Pre-Drywall Home Inspection

Unlike standard home inspection, pre-drywall inspections are specific to houses currently under construction, and provides you, as the buyer, with an opportunity to have an independent third party assess the builder's work.

 

This inspection is performed after the foundation is in place, and the bare walls and roof are up, but before the interior walls or insulation have been installed. This is a critical point in the home's construction, as the interior components, such as the electrical wiring, piping, and ducts are not yet concealed.

 

The inspector checks items such as that the weight loads of the house are property brought to and attached to the foundation, that the wiring and plumbing are properly run, and that the interior walls, windows, and flooring are all properly installed and square. While these items are normally checked by the builder's quality control personnel and by the county building inspector, it is important that these areas also be inspected by an independent third party. The inspector does not work for the builder, so has no interest in keeping construction costs down or construction time lines met, being focused solely on making sure that your new home is properly within industry standards. The inspector also likely spends more time on site than the county building inspector, as well as paying attention to non-code related details with which the county inspector may not be concerned.

 

The inspector will also take the time to explain the components of the home and how they work to make the home function properly as a whole. The pre-drywall inspection is likely the only time that you will have the ability to see the underlying structure of the home and to see directly how the systems are laid out and interact.

 

At the conclusion of the inspection, you will be furnished with a comprehensive report describing what was inspected and the condition of those components. The report is somewhat different than the standard home inspection report, both in areas of coverage as well as information presented. A sample pre-drywall inspection report is available through the link on the right side of this page.