Pre-Settlement
Walk-Through Tips
Before you go to
settlement on a new home, you and your builder will
"walk through" the house to conduct a final
inspection. The walk-through provides an opportunity for
you to learn how your new home works and to spot items
that need to be corrected or adjusted.
Often, a builder will
use the walk-through to inform buyers about:
- The operation of the
house's components.
- The buyer's
responsibilities for maintenance and upkeep.
- Warranty coverage and
procedures.
- The larger community
in which the home is located.
When you buy a new
appliance or piece of equipment, such as a washing
machine, you usually have to read the instructions
before you can understand how to use all of the
features. With a new house, you will be receiving a
stack of instruction booklets all at once. It helps if
someone can take the time to show you how to operate all
of the kitchen appliances, the heating and cooling
systems, the water heater, and other features in the
home. Such an orientation is particularly useful
considering that when moving into a new home, people
often are so busy that they have trouble finding time to
read instruction booklets.
Learning about
maintenance and upkeep responsibilities is very
important. Most new homes come with a one-year warranty
on workmanship and materials. However, such warranties
do not cover problems that develop because of failure to
perform required maintenance. Many builders provide a
booklet explaining common upkeep responsibilities and
how to perform them.
Should a warranted
problem arise after you move in, the builder is likely
to have a set of warranty service procedures to follow.
Except in emergencies, requests for service should be in
writing. This is not because the builder is trying to be
bureaucratic. Rather, it is to ensure that everyone
clearly understands the service to be performed. The
person receiving a service request is not likely to be
the person performing the work, and you don't want to
rely on word of mouth for transmission of your service
order.
Many builders schedule
two visits during the first year -- one near the
beginning and the other near the end -- to make
necessary adjustments and to perform work of a
non-emergency nature. You should not expect a builder to
rush out immediately for a problem such as a nail pop in
your drywall. Such problems occur because of the natural
settling of the house and are best addressed in one
visit near the end of the first year.
If you have moved to a
new home from a nearby area, you probably will not spend
much time at the walk-through talking about the larger
community in which the home is located. However, if you
are moving to a new community, a builder can often
provide a packet of material to help you become
acclimated.
With respect to
inspecting the house, an effective way to handle this is
with a checklist. The list should include everything
that needs attention, and you and your builder should
agree to a timetable for repairs.
Builders prefer to
remedy problems before you move in, because it is easier
for them to work in an empty house. Some items may have
to be corrected after move-in. For instance, if your
walk-through is in the winter, your builder may have to
delay landscaping adjustments until spring.
It is important that you
be very thorough and observant during the walk-through.
Carefully examine all surfaces of counters, fixtures,
floors and walls for possible damage. Sometimes,
disputes arise because a buyer may discover a gouge in a
counter top after move-in, and there is no way to prove
whether it was caused by the builder's workers or the
buyer's movers.
Many builders ask their
buyers to sign a form at the walk-through stating that
all surfaces have been inspected and that there was no
damage other than what has been noted on the
walk-through checklist. Ask a lot of questions during
the walk-through and take notes on the answers.
Never be afraid to
appear stupid by asking too many questions. That is how
you learn. It is important to view the walk-through as a
positive learning experience that will enhance your
enjoyment of your home. |
