It is natural to assume a new house is perfect. Builders in Texas are inspected by the city or county, but those inspections are not the same as a buyer's inspection, and the person framing the walls is not looking out for your interests the way your own inspector is.
New houses have new-house problems
Common issues in fresh builds include missed ties and straps in the framing, HVAC systems that were never commissioned properly, plumbing that was never fully tested, roof flashing details that are wrong, and foundations poured before the ground was prepared the way it should be. None of this means the builder is bad. It means construction is done by people, and a house is an assembly of thousands of parts.
The pre-closing inspection
Have an inspection during the final walk-through phase, before you sign. It gives the builder a punch list with teeth, and it gives you the confidence to close. Order it as soon as the builder says the house is ready, because fixing things after closing is always harder.
The 11-month warranty check
Most new homes carry a one-year builder warranty, and the time to use it is month 11. Roofs settle, foundations move, and wood dries out. A second inspection near the end of the warranty year catches what the first year of living revealed, while the builder still has an obligation to fix it.
The takeaway
A new construction inspection is not distrust of the builder. It is a professional second set of eyes on the largest purchase of your life, at the two moments when it costs the least and matters the most.
Christian Schmeis
Certified Professional Real Estate Inspector and owner of Rodeo Home Inspections LLC. Two decades in construction, now inspecting San Antonio’s homes full time.