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How common to fail first inspection, should we be concerned?

7 years ago

Happened to be at our new house yesterday and saw the inspector had just been there for the plumbing, framing, and electrical inspection. The rough-ins failed but some things passed. I can go into more detail but my question is this, how common is it to fail inspection when you are working with an experienced custom builder? I haven't spoken to the builder yet. Most of the issues were fairly minor but I'm thinking an experienced builder or his framers should have known better the first go round. Thanks.

Featured Answer

lookintomyeyes83

7 years ago

Inspections can fail for many reasons. If for minor things, its fairly common. Sometimes one inspector will pass things, and another won't. Frustrating, annoying, confusing, but it definitely happens.

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Comments (7)

kirkhall
7 years ago
Agree. Sounds like you may have gotten a thorough inspector.
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Well, it depends why they “failed” inspection. Technically my house failed an inspection as it was still missing a sconce over the back door (it was still on order) and the laundry sink and faucet were not installed (ditto, they went in two days after the inspection). And it is also important that they fixed it. I’d be more concerned if there is a history of failing something like foundations because that may link to them needing to be more picky about their subs or having poor oversight/construction methods. I work in a field where I see the construction process from the homeowners side, the builders side, the lenders side, and even the inspectors side (and have just finished building my own home with a builder so have my own personal perspective) and a failed inspection is not that unusual during course of build - they tell you specifically what must be fixed and then if it gets fixed, you carry on. Honestly, I’d be more interested in the “after” build experience - how they handled post close punch lists and problems, warranty issues, etc. Inspections are targeted to ensure both things are to applicable Code etc, they don’t necessarily catch anything else from the special plumbing you wanted run to the finish quality. You can find this by talking to current homeowners or searching court records for suits - though depending on where you are these all may be handled in arbitration not the courts. Because I guarantee you even if you do all your due diligence and do everything custom from shoveling a hole out of the dirt to the key they hand you at close there will be issues. You want to know how they will be after they have most of your money (because I hope you plan to do a holdback).
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rwiegand
7 years ago
Sounds like you got an inspector that actually looked at things. That is a Good Thing. Our guys too often show up, shoot the breeze for a while, sign the card, and leave. Then there are other inspectors who always fail you the first time to demonstrate they are doing their job.

I would not be surprised or concerned by an inspector finding small issues.
millworkman
7 years ago
Without knowing what failed it is impossible to tell for sure. Are there additional nails needed on joist hangers, sheathing straps, rafter clips, pipe and wire cover plates missing or is stuff really wrong?
just_janni
7 years ago
My brother built a shed. He failed several inspections wherein the inspector went back to the HOUSE (built in 1986) and said things needed to be upgraded. next guy would come out and pass the fixes, but then ding him on something the other inspector said was okay. One guy came out as a trainee, so he went 1000% overboard. And so it went on. None of the issues was significant, IMO - they just appeared to enjoy torturing him. LOL

Unless your builder has to rip out the whole system / plumbing / electrical - I wouldn't worry too much about it. Sometimes the interpretation of code changes and it's certainly variable from inspector to inspector.

Share what failed - with pics and we'll have a better idea if it was "picky" or "blatant" and your guy should have easily known better.
User
7 years ago
A local fire dept smoke detector inspector once told me he had installed new detectors in his vacation house but they didn't pass inspection.
User
7 years ago
When my remodeling business was active, I often met with the actual person who would do the inspection and found out what that person wanted to see.

I had inspectors tell me and then find some small item to see if I would argue/fix it/whatever. And I found inspectors who knew less than I did about certain areas.

I once had an inspector fail a rough in job because there were too many studs in the walls. He said the code said studs were to be on 16" centers and that was all. (the remodel was on a 100+ year house with several additions, none of which had 16" center studs). Rather than remove/replace, I simply had studs set on 16" centers. I explained the code was 'minimum' standards and more than the minimum was fine. New fellow, so a call to his boss straightened out the problem. But, from then on, every job I was involved with got extra special attention.

If the fails are actual problems, you had a really good inspector. If the fails are nit picking items, there might be a situation with the inspector and the builder(saw that more than once) and there will be more fails.

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