Three Reasons New Construction Homes Need a Home Inspection
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As new home construction continues to make up an increasing share of the market, more and more home buyers may find themselves asking the question, “Do I need a home inspection on a brand-new home?”
New construction in Texas is very popular, with 30% of buyers choosing a new build (twice the national rate) due to builder incentives, energy efficiency, and modern layouts. While new homes have traditionally carried a 10–15% premium, the price gap shrank significantly to less than 6% in 2025, making them much more competitive than they used to be.
We’ve answered this question before, but it really does bear repeating. Not only are new buyers entering the market all the time, but if you’ve purchased a new construction home recently, you could learn a thing or two. After all, your one-year new home warranty may be coming up soon, so there’s your Builder’s Warranty Inspection to think about. What’s that? Keep reading.
Electrical Problems
During the construction of a home, most of the electrical wiring gets put in after the house is framed, but before drywall is installed. When we do phase inspections, our inspectors come out during each phase of the construction process to check that everything is going according to plan and mistakes aren’t getting made during construction.
Some electrical errors can be harder to correct once construction is complete. Something like this in the video is just a matter of the switches being miswired, but it’s something that should have been caught long before the home was moved into.
Negligence
This is a plumbing vent that allows airflow into sinks and drains so gas can properly escape during flushing and draining. The cap that’s closing it off is preventing it from doing its job, which will not only prevent the plumbing from operating efficiently but can create a dangerous build-up of sewer gas that could eventually explode.
Because this is a new build, the cap was likely placed there during construction to test the drains and was simply left on by accident. It should be replaced with a vented cap to allow airflow while still preventing critters from entering the home.
Poor Installation or User Error?
Sometimes it’s unclear whether the error falls with the installer or with the homeowner. In a case like this, depending on how long the home has been occupied (even though it’s new construction), it’s possible the duct pulled loose on its own because it wasn’t fastened securely. The ductwork that is running too sharply over the hanger could have been installed that way, or it might have been moved that way by a homeowner attempting to make room for more storage. Either way, it’s restricting airflow and needs to be corrected.
A Builder’s Warranty Inspection, which is the final phase inspection, will help in any case. The inspector will check every detail in the home to make sure everything is working properly after about 11 months of living in the home. Anything that has failed or malfunctioned and is covered under the Builder’s Warranty can be fixed while that policy is still in effect.
If you’re interested in purchasing a new construction home, look into phase inspections to ensure that each step of the process is checked by an inspector who is there to look out for your best interests. This can avoid all kinds of errors that are much harder to correct after the fact.
