt of 'Trump: Think Like A Billionaire'

By Donald Trump with Meredith McIver

Chapter 1

PART I

Real Estate

Another quick tip: Some investors make the dumb mistake of assuming that new constructions do not require building inspections. Wrong! New constructions often have the largest problems, particularly if the build-out and construction were sloppy.  In addition to structural, plumbing, and electrical woes, new constructions can be vexed by mold infestation and other problems typically associated with longer-standing buildings.