New construction pre-drywall inspection for buyers
Book a pre-drywall inspection while the walls are open and a full one before closing. What each checks, what it costs, what to ask the builder for.
Updated · By 
Ben Sikes
Is a pre-drywall inspection necessary on a new build?
Yes. Book a new construction pre-drywall inspection while the walls are open, then a full home inspection before closing. Once drywall goes up, no inspector can see the framing, wiring or pipes behind it again. Send both written reports to the builder and ask for each item to be fixed before insulation goes in and before you close.
Key takeaways
- Book for the short gap between the rough-in sign-off and the insulator. The house should be dried-in, with no insulation yet.
- Ask the construction manager to mark each item "will correct" or "will not correct" in writing before insulation, then have the inspector re-check.
- Get anything the builder pushes to the warranty in writing, with the report attached, before you close.
Can a builder refuse a pre-drywall inspection?
It can, so ask before you sign. The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) predrywall standard has you schedule the visit with the builder and get permission for the inspector to enter. Inspection Professionals says reputable builders allow it when the visit goes through the construction manager. It calls a refusal a warning sign to raise with your agent. Ask the construction manager for the insulation date as soon as you sign.
What does a pre-drywall inspection see that a final inspection can't?
A standard home inspection is visual. The InterNACHI Standards of Practice (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) say it will not find concealed or latent defects. The ASHI Standard of Practice says the same. On a finished new build, the framing, wiring and pipes are all concealed.
ASHI writes a separate predrywall standard for that gap. The inspector looks at the visible foundation, framing, roof, heating and cooling ducts, plumbing and wiring before they are covered. Inspection Professionals, near Philadelphia, lists what that means on site: joist hangers, fire-blocking, drain slope, nail plates over wires, and duct support.
It is not a code check. ASHI's predrywall standard says it does not confirm building codes, manufacturer's installation instructions or the construction plans. First Responding Home Inspections, in Central Texas, puts the difference plainly: city and county inspectors focus on minimum code, while a private inspector looks for work that passes code but could be expensive to fix later.
Timing is tight. That Central Texas inspector wants the roof and windows on, the electrical, plumbing and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) rough-ins done, and no insulation yet. Inspection Professionals says that near Philadelphia the insulator is usually booked within a week of the township's rough-in inspection.
What does a pre-drywall inspection cost?
Prices are local, and bigger homes cost more:
| Area | Pre-drywall price |
|---|---|
| Central Texas (First Responding Home Inspections) | $325 up to 2,000 sq ft, rising to $545 at 6,001 to 8,000 sq ft |
| Las Vegas (Nevada Real Estate Group, listing one local inspector) | $469 to $549 for houses up to 3,500 sq ft |
How long does a pre-drywall inspection take?
Time on site varies by inspector. Structure Tech, in Minneapolis-St. Paul, usually spends up to an hour. Inspection Professionals takes three to five hours on a 2,000 to 3,500 sq ft build.
Written report times:
- WIN Home Inspection: within 24 hours.
- Inspection Professionals: usually within two business days.
Confirm the delivery time when you book. A report that lands after the insulator is a record, not a fix.
What should you ask the builder for?
Under ASHI's predrywall standard, the report names parts the inspector judges significantly deficient. It recommends correction, further evaluation or monitoring for each. That gives you one ask per line. Put structural, gas and electrical items at the top.
- Correction: ask the builder to fix it before insulation, then have the inspector re-check the work. MKC Associates, a Boston-area inspector, says someone needs to confirm the fix was done fully.
- Further evaluation: ask for a written answer from the right professional before the wall closes. For framing, that is a structural engineer. ASHI's standard says the inspector is not required to judge structural integrity.
- Monitoring: ask the builder to note it, and have your pre-closing inspector look again.
Before closing, get a full inspection of the finished house. In Las Vegas that includes running the heat and air conditioning, the water heater, every fixture and drain, the installed appliances and the garage door, per Nevada Real Estate Group.
That report becomes your punch list. MKC defines a punch list as a formal record of incomplete, deficient or incorrect work to fix before closing or under the warranty. Write each item with its location and condition, and keep cosmetic items apart from safety ones. What to ask for after a home inspection covers which items are worth pushing.
Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours.
What if the builder won't fix it before closing?
Get the builder's answer on every line in writing. Nevada Real Estate Group says to ask the construction manager to mark each item "will correct" or "will not correct" before insulation or drywall, then have the inspector re-check.
- Fix under warranty: ask for a signed list of those items, keyed to the report, before closing day. Structure Tech says some builders are much more accommodating before the purchase than after move-in.
- Will not correct: check the item against your builder's written warranty, and ask your agent whether to press it now.
- Missed before closing: Structure Tech's fallback is an inspection before the one-year warranty ends.
Your purchase contract with the builder sets what you can ask for and when, so confirm your options with your agent or attorney.
What does a builder's warranty not cover?
Your warranty's own text decides, and HomeGauge notes that every warranty differs. Common exclusions it lists: damage from neglect, outside forces such as wind, flooding or contractors you hire later, normal wear and settling, and appliances, which carry their own warranties. Read the exclusions before closing, while you can still ask about an item.
How do I know what my punch list is worth?
A dollar figure on each line tells you which items to push before closing. ASHI's predrywall standard does not require your inspector to give the cost of corrections. Get contractor bids on the big ones, as in how to get repair estimates during the inspection period. Kept marks the lines that need a professional quote.
Before your final walk-through, upload your inspection report to Kept and know what each open item costs before you let the builder push it to the warranty.
Sources
- InterNACHI, Standards of Practice
- ASHI, Standard of Practice
- ASHI, Standards of Professional Practice for Residential Predrywall Inspections
- First Responding Home Inspections, Pre-Drywall Inspection
- Nevada Real Estate Group, Pre-Drywall Inspection Las Vegas New Construction 2026
- Inspection Professionals, Should You Get a Pre-Drywall Inspection on a New Build?
- WIN Home Inspection, Pre-Drywall Inspection: A Complete Guide
- Structure Tech, New construction inspections: before closing or before the one-year warranty walk-through?
- MKC Associates, New Construction Punch Lists: What a Good Home Inspector Should Actually Do
- HomeGauge, The Importance of Getting an 11-Month Warranty Inspection
Cost figures are modeled from public wage and materials data unless a line says observed. Kept is accountable for the numbers on this page, and corrections go to support@usekept.com. How we price.