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Notable Inspection — New Construction

A new home with an unwired disposal and 73 punch-list items

Frederick County, Maryland. A garbage disposal that was not wired, a washing machine that was not working, and three openings on the air handler where air escaped once the system ran. Seventy-three items in all, on a house that had just been built.

PropertyFrederick, MDInspectedOctober 2026TypeNew-build home, finished basement and deckReport32 pages, photo report

What this inspection found

Counted from the delivered report

73

Findings documented

Across 21 areas of the house

2

Appliances not working

Disposal not wired, washing machine not working

3

Air-handler penetrations

Where air escaped with the system running

15

Exterior items

Siding, flashing, front door and deck door

The six that mattered most

A new build is not a finished build. These six are the items we made sure the builder saw before the warranty clock started.

Punch listKitchen

A disposal that was not wired, and a dishwasher that strikes the cabinet

Under the kitchen sink, the garbage disposal was not wired. The dishwasher was pitched forward and struck the right side when opening and closing, the range and the refrigerator both rocked in place, and the refrigerator doors were not aligned at the top.

Punch listLaundry

A washing machine that was not working

The washing machine was not working, and its water supply lines were not marked hot and cold. The wall cabinet face was damaged in two places and the back wall of the right cabinet was damaged, and the bifold doors were damaged and closed with an uneven reveal.

Punch listHVAC

Air escaping from three openings on the air handler

With the system turned on, air was escaping at three penetrations on the air handler, and the report called for them to be sealed to ensure proper performance. The top panel cover was not properly installed on the system either. Air lost at the handler is air that never reaches the rooms.

Punch listExterior

Flashing not flush at the foundation, and gaps at the porch cover

In the left rear corner beside the sump pump discharge line, the flashing was not flush to the foundation — inconsistent with others in the neighborhood. There were gaps between the J channel and the siding on both sides of the front porch cover, a stone was missing beside the porch, and the header above the front door was dented.

Punch listUtility and electric

Open wall penetrations around the data panel, and a latch that will not engage

Three wall penetrations around the data panel needed sealing, the Romex power supply beneath it was not properly tacked down, and there was no access panel for the wall penetration beneath the basement steps. On the electric service, the latch for the cover panel did not engage.

Punch listBathrooms and bedrooms

Shower weep holes not cleared, and smoke detectors not flush

In the owner’s bath the weep holes were not cleared on either side of the shower and the right mirror was off center over the sink. Smoke detectors in the foyer and the front-right bedroom were not flush to the ceiling, and the attic access panel had been painted closed.

From the report

Photographs from the inspection, personal details removed

A black garbage disposal mounted beneath a stainless kitchen sink, with white drain pipes, supply lines and wall outlets in the cabinet behind it
The garbage disposal under the kitchen sink is not wired.
A gas furnace and air handler with white PVC pipes rising from it, a red oval around the openings where the pipes pass through the cabinet and a red arrow pointing to the upper panel
Three penetrations on the air handler where air was escaping when the system was turned on.
The rear corner of a house where light and dark siding meet above the foundation, with a white sump pump discharge pipe ending over a green splash block on the lawn
Flashing in the left rear corner by the sump pump discharge line, not flush to the foundation.
The bottom corner of a glass shower door frame on a white shower base, with a red arrow pointing to the base of the frame
Weep holes not cleared on the sides of the owner’s bath shower.

The full redacted summary

Every deficiency and recommendation as it was captioned in the delivered report, verbatim. Orientation photographs — shutoff locations and equipment labels — are left out. Name, street address and report number removed.

Exterior

  • Front porch surface is dirty.
  • Painted surface of the front door is damaged.
  • Paint overspray on front door lock set.
  • Gap between the J channel and the siding on the right side of the front porch cover.
  • Gap between the J channel and the siding on the left side of the front porch cover
  • Stone missing on the left side of the front porch.
  • Flashing in the left rear corner next to the sump pump discharge line is not flush to the opposing foundation. Inconsistent with others in the neighborhood.
  • Casings on the side of the front door are not properly pieced together with the header on both sides.
  • The header piece above the front door is dented.
  • Light at deck level not caulked to the mounting block
  • Deck surface is dirty.
  • Large gap at top of trim piece on windows on the back of the house at deck level.
  • Base mold beneath the door to the deck from the kitchen is cut short on both sides.
  • Bottom edge of deck door threshold plate is bent on the left side facing in and on the right side
  • Inconsistent paint finish on the threshold plate support board for the deck door exterior.

Landscaping

  • Dirt and debris in the flower bed to the left of the front porch.
  • Dirt and debris in the lawn to the right of the front sidewalk.
  • The bush in the front right corner is planted so it blocks proper positioning of the front right splashblock.
  • Gap in the sod on the back of the house left of the slider.

HVAC

  • Consider using a cover for your air conditioning system in the non cooling months to protect it from the elements. Never run the system with the cover on.
  • There are 3 penetrations on the air handler where air was escaping when the system was turned on. These should be sealed to ensure proper performance.
  • The top panel cover is not properly installed on the system.

Utility Room

  • There is a penetration in the drywall beneath the data panel that should be sealed.
  • There are 2 wall penetrations above the data panel that should be sealed.
  • The Romex cable for the power supply beneath the data panel is not properly tacked down.
  • Cover for left door handle displaced.
  • There is no access panel for the wall penetration for access beneath the steps in the basement.

Electric

  • The latch for the cover panel does not engage.
  • Panel cover is scratched next to the blue tape mark.

Sump Pump

  • Consider adding a piggyback plug system on the pump so it can be tested without opening the lid.

Radon

  • Access to the type beneath the steps is limited because the opening is only 16 inches wide.

Attic

  • Attic access panel is painted closed.

Kitchen

  • Refrigerator doors are not aligned at the top.
  • Dishwasher is pitched forward and strikes the right side when opening and closing.
  • Disposal is not wired.
  • The range rocks in place.
  • The refrigerator rocks in place.
  • Front edge of the glass wall cabinets are damaged where marked with blue tape.
  • Gap between scribe mold and the wall on the left of the glass front cabinets is cracking.
  • Gap between casing and molding on the strike side inside of the door to the deck.
  • Paint overspray on the strike plates for the door to the deck.

Laundry

  • The wall cabinet face is damaged in 2 locations and the back wall of the right cabinet is damaged.
  • The water supply lines for the washing machine are not marked hot and cold.
  • Bifold door reveal is uneven when closed.
  • Bifold doors are damaged where marked with blue tape.
  • Washing machine is not working.

Foyer

  • Weatherstripping is torn below the strike.
  • Smoke detector is not flush to the ceiling.
  • There was a large gap between the carpet and the base mold on the first step of the staircase to the main level.
  • The bottom rail at the bottom of the steps in the basement has been damaged and painted over.
  • There is a gap between the carpet and the base mold at the bottom of the steps to the upper level on the landing.
  • Base mold the bottom of the steps are not properly pieced together.
  • There is a gap between the carpeted riser and the base mold on the left side of the steps.
  • Excess caulk is on the floor at the opening to the front room of the basement on the right side.
  • There is paint overspray on the door sweep for the front door in 2 locations.

Lower Stairs

  • Gap at the miter cut on the trim on the Newell post at the bottom of the steps, basement level.

Unfinished Basement

  • There's a crack in the slab in the unfinished room across from the utility room. This is not structural in nature. Monitor and repair as necessary.
  • The header trim on the inside of the unfinished room across from the utility area is not parallel to the ceiling.

Finished Basement

  • The gap between the slam strip and the moving door on the basement front room is inconsistent from top to bottom.
  • The top of the slam strip is overcut.

Basement Bathroom

  • Mirror not centered over the sink

Living Room

  • Round spot on the flooring in front of the left window.
  • Bottom edge of the left window is damaged

Owners Bedroom

  • Gaps between carpet and base mold in three locations.

Bedroom 2 Front Right

  • Bottom edge of window trim is damaged.
  • Smoke detector is not flush to the ceiling.

Bedroom 3 Front Left

  • Bottom edge of window trim damaged.

Owners Bath

  • The weep holes are not cleared on both sides of the shower.
  • The end of the toe kick on the left side of the vanity is not finished, inconsistent with the right side.
  • The right mirror is not centered over the sink and to the light fixture.

Hall Bathroom

  • The end of the toe kick is not finished. Inconsistent with the owner's bathroom.
  • Gap between the scribed mold and the wall is inconsistent from top to bottom to the right of the vanity cabinet.
  • The corner to the left of the tub is out of square and not finished.
Client privacy

What we removed, and why

Every Century report is confidential and prepared exclusively for the client who ordered it. This page is published with written permission, with anything identifying removed before it went up.

  • Buyer name
  • Street address and ZIP code
  • Report number and file references
  • Photographs showing people or reflections

Buying new construction in Frederick County?

Seventy-three items on a brand-new house, from an unwired disposal to air escaping at the air handler. Most of them would never be noticed on a walkthrough, and a builder can only fix what gets written down.

(443) 537-8823Request an inspection