Tonopah is way out west of the Valley, quiet desert with views that make the drive worth it. This brand-new home had a private well and was in good shape inside, but there were a few things the buyers needed to bring to the builder before closing.
Ask about the well
The driveway goes right past a well. If you buy a rural property like this, ask the seller whether it is your private well or a shared or community well, and get that in writing. I measured about 52 PSI of water pressure, which is fine for a well. Much lower and you start to notice it.
The roof
- Tight valleys. The tiles in the front valley were cut so tight that debris, including cut tile and a piece of flashing, was trapped in it. That holds water. Opening the valley a little lets debris wash down.
- A plumbing vent with no flashing. One larger vent pipe had underlayment but no metal flashing or tile around it yet. That has to be finished before the first rain.
- Flat roof overhang. On the patio flat roof, the roofing did not extend far enough past the edge in the middle. Water ponds at the edge of a flat roof, and without enough overhang it works its way behind the fascia.
- Good news: bird blocking was installed, and the new underlayment looked great.
A lot of foundation cracks
Small cracks in a new foundation and stucco are common. But here I was finding one every 3 or 4 feet, all the way around, and some were wide. This was not a post-tension slab, so I want the builder to explain them and document them before closing. Nobody has even lived here yet. You do not want to move in wondering whether they will keep growing.
Attic ventilation and insulation
I only found two soffit vents and two gable vents for the whole attic. That is very little air movement, and it was already 90 degrees up there on a mild day. In the summer the attic will cook.
Inside, my thermal camera told the rest of the story. The batt insulation was not snug against the vaulted ceilings and walls, and there were cold and warm spots all over the house, plus heat around every can light. Gaps like these waste energy, and with a 150-degree attic over a 75-degree room, they can cause condensation and “ghosting” stains on the ceiling. Blown-in insulation fills gaps much better than batts.
Inside the house
- The microwave vent fan blew right back into the kitchen because the shipping flap was never removed from the outside vent.
- A loose cabinet hinge and missing or misplaced cabinet screws. The holes should be filled.
- Grout instead of caulk between the plastic tubs and tile walls. Those materials move differently, so it needs caulk.
- Low, sputtering water flow at one shower.
- Door stops that will crack the drywall when a door is swung hard.
- The water heater was only reaching about 112 to 115 degrees, and there was no bollard to protect it from a car in the garage.
On a new home, I test every outlet I can reach, not just one per room. Nobody has tested them before you move in.
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