Key takeaways
- New construction inspections happen in phases, starting before the foundation is poured and including a crucial pre‑drywall inspection when framing, electrical, plumbing, heating and air systems are visible.
- The pre‑drywall inspection is the only chance to see and adjust what’s behind the walls. Buyers can confirm outlet and switch placements, heating and air system layout, plumbing locations and framing details before drywall makes changes harder and more expensive.
- A final inspection checks the finished workmanship, ensuring that issues identified earlier have been fixed. At this stage, the home is assessed more like a resale property, with attention shifting from mechanical systems to overall quality and finish.
Inspecting a home under construction is different than inspecting a resold home.
The process of inspecting a new build happens in phases, starting before any concrete is poured. Buyers will typically see the inspection once the frame for the home is up, but before the walls are installed, also called the pre-drywall inspection.
"A pre-drywall inspection happens after framing, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] are roughed in but before walls close," said Dan Kelly, president of Contractor Source in Orlando, Florida. "That window is your only chance to see what happens behind those walls. Once the drywall goes up, that access is forever lost."
The home will also be inspected again after completion to ensure everything remains in working order.
What is a drywall inspection?
The house's inner workings will be visible to the inspector for evaluation. Buyers will also have the rare opportunity to tweak things with systems.
"The goal is to make sure homeowners like the placements of electrical outlets and switches, if they are happy with wall placement, happy with door sizes, happy with HVAC placements, happy with plumbing locations," said Joe Marchionni, owner of Amity Home Maintenance Solutions in Branford, Connecticut.
"Most of these items should have been confirmed after framing and after rough-in from trades, but homeowners tend to change their minds at the oddest of times during a buildout. It is much easier to access venting, electrical and plumbing before drywall is installed. The same goes for acoustic insulation, like rockwool."
Customization will be dependent on the type of new home and the builder's flexibility. You might not be able to change anything on a production home, but semi-custom and custom home builders should be able to accommodate requests, within reason.
Builders want buyers to decide on outlet placements and other structural changes before they put up the drywall.
"Cutting into drywall is a nightmare. It is messy and is hard to patch and make look perfect," Marchionni said. "It is far cheaper and easier before drywall is put up."
What to look for during a pre-drywall inspection
It's very important to identify and address any underlying issues before installing the drywall, or the buyer may face costly problems later.
"The HVAC system is the most important system for homebuyers to be familiar with during a pre-drywall walk-through because it impacts comfort, energy efficiency and system functionality," said Chris Hunter, director of customer relations at ServiceTitan based in Prosper, Texas. "It is at this point in the walk-through that homebuyers can easily view the ductwork, supply and return locations, zoning configurations and equipment locations before all of this is hidden behind drywall."
The builder supervisor will likely be there to help, but it can be helpful to hire a third-party inspector for a neutral opinion.
"While builders do their own quality checks, those are often focused on schedule and code compliance," said Marcus Cuevas, owner of Varsity Zone HVAC of Charlotte, North Carolina. "An independent inspection takes a closer look at the quality of the work and whether it’s built to last."
The goal is to identify all imperfections and have them corrected before the final inspection.
"Common issues found at pre-drywall include missing nail plates protecting wiring and plumbing, loose or poorly secured pipes, misaligned framing, poorly sealed duct connections, or flex ducts that are twisted or pulled too tight," Cuevas said.
What to know for the final inspection
This inspection will allow you to check on any issues you discovered during the pre-drywall inspection.
"Final inspection should be more about quality of the finish work than location or routing of any mechanicals," Marchionni said. "It should be a fully different mindset from the homeowner."
With the walls in place, this will give the buyer a first look at their new home. This inspection is very similar to that of a resold home, but you should expect an almost-perfect home since it has not been lived in.
What is acceptable in a new construction inspection
- Minor imperfections not visible under normal lighting
- Slight framing waves (common in wood framing)
What is not acceptable in a new construction inspection
- Visible seams after the prime coat
- Cracked joints before closing
- Screw pops prior to closing
- Uneven corners
- Poorly blended texture patches