Plus Ultra Home Inspections

New construction still needs a real inspection — here's why.

This home was stunning: brand new, beautifully finished, high-end fixtures throughout. But a thorough inspection still turned up real issues:

• The overhead garage door wants to swing open on its own due to spring tension — a genuine safety concern
• The front door still doesn't have its deadbolt installed

Buyers often assume a new build means nothing to worry about. In reality, new construction gets rushed, and details like garage door safety and hardware installation get missed just as often as anything in an older home. A professional inspection catches it before you move in.

Buying new construction in the area? Let's make sure everything's actually done right. Book your inspection with Plus Ultra Home Inspections through our website.

What does a thorough home inspection really cover? Here's a look at one we did at 530 Broadway in East Alton.

We go top to bottom — testing the things that should work and finding the things that don't:

• Every appliance tested
• Plumbing run and all the drains checked
• A dead exterior outlet
• Crumbling mortar in an old brick wall
• Rot developing along the roof edge

None of this shows up in a listing photo, but every bit of it affects what you're actually buying. A professional inspection is how you find out before you sign — not after you move in.

Buying or selling a home in the area? Let's make sure there are no surprises. Book your inspection with Plus Ultra Home Inspections through our website.

Would you know if a "bedroom" wasn't actually a legal bedroom?

During our inspection at 1900 Stanford Place, the cosmetic stuff looked fine — but a closer look told a different story:

• A rotting back-door frame
• A rusted flue pipe on the roof
• An attic so full of fallen insulation our inspector decided it wasn't safe to crawl
• A toilet that rocks and moves at the base
• A basement room being used as a bedroom — with no egress window

That last one matters: without an egress window, there's no safe exit in a fire or emergency, so it can't legally count as a bedroom. It's the kind of thing that never shows up in a listing photo but absolutely affects what you're buying.

Buying a home in the area? Let's make sure you know exactly what you're getting. Book your inspection with Plus Ultra Home Inspections through our website.