Why You Should Still Get an Inspection on a New Build

Unless you document cosmetic defects in writing before or at closing, they are considered accepted. This includes drywall imperfections, finish gaps, paint inconsistencies, trim misalignment, and scratched hardware. Builders are under no obligation to address anything you didn't formally note — in writing, with signatures — at the final walk-through.

Without a third-party inspector guiding that walk-through, buyers routinely miss items they'll spend their own money fixing months later.

The burden of proving a defect is a construction error — not the result of normal use, weather, or homeowner activity — falls entirely on you. Without documentation from before closing showing the condition existed at the time of purchase, this is nearly impossible to establish.

Builders and their warranty departments are practiced at attributing issues to anything but construction quality. A pre-close inspection report is your primary protection against this dynamic.

Builder warranty crews are typically not the original subcontractors. Response times average 30 days or longer after a claim is filed. Repairs may be rushed, poorly coordinated, or incomplete — and you may need to file multiple claims for the same underlying issue.

During this entire window, you live with the problem. Having defects repaired before closing costs you nothing extra and eliminates the wait entirely.

The moment you sign closing documents, your negotiating power evaporates. Issues that could have been repaired at the builder's full expense — no argument, no claim filing, no waiting — are now subject to warranty disputes you may or may not win.

The builder's financial incentive shifts the instant they receive final payment. Catching issues before that moment is the entire point of a third-party inspection.

This is your only opportunity to inspect what's inside the walls — framing, wiring, plumbing rough-in, ductwork routing, and insulation. Once the drywall goes up, every one of these systems is sealed away for the life of the home. Even if a defect is covered under warranty, repairing it post-drywall means opening walls, patching, and repainting. Catching it here means a quick fix at builder cost before you've moved in.

Typically covers: structural framing and connections, electrical rough-in and panel, plumbing rough-in and drain lines, HVAC rough-in and duct routing, insulation placement and vapor barriers, and window and door rough openings.

Typical cost: $300–$450

A comprehensive, independent inspection of the completed home — not the builder's own punch-list walk-through, which is designed to protect the builder, not you. This covers all completed systems, finishes, appliances, grading, and exterior elements.

This is your last moment of real negotiating leverage: issues identified here can be presented to the builder as a condition of closing, with a written repair list and a timeline for completion. After closing, that leverage is gone.

Typical cost: $400–$700 — one of the highest-return investments in the entire buying process. Hire the inspector yourself; do not use one the builder recommends.

Conducted right before the first-year workmanship warranty expires, this inspection identifies defects that developed after move-in — settlement cracks, grading issues that emerged after heavy rains, HVAC problems after a full seasonal cycle, plumbing issues, and finish deterioration.

Done at month 10 or 11, it gives you time to compile a formal repair list, submit it to the builder, and have corrections completed before the one-year coverage window closes permanently. Many buyers skip this step entirely and let their warranty expire without knowing what they had the right to claim.

Typical cost: $350–$500 — and can result in thousands of dollars in covered repairs.