Notable Inspection — New Construction

A new single-family home with a broken roof truss

Montgomery County, Maryland. A roof truss in the attic already broken and patched with two pieces of 2x4, moisture found inside one of the two electric panels, and shingles damaged by ladder feet outside both front bedroom windows. Fifty-nine findings, from the attic framing to the laundry circuit.

PropertyMontgomery, MDInspectedSeptember 2026TypeNew-build single-family, finished basementReport26 pages, photo punch list

What this inspection found

Counted from the delivered report

Findings documented

Across 17 areas of the house

Broken roof truss

Patched with two pieces of 2x4 lumber

Exterior items

Foundation, outdoor units, roof and trim

Panel with moisture

All breakers in it to be changed

The six that mattered most

A new house is not a finished house. These six are the items on this punch list that most needed the builder’s attention — one of them in the roof framing.

Punch listRoof framing

A broken truss in the attic, patched with two pieces of 2x4

In the attic, a roof truss was broken and had been patched with two pieces of 2 x 4 lumber, and the truss plate at the break was damaged. Trusses carry the roof, which is why the report sends this one to a framing specialist for a recommendation on how to fix it properly.

Punch listElectrical

Moisture inside an electric panel, and a service conduit left open

Moisture was found in the right-hand of the two electric panels, and the report notes that the electrician is going to change all of the breakers in it. Outside, the top of the conduit at the main feed lines was not sealed, and the upper raceway was not mechanically connected to the underground PVC.

Punch listRoof

Shingles damaged by ladder feet outside both front bedrooms

From the front right and front left bedroom windows we could see roof shingles damaged by the footings of ladders, and there was debris on the roof surface outside the owner’s bedroom. Damage to a new roof is worth catching while the house is still under the builder’s warranty.

Punch listFoundation and exterior

Two foundation cracks and an outdoor unit on a bent platform

The foundation had a minor crack behind the left outdoor unit and a second crack to the right of the front windows, without displacement. It had not been painted, and the pour was inconsistent beside the garage. The right outdoor unit was dented at its rear corner and sat on a platform bent along the front edge.

Punch listSump and radon

A sump pump that cannot be tested, and radon piping not yet active

As wired, the sump pump could not be tested without opening it, so we recommended a piggyback plug system so it can be. The passive radon pipe rising from the sump lid does not reduce radon until it is activated by adding a pump in the attic. The lens on the sprinkler system’s pressure gauge was broken.

Punch listLaundry and kitchen

No power in the laundry room, and insulation showing at the dishwasher seal

The laundry room outlets had no power because the circuit breaker had tripped, and the inspector did not reset it. In the kitchen, insulation showed through the right side of the dishwasher’s rubber seal and the induction cooktop had power but could not be tested. The other appliances worked.

From the report

Photographs from the inspection, personal details removed

Wood roof trusses in a dark attic, with a red circle around the metal truss plate where several members meet — The truss plate at the broken truss is damaged.

Roof framing in a dark attic lit by a flashlight, with lengths of 2x4 lumber running alongside a truss beneath the roof sheathing — A broken roof truss, patched with two pieces of 2x4 lumber.

A grey electrical conduit running down white siding into an open pipe stub at ground level, circled in red among leafy plants — The conduit at the main feed lines is not sealed at the top or connected to the underground PVC.

Two outdoor air-conditioning units on grass, with a red arrow pointing up at the bent front edge of the platform under the right-hand unit — The platform beneath the right outdoor unit is bent, especially along the front edge.

The full redacted report

Every deficiency as it was captioned in the delivered report, verbatim. Orientation photographs — shutoff locations and equipment labels — are left out, along with two captions that only gave a second view of the photo before them. Name, street address and report number removed.

Attic

There is a broken trust that has been patched with 2 pieces of 2 x 4 lumber. Consult a framing specialist for recommendations as to how to properly fix this damage.
The trust plate for the broken trust is damaged.

Exterior

Flashing to the right of the garage door is not parallel to the stone sill.
Flashing to the left of the garage door is not parallel to the stone sill.
Finish on the top of the left post on the front porch is inconsistent.
Front porch and walkway need to be power washed.
Paint on the sides of the header casing above the front door is thin and needs to be repainted.
Left shutter on the side of the front window is damaged
Rust marks on the driveway.
Foundation is not painted.
Screw caps not in place on the decorative trim on the right side of the house.
Paint overspray on the backside of the front porch.
Minor foundation crack behind the left outdoor unit.
Foundation cracked to the right of the front windows on the left side of the house without displacement.
Right rear corner of right outdoor unit has been dented.
Paint overspray on the back left corner of the left outdoor unit.
The platform beneath the right outdoor unit is bent especially on the front edge.
Paint overspray on the siding to the left of the slider at the main level.
Front edge of the stone sill outside the triple windows at lower patio level on the left side is scratched.
Down spout in the back left corner to the left of the steps to the basement is not plumb.
Raised surfaces from excess concrete on the steps from the basement on the right side.
Top of handrail on the basement stairwell terminates above the top edge of the wall.
Hole in the trim on the double windows to the right of the basement stairwell.
Inconsistent pour on the foundation to the left of the garage.
Roof shingles are damaged from the footings of ladders visible outside the front right bedroom window.
Roof shingles are damaged from the footings of ladders visible outside the front left bedroom window.
Debris on the rooftop surface visible from the left side window in the owner's bedroom.

Garage

Hole in the wall for the low voltage to the left of the garage door needs to be sealed.
Paint touch up on back wall.
Gaps between the garage door framing and the ceiling need to be sealed in 3 locations.

Electric

The top of the conduit at the main feed lines is not sealed. The upper raceway is not mechanically connected to the underground PVC.
Moisture was found in the right electric panel and the electrician is going to change all of theakers in the right panel.

Plumbing

Lens on the pressure gge on the sprinkler system is broken.
The right hose bib supply line is bowed and not tacked down. This is inconsistent with the left.
There is a passive radon system in the 4 inch PVC coming out of the sump pump lid. This system does not abate radon until activated. This pipe runs through the house and out through the rooftop. It should be activated by adding a pump in the attic. Consult a qualified professional when looking to activate the system.

Sump Pump

The sump pump is in the utility room with the air conditioning system. Recommend upgrading the power supply to include a piggyback plug system so the pump can be tested without opening it. In its current configuration, the sump pump cannot be tested.

Utility

Low voltage penetration is not sealed.
Floor is bubbled beneath the main water service entry.
Ceiling penetrations for plumbing lines should be sealed.

Foyer

Weather stripping around the front door is missing.

Dining Room

Candelier not level, leaning to the right.
Corner of the post to the left of the basement steps is not square to the flooring.

Den/Study

Entrance door reveal is uneven at the bottom.
Left tilt latch on right window sticks.

Kitchen

Insulation is showing through the right side of the rubber seal when you open the dishwasher.
The induction cooktop had power but it could not be tested.
Face of the center drawer on the island is scratched on the left side.

Powder Room

Dust on the inside of the vanity cabinet.

Lower Stairs

The base mold at the landing from the basement level on the right side is not properly fitted together.
Second step above the landing from the basement has a floor pop. Second floor pop in the landing at the tape mark when coming down the steps.

Upper Stairs and Hallway

Reveal on Newell post at the landing to the upper level on the left side is uneven where it meets the floor.
End of stair tread and corner miter on landing are not neatly cut and finished.
Supply register on the ceiling in the open area above the steps on the right side is not square.

Master Bath

No bumper on the side of the tub for the bottom drawer on the right vanity.
No bumper on the left the side of the tub for the top drawer.

Jack and Jill Bathroom

Caulk repair needed to the left of the spout.

Laundry

Trim ising around the dryer vent opening.
There was no power to the outlets in the laundry room.
The circuit breaker for the laundry room was tripped. Breaker was not reset by the inspector.

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, town and ZIP code
Report number and file references
Photographs showing vehicles, neighbouring homes or possessions

Buying new construction in Montgomery County?

A broken truss in the attic and moisture inside an electric panel, on a house that had only just been finished. We go into the attic and open the panels on every new build, because that is where a punch list stops being cosmetic.

(443) 537-8823 Request an inspection