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| Professional Home Inspection Services |
CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION REPORT |
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Comments on Work in Progress: Construction work for a new home for the Homebuyers, at 4595 Flower Drive, in the Brookhaven neighborhood, located in Fulton County, has been under way for several months. The work on the house is progressing well. The house is relatively large (estimated at 6,500 S.F.) Work completed at the time of the inspection includes substantial completion of: framing, sheathing, exterior masonry, rough grading, etc. Nearly completed work includes the basic plumbing, electrical, and HVAC work. The pine shake roofing is not completed today. Work completed is rated in the good to excellent category. No utilities were on today. The drywall work and building insulation installation is scheduled over the next several days. On the exterior of the house we observed the following items. SITE DRAINAGE. At the present time, it appears that modification of the grade is required at the front, sides and rear of the house. Adjustment of the soil will be needed to create a situation with sufficient slope. Proper drainage technique at the perimeter of the building is key to maintaining a dry house. DEBRIS. Construction debris was noted at several areas of the site. (see photo) ROOF PRODUCTS. There are toeboards noted at the roofing today. (see photo) The pressure treated pine roofing is not yet completed today. STONE AND BRICK MASONRY. The detail regarding weepholes and wall flashing is incorrect at some areas. (see photo) On the interior of the house we observed the following items. STRUCTURAL FRAMING. Several framing deficiencies were noted at the standard wood framing. 1) There is one section with missing “end bearing” for the ceiling joists. Location: rear porch area. (see photo) 2) There is one small area where the engineered ‘I’ joist has been cut or drilled in the wrong location. This area will that need additional framing or blocking, prior to the installation of drywall. (see photos) 3) There are metal protective plates missing at the framing members in several locations. (see photos) 4) It appears that there is inadequate lateral bracing of the roof rafters at the keeping room area. Recommend that the builder review and comment on these areas. PLUMBING. The waste piping is incomplete at several areas that will be concealed after installation of the drywall. (see photos) DUCTWORK. The HVAC ductwork is incomplete at several areas that will be concealed after installation of the drywall. (see photos) REFRIGERANT LINES. The HVAC refrigerant lines are un-insulated at several areas that will be concealed after installation of the drywall. (see photos) WINDOWS AND DOORS. The interior finish frames at the doors and windows do not appear to be properly shimmed at several locations. (see photo) FIXTURE LINERS. The shower liners are missing at some locations today. Recommend protecting the plumbing fixtures especially during drywall installation. FLOOR DAMAGE. There are holes in the wooden floor material at several areas. Some may require access underneath, to properly repair. Recommend repairs prior to drywall installation. MOLD AND MILDEW. There is limited mold present on several framing members today. Recommend treatment prior to drywall installation. (see photo) EXCESS MOISTURE. There is excessive moisture present, especially at the basement floor. It is important that the builder reduce the moisture level prior to drywall installation. The use of dehumidification equipment may be required to prevent mold damage to the lower level drywall. (see photos) PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDS. During the framing and pre-drywall phase, our firm takes many photographs to record how the structural components are installed. If problems later develop, the images may assist in developing an appropriate solution. These concerns, and others, are recorded in the attached photographic images. All photographic pages are a part of this report. We recommend that these items be reviewed with the builder/contractor.
Applicable Codes: The building permit for this home was issued in 2003. Building codes applicable for this house are based on the date of issuance. For the purposes of this report we have cited the Minimum Standards for One and Two Family Dwelling Code for the State of Georgia. The home builder is responsible for compliance. Where appropriate, we have provided references to the section of the code that is applicable. Note: The State government has established minimum housing standards applicable to all units constructed within the State. Local municipal jurisdictions can establish regulations that are more restrictive than the State imposed minimums, but they can not relieve the builder of his responsibility for meeting the State statutes.
Special Notice: The home buyer should be aware that we are observing work in progress. It is possible that all of these items would be acknowledged and corrected by the builder/contractor, as part of their normal quality assurance procedures.
Action Items: We are currently planning to inspect the property again at the final completion of the home. The buyer needs to assist us in scheduling this inspection at the proper time. (With 10 days notice we can schedule an appointment.) We recommend that the Homebuyers schedule a short (10 minute) teleconference with Mr. Witherspoon to review the material contained in this report. We also recommend that an organized dialog be maintained with the builder/contractor throughout the construction process. This is a key item in delivering a well built home. Recommend that the Homebuyers schedule a short meeting with the builder/contractor to discuss this report.
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