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 spot items that need to be corrected or adjusted. It also allows you to learn how your new home works.
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 dishwasher, 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 carefully 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.