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Builders & New Construction

From dirt to keys, and what to know in between.

Building or buying new here

A new-construction purchase runs on the builder's contract, not the standard resale forms: allowances, upgrade pricing, and completion dates all live in that document. Your own agent can represent you at the sales office, but register them on your first visit or the builder may not pay them.

Pennsylvania splits the rules: remodelers and home-improvement contractors must register with the Attorney General under HICPA, and you can verify the number online, while new-home builders work under municipal permits and code inspections. Warranties are typically a year on workmanship and longer on structure, but read yours.

Plan three walkthroughs: pre-drywall, final, and the eleven-month list before the workmanship warranty ends. And yes, hire an independent home inspector for a brand-new house; inspectors find punch-list items on new builds every week.

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Pro Corner

For builders and remodelers

New construction and home improvement run under different PA rules, and buyers increasingly check both.

Building legally in Pennsylvania

  1. 1Home improvement contractors must register with the PA Attorney General (HICPA)
  2. 2New-home builders follow municipal permitting and the UCC building code
  3. 3Carry the insurance your registration and townships require
  4. 4Written contracts with required disclosures protect you and the buyer
PA Attorney General: HIC registrationThe registration consumers are told to verify.

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Builders: featured placement here reaches buyers comparing new construction to resale.