Which areas may need attention during the first year in a newly constructed single family house?

Question

New home construction.

Answer 1

Two things need attention. The lawn will require time and effort to establish a healthy lawn. Second, I have never seen a new home that was properly painted. If you have the time and money I would repaint the house and avoid some of the problems that most home owners face in three to five years. Generally, a new home is caulked just enough to keep water from getting inside and painted just enough to change the color. Additional caulk and a second coat of paint now will help to avoid replacing siding and trim in the years to come.

Keep changing the HVAC filter every few months and replace the smoke detector batteries as directed by the manufacture. Other than that, just enjoy your new home.

Answer 2

Other than the obvious ones that are unique to a house (e.g. something does not work or breaks, etc.) most serious warranty problems on new homes are from spalling or cracking of concrete. Check for settling of foundations, driveways, walkways, etc... check basement floors and walls for cracks, etc..

Second most common is "nail pops" in the drywall.. which is simply the nails popping out of the drywall. (a lot of time drywall is actually secured by adhesives but nails are used to hold it up while the adhesive sets) This means patching and drywall repair.. then repainting.. (which incidentally is why a builder explained to me he uses cheap paint becuase a house will need inside repainting a year or so after being built becuase of nail pops)

Usually, a builder will correct these things ONCE inside of a year of construction. (they ask for a checklist and want to come through only once). If so keep a list of locations of problems.. and be sure to tell the builder at 9-12 months.

Landscaping may need attention.. expecially grading.. be sure to grade so that rain water drains away from a home. Even if it is done right initially after a few months or years there could be settling up close to a home that will eventually cause water pressure against basement walls and basement leaks..

Answer 3

Congrats!
Often builders will suggest waiting to paint with nail pops and drywall shifting in mind, but contractor grade paint is not very washable.
Did you build a home with a production builder? We were provided a binder full of information about what to expect plus warranty and contact information. This came in very handy, as we had a number of issues that came up and were able to address them easily.
Check all outlets, we found out that our exterior outlet did not work when we put up our Christmas lights.....
We were advised to seal the seams where kitchen counter tops meet so water does not seep in.
Check under flooring for lumps or dips. We found various items that needed to be removed.
Our furnace used a fuse (part of the furnace, not the breaker box) that we did not know about until the furnace stopped running...) so I would recommend reading your owners manuals, highlighting anything you question and getting those questions answered up front. We didn't.
Also, be prepared to find dust accumulate quickly. Alot of new products emit gases also (new smell?) that end up leaving residue. New carpet also produces a lot of lint.
Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Most of all, enjoy your new home!

Answer 4

I should think none. You may want to look for signs of settling, such as cracks at door ways, wood trim pieces separating.