Should I Have A Pre Completion Inspection?

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There are now 2 options for having your new home inspected for issues. 

You could choose a pre completion inspection or a post completion inspection.

What is the difference?

A pre completion inspection is what home builders now try to push for. It may seem that this would be a better option because all the issues can be rectified prior to you moving in. Not the case I'm afraid. There will still be issues needing resolving after you have moved in.

Unfortunately the real reason this inspection is preferred by homebuilders is because it is a very limited inspection, so therefore won't show up many of the faults usually found in a post completion inspection.

With a pre completion inspection you are no longer an independent surveyor. You have to follow the inspection template set up by the home builder, which you are not allowed to deviate from. You are not allowed any tools for checking tolerances. Not allowed to remove items such as bath panels. Not allowed to test the plumbing fully. Not allowed to test the electrics or appliances. Not allowed to check loft area and much more. 

More importantly we are not allowed to check your new home is compliant with building regulations or your warranty providers building specifications and tolerances. If we see something wrong we are not allowed to report it. Making sure your home is built to the regulations is usually the main reason for having your home inspected.....Is it not????

To complete this inspection usually takes less than 2 hrs. 

Compare this to a post completion inspection where we have no limitations placed on us. The inspection takes a full day to complete. We can fully test all items and use any measuring/inspection tools we see fit. If we see a issue we can investigate further. Any building regulation/tolerance failures or warranty failures are highlighted in our report. 

As you can tell we are not a fan of the new pre completion inspections and this is why we no longer offer this service. We would not be able to give you the piece of mind that your home has been fully inspected for faults. We would not be happy with handing over a partial report on your property, with a chance that you will still probably need to have a full report done afterwards to give you the satisfaction that your home has been built up to the current regulations and tolerances. 

If you are still unsure or would like some further advice/guidance then please feel free to contact us.