It is an exciting, as well as stressful, time when you have just closed on your home and are getting ready to move in. The last thing you want to discover is something wrong with your house that has the potential to lower its value and make living uncomfortable or even dangerous. Hopefully, the inspection that was made prior to signing the final paperwork revealed any potential problems and allowed you to address them. Unfortunately for many Illinois homebuyers, however, is the possibility of an unforeseen construction defect creating problems down the line.
Defects in construction can be particularly difficult for home inspectors to catch, because most are not apparent for the first few months or years after the home has been built. Also, the home’s previous owners might not have known about the issues. A construction defect may have occurred due to the developer’s lack of planning, poor choice in materials or cutting corners on construction to save money and time. You might encounter some of the following common construction defects in your new home:
- Cheap imitations of superior materials that were used for the home model, such as a molded countertop instead of granite
- Window and façade leaks, especially in complex “designer” architecture that looks attractive but is not structurally sound
- Problems with improperly fitted or cured wood floors warping or developing mold
- Bad ventilation throughout the house
- Poor site selection, which may result in the home being flooded or sinking on unstable ground
While some construction defects create cosmetic problems and lower your property’s value, other issues can violate safety code and possibly put you and your family in danger. Before making an offer on the home you are considering, it may be wise to do your research and see if there have been any complaints or actions taken against the developer.
