Have they ever heard of a home inspector?
I used to sell real estate on Mercer Island. There was a common and very believeable story that a few decades ago there was a certain building inspector that, if you knew his favorite brand of bourbon, would rubber stamp your building quality. \
It is believeable because homes built within a certain time range had a certain "look and feel". It was almost universal.
Some builders don't allow you to bring in a home inspector. DR Horton didn't when I bought my house in 1999. I got lucky that there were only a few minor things wrong.
My in-laws bought a house at the same time that I did, but paid three times as much. I couldn't believe the problems they had-- roofs leaks that came through the ceiling lights, loose stuff all over counters installed incorrectly. I used to think you get what you pay for, but that house proved me wrong.
How do you inspect a home that has not been built? But local building inspectors should have picked up serious problems like shoddy foundation work.
Yes, but it was new with an warrantee from a major national homebuilder. They are hageling with them now after they have gotten a home inspection. The inspector recommended tearing it down and redoing it from the ground up.
I guess this woman never lived in a California tract house. This type of building is a way of life in California. When we first lived in Mission Viejo, they had a rash of exploding toilets. The toilets didn't really explode, they just cracked and split in two, but it made a loud noise, along with all the other typical cheap workmanship. At that time, it was an accepted fact that dry wallers were Mexicans, who worked very very fast, but did very, very sloppy work.
Home inspections aren't always effective.
Back in 2002, we had our 1976-built home inspected as part of the buying process (duh). The inspector found a few little things, most of which we considered cosmetic and have already fixed.
Now the foundation is so shifted, you can stand in the living room and feel one foot an inch higher than the other one. We are completely piered out, and our foundation company says nothing more can be done. (Me, I think something that can be done is calling another foundation company.)
It turns out the entire subdivision was built on fill dirt, and it's all subsiding. If we're really unlucky, our house will come loose from the foundation and slide into the empty lot across the street.
That's Houston soil for ya!
I had my new home inspected before I bought it -- it was difficult to get "permission" from the builder, but I was able to get it done.
I also had it inspected a week before the 1-year warranty was up.
In both cases, the inspectors found things I wouldn't have.
Smart people hire professional inspectors to check their homes out.