Buying a New Construction Home? Here's What to Ask Your Inspector to Check
- Les Hanna
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
There's a common assumption that a brand-new home is a flawless home. After all, everything is new, it was just built to code, and the local building department signed off on it. So why would you need an inspection?
The honest answer: a new home is built fast, by many different trades, under deadline pressure — and small things get missed. A municipal code inspection confirms a home meets minimum requirements. It is not the same as someone walking the home on your behalf, methodically checking that systems were installed correctly and actually work. That's what a private final inspection does.
If you're buying new construction in Northeast Florida, here's what to ask your inspector to confirm they checked — when to get inspected (it's more than once), and a few things specific to our climate that matter more here than almost anywhere else.
You Actually Want Two Inspections — Here's Why
This is the part most buyers don't realize: with new construction, there isn't just one inspection worth getting. There are two, and they serve very different purposes.
1. A Pre-Closing Inspection (Before You Sign)
The first inspection should happen before you close. This is a quality-assurance check while the home is essentially complete but still the builder's responsibility.
There's a specific reason the timing matters. Once you close and take possession, a builder can argue that any defect or damage found later happened after closing — on your watch. A documented pre-closing inspection establishes the condition of the home at the moment of sale. It creates a clear record, gives you a punch list to present before you sign, and removes the "that wasn't us" argument from the table.
Skipping this step means starting homeownership with no independent record of what you were actually handed.
2. An 11-Month Warranty Inspection (Before the Warranty Expires)
The second inspection should happen near the end of your first year. Most builders offer a one-year warranty, and many of the items an inspection turns up are the builder's responsibility to fix only while that warranty is active.
Settling, seasonal movement, and installation issues often don't reveal themselves until the home has gone through a full year of Florida heat, humidity, and use. An inspection around the 11-month mark gives you a documented punch list with time to spare — so anything found is squarely the builder's job to correct before the window closes. Get it documented in time, and the builder repairs it. Miss it, and the same items become your repair bill a few years later.
Bottom line: the pre-closing inspection protects you at the sale. The 11-month inspection protects you through your first year. Both are worth it.
What to Ask Your Inspector to Check
Use the categories below as a guide. A good inspector will cover all of these as a matter of course — but it never hurts to know what a thorough new construction inspection actually includes.
Structural & Exterior
Foundation shows no cracks, settling, or moisture, and the ground slopes away from the home
Site drainage moves water away from the foundation on all sides
Gutters and downspouts discharge well clear of the foundation
Exterior wall penetrations — where pipes, wires, and vents pass through — are sealed
Driveways, walkways, and patios are free of major cracks or trip hazards
Roof & Attic
The roof was installed correctly: flashing, valleys, and shingle nailing, with no exposed fasteners
Attic ventilation (soffit and ridge vents) is open and not blocked by insulation
Insulation meets the specified depth and is evenly distributed
No daylight, gaps, or staining is visible at the roof deck
Bathroom and dryer vents terminate outside — never into the attic
Electrical
The panel is properly labeled, with correctly sized breakers and no double-tapped breakers
GFCI protection is present at kitchens, bathrooms, exterior outlets, and the garage
AFCI protection is present where required
All outlets and switches function, with correct polarity and grounding
Plumbing
There's adequate water pressure and proper drainage at every fixture
No leaks under sinks, at the water heater, or at supply connections
The water heater is installed correctly, including the TPR valve and a proper discharge line
Hose bibs and exterior faucets operate correctly
Toilets are secured and don't rock
HVAC
The system heats and cools properly, with a good temperature differential
The condensate drain line is installed with proper slope and a secondary (safety) drain
Ductwork is sealed, supported, and there are registers in every room
The thermostat operates the system correctly
Interior
Doors and windows open, close, and latch properly
Caulking and grout are complete in all wet areas
Floors are level, with no major drywall cracks or nail pops
A Few Florida-Specific Things Worth Asking About
Our climate is hard on homes in ways that builders elsewhere don't have to plan around. A couple of items deserve extra attention here in Northeast Florida:
Attic ventilation and moisture management. Our humidity makes proper attic airflow essential. Poor ventilation traps moisture, and trapped moisture in a Florida attic is a problem you want caught early.
Condensate handling. Air conditioning runs hard and often here, which means a lot of condensate. Confirming the drain line is sloped correctly and has a working safety drain prevents water damage down the road.
Ask about thermal scanning. A thermal scan can reveal missing insulation, hidden moisture intrusion, and HVAC issues that simply aren't visible to the eye. On a new construction home, it's a smart add-on to a full inspection.
Download the Free Checklist
We put all of this into a clean, printable one-page checklist you can bring with you. Use it to keep track of what your inspector covered — or to walk your new home yourself before your warranty window closes.
Download the New Construction Final Inspection Checklist Below
Ready to Schedule Your New Construction Inspection?
A new home is one of the biggest purchases you'll ever make. A pre-closing inspection and an 11-month warranty inspection are two small, smart steps that protect it — and give you complete peace of mind.
Hanna Home Services
One call. One appointment. Complete peace of mind.
📞 904-658-1009 • ✉️ info@hannahomeservices.com • 🌐 www.HannaHomeServices.com
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