Twenty-six percent thought it was better. Ron McGaskey has lived in four new houses since the late 1970s, and he's among those who see workmanship slipping. He had to build a new deck, he says, because the handrail was wobbly and some of the floorboards had curled up like ski tips. He had to regrade part of his yard because water was puddling near the house. And rainwater keeps dripping into his storage room despite the builder's repeated attempts to fix the leak.
Private inspectors say sloppy workmanship is common even on the costliest new homes.
The hardwood floor in the dining room wasn't level. A door to the bedroom closet was hanging so unevenly it wouldn't close. Older houses not perfect Many who own older houses have to worry, too. Engineer Pete Verna, who inspects many new houses for builders, says old houses don't always have foundation piers beneath load-bearing columns. That can lead to structural problems and dips in the floor, he said.