When a roof abuts anything, there needs to be some sort of flashing to prevent water from getting between the roof and what it abuts.
On a recent inspection on a one-year old house I noticed something missing. Flashing. I looked everywhere. Still could not find it. I called, held up a box of treats, called and called and no flashing showed up anywhere.
I looked around the neighborhood. There were five other houses like the one pictured here. Only one had been
flashed correctly.
That is more than disappointing.
What you are looking at is a roof that was completed before the brick work. Sometimes, often, well usually, the bricks are installed first, but not in this case. These shingles actually extended under the bricks! After the mason was finished placing the bricks along the roof line, the roofer should have returned to install flashing. He probably didn't because it would have required cutting each shingle to fit flashing underneath.
Properly done, there were be "step flashing" installed under each shingle, starting from the bottom and all the way to the top.
Then that flashing should have been sealed against the brick. They usually use a black tar material. But that can look a bit erratic and unsightly. It's unsightly appearance can be corrected.
On top of the erratic step flashing is installed a counter flashing. This would be a solid strip, cut to fit appropriately, which begins at the bottom and runs to the top. The counter flashing leave a nice straight line, and actually adds another layer of protection to the step flashing.
When done, the two together provide a very good water seal.
In the case above there was no such seal, as you can see. Inside this roof the ceiling forms one of two very pretty cathedral peaks in the master bedroom. What do you suppose we saw inside? Your guess should be staining and evidence of leaking. And this after only one year.
Of the other five houses in the neighborhood, only one was done correctly, as I said. One looked just like this, two had step flashing only which had not been glued to the brick (!!), and one, interestingly, had only counter flashing, which did not even reach the shingles! On that one not even mortar was placed to fill the space... I was tempted to knock on their door, but withheld.
Keep in mind, this is a one-year old neighborhood. The builder's supervisor was there every day and never noticed this? Not to mention the county... Paaaleeeeease...
My recommendation: Always have a home inspection before the final walk through of a new home. This is the kind of thing that a home inspector would have caught on that inspection. Don't buy the builder's line that there have already been many inspections on your home before your walk through and that the supervisor is there every day to make sure things have been done correctly. There is no guarantee that they have been!!
Personally, I usually have more problems on brand-new homes than on older ones. FYI
Ahhh those short cuts...when we built our house, my husband was here every day...we did our own general contracting...but if as a prospective homeowner, you don't know what to look for...don't ever ASSUME it's being done correctly....as you so wisely pointed out "know what you don't know" and hire someone who does !
Jay, How about the step flashing installed over the shingles without the counter. I have seen that twice on two condo complexes. On every roof I could see in the complex. Like you said, don't buy the builders line about oversight, as we can see it just isn't true.
I would never buy home without a home inspection, never ever!!!
And folks think they don't need a home inspector for new construction.
When my house was built in Loudoun County in 2006, my home inspection report was 4 pages long. Took the (*^%&*()( builder 2 weeks to complete the work.
I love it when our inspector writes it up and BUILDER ARGUES!!!!! As for having one - if a buyer tells us they don't want an inspection done, we have a form for them to sign that states they were advised to have the home inspected by a certified inspector but refused...
maybe the flashing sub wasn't paid after the one correct house ?
Boy are you right! For some builders that do good work the report repair list is very short. For those who took short cuts it would have been better to do it right the first time!!
As I always tell the buyer when they think that they don't need an inspection on a new home, it is "man made". I have sold lots of new homes over my 20 years, but until I had a home built for me, I did'nt understand how much can go wrong. It was a great education, and one I use when I deal with the buyers.
Jay - Your post is another excellent example regarding why it is essential to have a home inspection even on a new house. Before I entered the real estate professional, I had never heard of a home inspection on a new house nor the fact that city inspections mean that each and every house in inspected in a subdivision.
Jay - Wow ! Is amazing that this was just not an isolated situation. That is a lot of home inspection waived in the community.
Jay...
Never assume that a newer house doesn't have serious problems. Thanks for the heads up!
I have heard that line by the builders rep so many times! They love to tell the clients how often the house has been inspected, but they never mention what the inspections are. Most municipal and city inspectors only inspect a few of the subdivison homes and they hardly look for things that the typical home inspector looks for, for example the flashing. as always CAVEAT EMPTOR Buyer Beware
Jay, in terms of flashings those windows look problematic as well.
Nice title! With our new home construction it was easier to get the builder to do things once there was an inspectors report. Very good education for working with new construction clients. Thanks for your blog, all those poor buyers!!
I recommend my new construction buyers bring in a home inspector 3 times over the course of the construction. They are always shocked at what the inspector flags! Money very well spent!
Jay - Unfortunately, many builders and subcontractors don't understand proper flashing, just as they don't understand drainage. You're right. Buyers should always get an inspection--new home or resale.
Jay, I was just wondering, why didn't you know on those folks door? I know that if it were me I would have liked to know so that I could get back to the builder with this.
Gotta have those inspections. I took two inspection certification courses just so I had a good idea of what I needed to see.
Thanks for the post.
I drove into a neighborhood of homes that were about 8 years old in January for a home inspection and saw a bunch of the same model as my buyers with horrible, horrible icicles.... most the icicles were symmetrical and others they were not... her house when I got there the icicles were just on one side, the homeowners (3) since the house was built had lived with the heat going out the uninsulated areas of the roofs for years. The original buyer sold in about a year. I believe from talking to the seller who was 3rd owner, there had NOT been an inspection when they purchased because it was still so new!
The home inspector had his thermal camera with him so showed us photos.
Inspection on a new house or a few year old house is money well spent.
Since the house is only a year old, can the sellers/buyer go back to the builder for this? THat's a pretty major thing to leave off a house! I also agree with Marie, maybe you should let those poor homeowners know! That's pretty serious defect!
Hi Jay. I am a classic example of someone who had a flashing problem on a new construction house. Improperly sealed as the house was built and we had a heavy rainstorm all the water came into the attic. Your point about the inspection is a very good one.
I always attend the walkthrough to produce the punch list with the builder and buyers as well. I've caught some interesting oversights that no one else saw.
We've seen a lot of poor workmanship this last 6/7 years when they were building them fast to keep up with demand. Now we're left with a lot of homes that need some big corrections. Home inspection is critical. Great post as was the other one I read the other day!
That is why you need an inspection even on new houses. good job mr inspector!!!!!
Jay - I think a good builder would welcome a home inspection. Homes are made by human hands and there are always mistakes. The third-party inspector can catch more problems early. Hopefully, there is a builder warranty, too.
Jay,
Everyone involved with the building of those homes should be embarrassed, that's a very simple thing that they should done correctly to begin with. (It sounds as if the roofers may have been flashing for lap wood or vinyl siding and not brick veneer, they should have done a better job reading the plans.)
Here's a local article from my area about what happens when you don't flash and weatherproof properly (it also involves brick veneer). http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090210/ARTICLES/902100208
Jay, we had our home built here in Lewisburg by the McCoy builders in 2004. They came back last year to replace some bad wood around the dormers. I agree always get a home inspection. BTW, our builder is absolutely great.
Any house needs an home inspection, new or old.
Patricia Aulson/portsmouth nh real estate
S&D - good that you could be your own GC. Not everyone can! Good for you...!
James - Classic!! That's what happens when the builder picks up the "roofer" at 7am hanging around beside the local 7-11.
Barb - smart girl!
Lenn - and Loudoun has the best county inspectors in the area. That is the only county which still has different inspectors for each of the different categories - structure, plumbing, etc.
Lee and Pamela - some of the builders here are snootier than that. They don't argue because they tell the buyers they will not accept reports from home inspectors. I tell the clients to simply make their own written lists from my report and, whoop there it is!
Micheal - there may not have been a flashing sub at all! They may have recruited someone from the siding department!
Dorie - don't you know there isn't time to do it right the first time?
Joe - that's a little like the doctor who has to go to the hospital and then finds out what it feels like to be on that side of the doctors!
Marc - 10 years ago I never did inspections on new homes!
Christopher and Stephanie - maybe the builder was real good at talking the buyers out of inspections?
Richard - I won't use the old cliche about assuming... but you're right!
Roger - I have heard that from many builders! And you are on the money.
To The Shadow (Charlie) - they are glorified styrofoam coverings, sprayed to look like concrete. If you drop one it takes quite a while to hit the ground.
Sara - good for you! It isn't like that in every area.
SarahGray - I usually do two inspections - pre-drywall and a final before walk through. There are occasions in which I am asked to do a foundation inspection as well.
9:13am - drainage is a biggie too. Water is the killer of houses, inside and out.
Marie - I didn't feel it appropriate to go knocking around the neighborhood. My client did say, however, that she will be a great missionary for my services!
Craig - interesting! When I started doing inspections I went and got my real estate license from a local company called N.I.R.E. I passed the test and my shingle went no where! But I did learn where the realtors are coming from.
Maureen - I do a LOT of thermal infrared inspections on one-year old houses. It is the best way to demonstrate how much the insulation has slipped down tall walls.
Amy - this was not a one-year inspection, at least for this buyer. There may be houses still that are before the one-year warranty is up, which would invoke the builder's responsibility for repairs.
Well, Gary, it is what it is! I am amazed every day at the lack of professionalism on new construction. That's what happens when you pick up your "professional contractors" at the local 7-11.
Dianne - you're hired!
Anna Banana - remember that period not long ago when in order to get the contract some people were waving the home inspection contingency? They are paying for that now.
Russ - sometimes my lists on new homes are very long with expensive stuff. It is like that more often than not!
Wendy - there is a custom builder around here who recommends me for inspections on all of his homes. There have been a few problems, but mostly easy things to repair. You are right though!
Joseph - you may be right. That link, by the way - wow, what a huge settlement!
Rebecca - it is nice to hear that you love your builder!
Patricia - great advice, as always.
Good call, and thanks for sharing!! Step flashing is very common, and why they left it out (lazy?) is no excuse.
I remember on a new construction I insisted the buyers get inspected, the rain gutters were installed exactly level with the roof. We have a LOT of rain here in the Great Pacific NW. Know what happens when rain gutters are level? Nothing! The water just sits. There's got to be a little angle on the install, to help gravity with the flow of water . . . that was another good call by a good home inspection (who are worth their weight -- and mine -- in gold).
Thanks Carla! I had an inspection just today where the gutters were level on one side of the house and had a huge dip on the other side. Neither works very well...
Jay,
Interesting post! I'm having a problem right now with my roof! I've had (2) roofing companies check it out. And it still leaks when it rains (especially when it's windy). I'm thinking it has something to do with the flashing. My Insurance Company won't cover it due to the quality of work. And the roof is only 5 years old! I'm hoping to have it fixed this week! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Keith - try contacting a home inspector in your area who does thermal infrared inspections. Maybe he can use it to sniff out the source of the leak.
Sign of the times, I guess-shoddy work for lower cost. Thanks for the alert!
Joe you hit the nail on the head, I'm going to borrow your "man made" line, thanks.
I have been practicing real estate for 21 years and I am a firm believer in home inspections. I always recommend them. But I also insert a clause that the home inspector must be qualified and a member of the Ontario Home Inspectors Association.
I just encountererd a home inspector who was not a member of OHIA and said the furnace and air-conditoner were near the end of their life expectancy ( which is what was said to my buyer {now the seller} 3 years ago) and in the same breath said you must replace them NOW. He also said the driveway is near the end of it's life expectancy ( I have never heard of that for a driveway) and it must be replaced NOW. The driveway was in very good condition. That was approximately $15K in suggested repairs and the buyer walked. Both of his statements about replacing these times cost the deal and there was no need for this.
It was very unprofessional and I was ready to call that inspector and ream him out.
Your jpost shows the need for good home inspections.
Great post! I printed it out and will use it to talk about people getting inspections on new homes.
I always recommend a home inspection even of a new home purchase. I also recommend another one after being in the home 11 months, before the one year warranty expires.
I love this post for many reasons. First, it's absolutely true. Second, it echos what I preach. New homes are not perfect and agents should do their job properly and advise - strongly- that buyers get inspections. The expense of making the repairs the builder would have/should have made prior to closing can be very high when that buyer sells the house.
Susan - unfortunately I think the shoddy work is the sign of the times...
Liz - "man made" should not be a synonym for schlock work.
Diane - certification and experience count.
Troy - thanks, as always.
Mike - genius, pure genius!
Gene - I do a lot of those. In particular, I check for sunken or missing insulation with my IR camera.
Joanie - so true. The pre-drywall, final and then one-year inspections give buyers a lot of protection, as well as peace of mind.
Thanks for the news flash.
Wow, sounds terribly negligent. Where was that building inspector? Hiding under the uninstalled flashing left under a nearby tree.
Gee, Terry - I am impressed that this is a news flash!
Lyn - doing what building inspectors typically do - check the smoke detectors for sound and seeing if one of the GFI outlets works...
Jay, you just can't put a value on a good home inspection. I recommend them for existing and new construction ... always. My favorite episode involved a listing on an 8 year old home that the sellers (my clients) had purchased new. They bought it directly from the builder without having their own Realtor and of course, skipped the home inspection after hearing the builder talk about the number of Codes inspections the house had already passed. It was a beautiful home and we were in the middle of a heavy seller's market at the time, so I had a contract and 2 back-ups within a week of listing it (remember those days?!?!?). It should have been a smooth experience for everyone, but it was far from it. When the buyers had their home inspection, it was revealed that nearly every one of the floor joists had been compromised by the BUILDER. They had drilled straight through the joists to install the plumbing throughout the majority of the house (and this was a well-known, reputable builder who'd been in business here for decades). Should this have passed the Codes Inspections? Obviously not. But it did. And that's the frightening part. Luckily, since TN requires builders to stand behind their structural work for 10 years, we were able to get the problem fixed at no cost to the sellers or the buyers (yes, the Builder came back ... but not without a huge battle)! When the builder was questioned on how this could have possibly happened, we were told that the framing inspector passed the framing before the plumber came in. The plumbing inspector was only there to look at pipes ... not framing, so no one ever caught it. I still can't figure out how the final inspection passed, but it did ... and it would have been a disaster if it hadn't been discovered within the 10 year structural warranty period. It took us 2-1/2 additional months to get the repairs done before we could close, but we did end up having a happy ending with that one. Imagine having that happen in the market we are in now! I'd venture to say we'd have an even bigger fight trying to get a builder to come back for repairs like that, and I definitely wouldn't have seen the buyer sticking around either. I encourage all of my clients ... PLEASE get a home inspection!!! It's for your protection and is always money well spent.
You wouldn't by a car without a safety inspection - why would anyone want to buy a house? A home inspection is not just about quality and proper building code, it is also about safety! A good home inspector is crucial to the process of buying a home.
Denise - that's quite a story! You would not be surprised how often that happens and how often I find major things on final walk throughs. Once, on a pre-drywall, I caught a structural error in the framing and brought it up to the supervisor. He said the county had approved it. I saw the county inspector in the parking lot, and invited him in to see it. He condemned the house, and all the others in that development with the same framing error. The builder was mad at me. At me?
Julianna - I agree and thank you!
Even for new homes. I always require an inspection. The punch list on one of the homes was 33 items. This was two days before the closing.
Yes, Al, been there, done that!
I'm amazed at some of the things that builders get away with, especially in the last couple years!
Jay,
I used to work with Habitat for Humanity and can tell you that building a home with mostly volunteer labor was quite a chalange! I still remember the day when the town inspector showed up for one of our inspections...I think it was an insulation inspection..he got to the front door but did not step inside.. "that looks nice" he said. Then he waved and said see you later. A couple weeks later another Inspector shows up and I ask where was Willie (the first Inspector)? I was told that he was assigned as a full time on-site Inspector for a large Condo / Townhoust development that was going up down the road! Six years later I had the pleasure of inspecting one of Willie's $775,000 townhomes. I pointed out the problems to my client and went about my business. Well about a week later I get a call from my client...she is mad at me because she went to the town building department and was told by the clerk that I ...I, was required to point out ALL of the CODE violations and that the Town Inspectors were not????? She went on to tell my client that.. ready for this...that's why you should get a home inspection! I don't even know how to begin to explain that one! But I guess now everyone agrees...you should get a home Inspection!
325pm - wow! You know home inspectors do not report code violations - we may reflect on a few and mention that some things might need further evaluation, but we have no code enforcement responsibility. Last year I understand that there were 1000 changes to the National Electric Code. How many of them are you aware of?
I inspect Habitat Homes here in this area. I give them a discount and they put my recommendations into play, BEFORE the county arrives!
Dan - it has gotten especially bad the last few years!
Denises story is a classic example of why code inspections are of only marginal value to the buyer.
You hit the nail on the head, Steve, unlike a lot of people building houses...
Code = Minimum Standard, and maybe not even that!
Code Inspection = well, what does it equal?