Whatever You Do, Don't Let Your Builder Run Electrical Wires Here

Just like new cars don't always work as expected, sometimes homeowners run into problems with newly built homes. Defects in construction and design may not show up for years, a problem broadly recognized as 'latent construction defects'. While many of the most common surprise repairs can be avoided, sometimes mistakes happen that cause problems no one could have foreseen. That seems to be the case with Coweta County homeowner Ron Daniels (via WSBTV2), who said that the installation of his home's utilities left him with an expensive repair. When he went to have routine septic maintenance done, a crew found electrical wires running in conduit directly across the access to his tank. Instead of being a simple issue, this defect led to thousands of dollars in repairs.

Daniels said that when workers were digging for access to the tank, they found an electrical conduit buried about 3 feet deep. "Why would you put an electrical line right above an access door to a septic tank?" he asked. "It makes no sense." Because it took the workers longer than it should have, he ended up paying much more to have his tank pumped. According to the story, Daniels contacted the builder, who said the home was outside the two-year warranty. The builder stood by the layout, but Daniels disagreed. "That placement made all the difference. What should have been an $800 repair turned into nearly $5,000."

Ron Daniels was right to question why his builder would put electric lines over the septic tank access, but we can only speculate as to the cause. Most construction defects are caused by issues like inadequate planning, miscommunication between trades, and design errors. To minimize these risks, whenever possible, homeowners can serve as an important set of extra eyes during all stages of construction that occur on their property. Of course, this isn't an option if you buy a house that's already built. 

As homeowners, we have a responsibility to be proactive, and there's an entire list of problems to look for when you're building or buying a house. Still, this defect wouldn't have been visible during a reasonable inspection since it was buried under three feet of dirt. In many areas, it's required by code to have risers to ensure septic tank lids are easy to access, something that may have prevented this issue. 

Ultimately, Daniels' electrical problem showcases an uncomfortable truth, which is that while there are benefits to buying a new construction home, they aren't perfect. Every property has its quirks, and sometimes defects will remain hidden until a routine maintenance procedure exposes them. If you're considering buying a new build in 2026 to take advantage of the glut of homes on the market, the advice is to be thorough and reduce your risk as much as possible through due diligence.