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New Construction — Northeast Florida Home Inspection Guides
The common assumption is that a municipal code inspection makes an independent inspection redundant. It does not. A code inspection verifies minimum compliance for the jurisdiction; an independent inspection evaluates workmanship and function on behalf of the buyer.
Mon–Sat 8am–6pm · InterNACHI certified, Florida licensed and insured · 20+ years construction and renovation experience
About new construction in Northeast Florida
Volume construction produces characteristic defects that are systematic rather than random: compressed insulation, ductwork disconnected during a later trade's work, plumbing vents terminated incorrectly, and stucco applied without proper drainage plane detailing.
These articles cover the three windows that matter — pre-drywall, pre-closing, and the 11-month builder warranty inspection that most buyers discover only after it has closed.
Why new homes still need independent inspection
The common assumption is that a municipal code inspection makes an independent inspection redundant. It does not, because the two are asking different questions. A code inspection verifies minimum compliance on behalf of the jurisdiction. An independent inspection evaluates workmanship and function on behalf of the buyer. A detail can satisfy code and still be executed poorly enough to cause problems.
Volume construction also produces characteristic defects. Trades move quickly across many houses, and the errors that result are systematic rather than random: missing or compressed insulation, ductwork disconnected during a later trade's work, plumbing vents terminated incorrectly, flashing details rushed at roof-to-wall intersections, and stucco applied without proper drainage plane detailing.
Timing is what makes new construction inspection genuinely valuable. At the pre-drywall stage, framing, wiring, plumbing and mechanical rough-ins are all still visible. Once drywall is up, that entire layer becomes inaccessible for the life of the building, and defects there are found later only by the damage they cause.
Builder walkthroughs are not a substitute either, for a structural reason: the person conducting them works for the builder. That does not make them dishonest, but it does mean nobody in that conversation is representing the buyer's interest, and items get characterised as normal that an independent inspector would write up.
The three windows that matter
Pre-drywall is the first and most valuable. Everything structural and everything in the walls is visible exactly once, and this is it. Buyers who inspect at only one point should choose this one.
Final walkthrough before closing is the second. It catches finish defects, systems that do not operate correctly, and incomplete work while the builder still holds the incentive of an unclosed sale.
The 11-month inspection is the one most buyers miss and often regret. Builder warranties are commonly tiered — roughly one year on workmanship and materials, two on systems, ten on major structural. Inspecting at eleven months means defects that emerged during the first year of occupancy are documented while the workmanship coverage is still in force. A month later, that coverage is gone.
Warranty language rewards attention. Coverage is commonly tiered at roughly one year for workmanship and materials, two years for systems, and ten for major structural elements, and each tier expires on a schedule the buyer is expected to track. Nobody sends a reminder.
Articles
The 11-Month Builder Warranty Inspection Explained
Most builder workmanship warranties expire at twelve months. Here is what to inspect at month eleven, and how to submit a list the builder will actually act on.
New Construction Homes Need Inspections Too — Here is Why
A municipal code inspection is not a quality inspection. Here are the defects we find repeatedly in brand new Northeast Florida homes, and when to look for them.
Should You Get a Home Inspection on a New Construction Home in St. Johns County?
New does not mean defect free. Why St. Johns County buyers inspect during construction, before the final walkthrough, and again inside the builder warranty window.
New Construction questions
Do I need an inspection if the county already inspected the house?
Yes. A code inspection verifies minimum compliance for the jurisdiction; an independent inspection evaluates workmanship and function on your behalf. They answer different questions and routinely produce different findings.
When is the best time to inspect new construction?
Pre-drywall, if you only do one. Framing, wiring, plumbing and mechanical rough-ins are visible then and never again. Ideally add a pre-closing walkthrough and an 11-month warranty inspection.
What is the 11-month inspection for?
Builder warranties typically cover workmanship and materials for the first year. Inspecting at eleven months documents everything that surfaced during your first year of occupancy while that coverage still applies — a window most buyers discover only after it has closed.
Ready to book an inspection?
Call 904-806-7679 and speak to William Knight. He covers St. Johns, Duval, Clay, Flagler, Volusia and Putnam counties. Mon–Sat 8am–6pm.
Mon–Sat 8am–6pm · 20+ years construction and renovation experience · InterNACHI certified, licensed and insured