"Matt" wrote in message
...
My wife and I are buying a new home and closing tomorrow. When the
hose bib that is installed in the garage is turned on (with no hose
attached) it sprays water onto the wall where the hose bib is, down
onto the sill plate and it works its way either between the sill plate
and the foundation, or between the sill plate and the drywall. In
either event, the result is water leaking down the basement wall onto
the basement floor. The builder said that is normal, and just not to
use the hose bib without a hose attached. Can that really be true?

If he won't fix it, I figure it's an easy fix for me, with just some
caulk between the drywall and sill plate, or between the sill plate
and foundation. Or do you think it would be better to put some sort
of flashing up to keep water from penetrating altogether? Other ideas
in this instance? Thanks in advance.
If you really think that it is the only problem then at the closing bring it
up as an unresolved issue and request that an amount of money be placed in
escrow to assure that the work problem is fixed satisfactorily.
Pick an amount of few hundred dollars with the explanation if it is not done
within so many days you will hire somebody else to do the job and will pay
for it by the escrowed funds.
If there is a mortgage lender involved he will most likely be on your side.