June 17, 2025
It’s always a mix of excitement and anxiety to buy a home, but it is even more so when you are buying a brand-new construction home. You’ll be among the first people to move into your new home, so everything will be brand-new and unused. It also means no one will have lived in the house long enough to notice any quirks or oversights made during the construction process. It is important to have a home inspection checklist. This will help you identify any problems before they turn into costly ones.
You may not know what to check before you take the keys to your home, especially if it’s your first time. A new construction expert and top agent. She will guide you through an extensive new home inspection in Maple grove mn checklist, and give you some tips for your final walkthrough.
Home Inspections and Walkthroughs
You probably ordered a house inspection after you accepted your offer of purchase. It’s a standard practice and a great idea. There’s no other way to know what you’re in for with a new home. The inspection process is also a powerful tool for negotiating!
You may also have completed a walkthrough, depending on what repairs you and the seller have decided to proceed with after reviewing the inspection report. The walkthrough is a final check before the closing. You can confirm for yourself that repairs have been made as promised, and that the house is in the same condition it was when you bought it.
The core elements are the same for both types of exercises, but the new home will have multiple inspections and a greater level of anticipation around the final walkthrough.
Who is Responsible for New Home Inspections in the United States?
Although most licensed house inspectors will be able to complete each of the inspections that we are about to discuss, it is worth hiring someone with experience in new construction homes or who specializes. These experts are familiar with all the details of the construction process, including what happens at each stage.
New Home Inspection: The First Step
Pre-pour inspections are the first chance to inspect the construction site before it gets underway. The “pre-pour inspection” is called that because it takes place before concrete for the slab is poured, but only after key foundational elements are in place.
The inspection is done before the pour:
- Elevation, drainage, and grading
- Trenches and soil
- Water lines
- Plumbing and pipes
- Drain, waste, and vent lines
- Foundation forms and bracing
- Placement of plastic vapor barriers
- Beam sizes and structural cable systems
Foundation repairs can be expensive, so make sure that the structural supports and pipes are installed correctly and are able to function before they are covered with concrete.
Second: The Framing Inspection
After the foundation has been poured and dried, you can start framing the house. The actual structure is created, which usually takes the form of a wood frame in residential housing.
Third: The Final Inspection
You may be able to walk through your home periodically during construction, depending on the timeline for construction and the builder’s policies.
These are usually informal visits to look and see. These mini-walkthroughs are a great way to gain a better understanding of the homebuilding process.
The final inspection is required when the construction is complete and the house is almost ready to move in. This inspection should be done at least a couple of days before you do your final walkthrough. That way, any issues can be resolved before it is your turn to sign the contract.
What Happens If an Inspector Finds a Problem?
After your home inspection, you can create a list that you can take to your builder to essentially ask, “Please fix it.”
The requests can be for major repairs, like replacing roof shingles that are damaged or rewiring electrical outlets that are not grounded properly, to minor corrections, like shoring up the loose trim around the door or fixing a bathroom fan which won’t turn on.
The process of making repairs after an inspection on a newly constructed home is usually a quick one. It won’t be necessary to schedule the work around your everyday life, as it would be if you had already moved in. Crews and equipment will usually remain on site until the project is completed.
Do not be afraid to delay your final walkthrough, if it is scheduled for the next Tuesday, but the builder says they will be unable to finish the repairs until the Friday following.
It’s worth having the inspector come back to check on the work, especially if it was significant.
It’s not a question of lack of trust in your builder. Your new home is an important investment and you should ensure it’s built to the highest standard.
Ready, set, move-in!
It’s great to finally have the keys to your new home and be able settle in. You’ll no doubt be busy cleaning up construction dust and getting ready for move-in day. But the peace of mind you get from knowing that your new home has been thoroughly inspected at every stage should be a huge relief.
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