I don't know what the applicable building code is in your jurisdiction but the 2009 IRC says: "R703.8 Flashing. Approved corrosion-resistant flashing shall be applied shingle-fashion in a manner to prevent entry of water into the wall cavity or penetration of water to the building structural framing components. Self-adhered membranes used as flashing shall comply with AAMA 711. The flashing shall extend to the surface of the exterior wall finish. Approved corrosion-resistant flashings shall be installed at all of the following locations: 1. Exterior window and door openings. Flashing at exterior window and door openings shall extend to the surface of the exterior wall finish or to the water-resistive barrier for subsequent drainage." Unfortunately, this is not a very useful standard for window flashing so unless the contract required the windows to be installed according to the window and/or weather barrier manufacturer's instructions, you will probably be forced to pay for any changes in the work. The basic problem that you have stumbled upon is that decades ago home builders readily accepted the new nail-fin plastic and metal clad windows as essentially "self-flashing" (codes actually exempted them from needing flashing) and adopted the strategy put forth by DuPont, etc. that it was appropriate to seal the windows to a loose plastic weather barrier as a backup to the weathering face of the exterior cladding (brick veneer, siding, etc). This seemed to work until it was discovered that the nail-fin windows tended to eventually leak at the corners so the good builders went back to protecting the wood sill and jamb framing (sill pans, etc.). Of course, this is much more important in wet climates then in dry ones so attempts to develop a national standard to address this issue has so far been unsuccessful. Discussing these issues with a builder is basically telling someone how to do something that they have been doing for a living for decades so it can be a tough negotiation. This is why the installation instructions for windows should be bound into the construction drawing set or referenced by the contract and attached to it. And it doesn't hurt to staple it to a few of the rough jambs before the windows arrive. Good luck Here is a link that might be useful: interesting paper about window flashing

Very sloppy. Looks like they tried to cut it with a butter knife. But mud and trim will cover it all. Just hope that their finishing skills are better than their rough application skills. I'd want all gaps around the windows sealed with expansion foam and caulk before the trimwork starts as well. It's just one more layer of proper air sealing the conditioned space you pay for into the home.

"I don't see an air gap in any of them and they all have DWs." Here are some this site: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg121408416585.html?14 http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg1214215417634.html?15 http://photos.gardenweb.com/home/galleries/2012/06/backsplash_and_counters.html?cat=kitchens As I had previously noted, There are now several appliance mfg. who offer one or both, back-flow preventers on the supply as well as the discharge side of the DW.There are also, alternative installation methods for DW where the sink and other plumbing are to remain. Miele was the first to offer DW with a built-in back-flow preventer, which allowed homeowners to petition the building dept. for relief from the requirement. justalurker "the HIGH LOOP id NOT an acceptable method of installing a DW although it is commonly done by plumbers and overlooked by inspectors." Here is a PDF from bosch; http://c.shld.net/assets/docs/spin_prod_940234412.pdf It's a display of what I mentioned. It also contains a disclaimer for an air gap, where required. Few inspectors would demand that you be required to change or drill a sink or change or eliminate a sink dispenser, just to facilitate an air gap, over an inconvenience. You are not required to obtain a permit for an aftermarket DW installation because it does not require either a waste or supply modification, before a trap or shut-off valve. The original air gaps were constructed from copper, installed through the exterior wall and drained to the ground. When I install an after market appliance, I always inform the homeowner of the code requirement as well as the potential downside in a sale. It then becomes incumbent upon the homeowner to do their own risk management.

I'm nearing the end of my construction and now a lot of imperfections that weren't apparent to me in the beginning are starting to rear their ugly heads. for example: No, you are not near the end. Most of your list gets fixed during the weeks until closing. walls not perfectly straight, variance of 1 inch Non issue. concrete walkway not perfectly straight because the wood forms were old and a bit wavy, maybe a variance of less than half inch I have an eagle eye and am a perfectionist. This is honestly you being ridiculous. It's fine. plumbing and electrical errors and fixes, leaving wall and ceiling patches, and holes in the back of cabinets which then have to be patched with stainless steel caps Normal in a production build. Pay a million more and you may get perfection. Although I doubt it. Ask me how I know. scuffed edges of walls Will be fixed when workers are out and painters come in to do last touch ups. plumbing under cabinet a bit janky in appearance, but I guess nobody is really looking there Exactly. hairline cracked stucco base on the perimeter wall that was then patched and will have acrylic stucco applied Cracks in stucco happen. It's not a question of if, but when. stairs not built to code, wrong height by 1" that needs to be fixed Stairs will not pass inspection. Wood stairs currently 7 3/4-7/7/8" rise x 11" tread. After 1" thick oak tread placed on top the rise of the first step will be 8 7/8". That's a code violation. It needs to be fixed. This is your only issue that I see. half the doors, unpainted, need to be pulled hard to close. without latch they will bounce open. You really need to chill and wait until the house is ready for you to take possession. pocket door with gap at top of 2cm. which they said can be hidden by trim and made flush with extra piece of wood that matches the angle of the door.... I don't think that's acceptable. You are probably the only one who won't think it acceptable. This is how door frames are done. what's a reasonable expectation? I hate when things look janky but I just want to be done with this. A reasonable expectation is that your expectations for perfection are unreal. Even if this was a million dollar build. cabinets without fillers at sides and unfinished tops and bottoms No one sees tops and bottoms. Unless you mean that the top will not get a crown molding. As for fillers, maybe they're not finished? It sure looks like they're not. soil in the yard with spilled stucco and concrete powder You're joking, right? You are in a construction zone. closet openings not standard height because they forgot to allow for trim height. What is the height? They look right to me. is it customary to have owner pay for closet doors, shower glass, or closet organizers? they would install if I buy materials (above the silly $1200 shower glass allowance) but at this point I would rather use subcontractors. Yes if it's over your allowance and over what the standard for your build is. perimeter walls not exactly the height it's supposed to be, though partly this is related to the actual ground not being even. Which perimeter walls? Interior or exterior and how much are they off? one piece of concrete where the AC condenser goes is cracked down the middle, probably has no rebar, but the rest have rebar and is fine. Ask your inspector.