Phase 1 - Slab/Pre-Concrete Pour Inspection

This is an inspection prior to pouring the concrete for slab on grade homes and stem wall foundation homes. For basements, pile foundations, grade beams, etc., a customized inspection will need to be arranged.

Our goal is to provide a third set of eyes that are objective in nature with a focus on quality assurance.

Our slab/pre-concrete pour inspection includes an analysis of all the visible formwork, plumbing, reinforcement, termite treatment, moisture barrier and any other material to be embedded in the concrete. It is important to inspect at this phase as once the slab is poured, none of this is visible.

Although elevation levels are not taken, a cursory check is carried out to ensure that the elevation of the finish floor is adequate to prevent a future grading or drainage problem. Future grading or drainage problems can be host to many future major defects, such as moisture intrusion damage and increased termite risk. Slab thickness is also important but sometimes not achieved because too much fill was provided within the pour area. Slab thickness can be easily checked at this time.

Some other elements inspected include:

- Ensuring internal load bearing footers are provided and properly located.
- Visible plumbing and drainage lines are properly laid and protected.
- Vapor barrier properly installed and sealed at all joints and openings.
- Proper placement and tying of concrete reinforcement bars.
- Proper reinforcement of formwork ensuring square and plumb.
- Trenches for footers properly cut out and clear of debris.
- Ensuring no visible debris or foreign material within the pour area.
- Sample measure checks of width and length of house.
- Ensuring termite treatment applied prior to concrete pour (if offered by your builder).

Having the design drawings during this inspection is recommended, otherwise some elements of the inspection will be more difficult to determine, resulting on the inspector drawing on his experience only.

Other Services Available at this time

- Complete measured survey prior to pour
- Re-inspection of initial slab inspection punch list (Note: must be before concrete pour).

Our 100-point slab inspection will provide the quality control you need to secure a proper start to your new home.

Keep in mind that this is a limited service right before concrete pour and covers only the readily accessible and visible elements and components at that time. Trenches and plumbing services for example, may be buried, footers may not be visible if present, etc. This inspection does not take the place of code compliance inspection that is conducted by the building and zoning departments.

For more information or to schedule your inspection, call us at (800) 991-0242, contact us by E-mail, or use our online forms to Ask a Question or Order an Inspection.

Phase 2 – Pre-Drywall/Insulation Inspection (also called Framing/Shell Inspection)

A framing/shell inspection for quality assurance purposes should be called a pre-drywall/insulation inspection. This inspection service was designed to be the most informative and economical possible for the homeowners we work with and is one of the most important!

An AmeriPro pre-drywall/insulation or framing inspection covers much more that the framing and shell of the home we are looking at. Once all first fix components are installed, such as electrical wiring, hurricane mitigation hardware, HVAC ductwork and plumbing lines, masonry bond beams, etc., we get the opportunity to inspect and document before they are closed or covered up with insulation and drywall forever. Once these items are covered, the main structure is no longer visible from an inspection perspective and invasive testing may be the only way to assess future defects if they are present.

Our pre-drywall/insulation inspection is an excellent tool for every homeowner building a new home and the only quality assurance inspection actually working for you and you only. It covers much more than your building department code inspections! It will cover quality of workmanship, site-altered conditions, improper construction details, incomplete construction details, improperly installed materials and much more.

As a new homeowner, this is your only chance to document the hidden areas of your home, and the potential hidden issues that may go un-noticed and get covered up until a later date when they cost you money to fix!

At AmeriPro, we focus on the real problem areas. Cosmetic walk-through’s, while appealing to inexperienced opportunist inspectors and uneducated homeowners, are never a cause for major construction defect claims. We know what your liability areas are and we focus on these to protect your interests and help you receive a better product. The end result leaves the builder responsible for the expense of any visible issue not correct during the construction process, not you.

To take full advantage of this part of our inspection service it is advisable to have the design drawings and builder's engineering documents available at this inspection.

Other Services Available

- Mold testing on contaminated framing members
- Re-inspection of initial frame inspection punch list. (Note: should be carried out before drywall application if possible.)

For more information or to schedule your inspection, call us at (800) 991-0242, contact us by E-mail, or use our online forms to Ask a Question or Order an Inspection.

Phase 3 - Final Construction Inspection - Walk Through Certified

This is probably the most common inspection requested by homeowners of newly-constructed homes because they have just signed a contract on a builder’s spec home or because they did not have the available funds to conduct a full quality assurance inspection program. Whatever the reason, you are now making the right decision.

This is your last chance to discover any defects before you take on ownership! Don’t get stuck with a lemon because you fall under the common misconception of, “It’s brand new, home inspections are for older homes.” Home building should never be compared to the manufacturing process. When you purchase a new car, you can rest assured that the windows were installed correctly and are working. With so many variables in the construction of a home, it is not possible to guarantee that every part of the jigsaw puzzle was assembled correctly or functioning properly. Builders can miss a number of issues during the construction process simply because they are not on site 100% of the time.

The inspector at this stage will spend many hours analyzing your home and its various components. Remembering that new construction inspectors are much different than those qualified for existing home inspections, your choice of inspector here may be the difference between assessing up to 75-85% of your risk and maybe 45-50%.

Here is an excerpt from our Old vs. New information,

“A simple question to ask your inspector is, “Do you cover codes in your inspection service?” Nine out of ten inspection companies will quickly remind you that they do not do a code inspection. We would then ask, “What are they going to inspect for you if they don’t outline codes!?” Many inspectors will offer cosmetic walkthroughs. You do not need to pay $300-400 for an inspector to put tape on paint drips, check the door handles or operate the stove. These are all common sense inspection and quality issues that any homeowner can do on their own. These inspection services are of little value to anyone.

Don’t be fooled by false promises or advertisements. Make sure you research your inspector and are confident that he has both the performance inspection experience and the code knowledge to deliver the service promised to you.

What you should be paying for is an inspector with product performance knowledge, systems and application know how, general construction wisdom and code experience. Get the most for your money by choosing the right inspector for you and your home.”

As a new home owner, this is your only chance to document the hidden areas of your home, and the potential hidden issues that may go un-noticed until a later date when they cost you money to fix!

At AmeriPro, we focus on the real problem areas. Cosmetic walk-through’s, while appealing to inexperienced opportunist inspectors and uneducated homeowners, are never are a cause for major construction defect claims. We know what your liability areas are and we focus on these to protect your interests and help you receive a better product. The end result leaves the builder and their subcontractors responsible for the expense of any visible issue not correct during the construction process, not you.

AmeriPro Inspection Corporation has developed a “Detailed 360-Point Walk-Through Certified Inspection Program and Report” for all of our new construction clients. It is the only one of its kind in the industry!

The detailed 360-point inspection for new construction was developed with you in mind. It covers the entire home you are about to purchase, and incorporates a combination of both quality assurance and applicable codes to help you minimize the risk of latent defects and nuisance issues that commonly occur after closing, while at the same time documenting all the components and any testing results conducted at the time of the inspection and much more.

Other Services Available at this Phase - Mold Screening Assessment
- Indoor Air Quality Testing
- Infrared Diagnostics
- Wind Mitigation Inspection
- Re-inspection of initial final inspection punch list

For more information or to schedule your inspection, call us at (800) 991-0242, contact us by E-mail, or use our online forms to Ask a Question or Order an Inspection.

Phase 4 - End of Builder’s Warranty Inspection

An End of Builder’s Warranty Inspection should take place before the end of your one- or two-year builder’s warranty. Typically this warranty is one year; however, some builders have given two-year warranties with their homes. Check with your builder to determine your coverage and give us a call.

Because homes settle significantly in the first year following completion, it is important to have an experienced inspector assess your home prior to your warranty expiring. Weather conditions - your home has now been through four seasons and experienced the wind, rain, and snow – can often expose a defect that was not present to the naked eye before. In addition, ground settlement can cause cracks in the walls and tile and much more. Are you trained to notice telltale signs of potential issues to your home?

Experience tells us that most major construction defects go unnoticed for 3-5 years, but in most cases, telltale signs were present for years. At the end of your 1-year warranty, telltale signs will or hopefully will now be visible to the trained eye. This is what you are paying for! If left un-noticed, these clues to potential defects could cost many thousands of dollars to remedy, at your expense.

Most homeowners shy away from this inspection without thinking it through only because of the expense. The unfortunate ones are reminded of their erroneous decisions some time after their warranty has expired or even worse, when they come to sell their home. Many builders actually rely on the probability of homeowners not having this inspection as part of their risk management policy, and some even talk their homeowners into not having a third party inspection by offering one conducted by them or giving the homeowner a “checklist” to submit.

Don’t let the fox guard the hen house! In today’s market, warranty claims and expenses are a major concern for builders. They know a professionally inspected home can cost at least two or three times more to resolve than one that is inspected by the homeowner themselves. They also know that there is an unintentional extended warranty, if the professional inspector notes telltale signs which typically lead to a problem that may not be showing enough to warrant repair or review at the time of the warranty expiration.

It is for this reason you SHOULD NOT forfeit this opportunity. It is a small price to pay to ensure all your warranty claims are paid for through the builder’s warranty program. Do not short-change yourself or your family, especially today. It can be a very costly mistake!

The following example happened in our own company! They say a cobbler has holes in his shoes, maybe it is true.

In 2000, Our CEO spent a considerable time during the construction of his family’s home making sure the builder was taking care of construction in the correct manner. A major deficiency was noted in his inspection report at the foundation stage that related to poor fill used on the lot. While it was made clear in the report that the consequences of this problem would not become evident for some years, the builder at the time made an attempt to correct the problem but not completely. Of course our CEO made every attempt to record and document the problem. The end result was a settlement issue that required over $100,000 in corrective measures eight years after closing on the home. The builder paid for this in year eight, when it eventually became a major problem! It was only paid for by the builder because the inspection reports, completed eight years earlier, stated the problem and the seriousness it could cause in the future.

Would you be so prepared in this event? If you are reading this, then the answer is likely yes - if you take action. Most people do not.

When compared to one mortgage payment in today’s world, the peace of mind inspection fee represents on average only one fifth of your monthly payment!

Other Services Available at this Phase - Mold Screening Assessment
- Indoor Air Quality Testing
- Infrared Diagnostics
- Wind Mitigation Inspection
- Re-inspection of initial final inspection punch list

For more information or to schedule your inspection, call us at (800) 991-0242, contact us by E-mail, or use our online forms to Ask a Question or Order an Inspection.