An 11-month builder warranty inspection for a new home's first owner: warranty and builder details, what has changed since closing, settlement cracks, nail pops, drainage, every system, and a list of warranty items with location, photo and priority — ready to send to the builder before the deadline.
Home, Builder and Warranty
Whose home, who built it, and when the warranty runs out.
Report title
Homeowner
Address
Builder
Builder's warranty contact — name, phone, email
Warranty company or program, if separate from the builder
Closing date
Warranty end date for workmanship items
How the builder wants claims sent — Their online portal, Email, Their paper form, Letter by mail, Not known
Community and lot number
Weather during the visit — Clear and dry, Overcast, Light rain, Heavy rain, Snow or ice on the ground, Rain in the last two days, Very hot, Below freezing
Outdoor temperature
Utilities on at the time — Electricity, Water, Gas, Propane or oil, Some were off
Was the homeowner there?
Inspection company
Inspector
Licence or certification number
Date of inspection
Start time
Since Moving In
Start with what the owner has noticed — they have lived through every season in it.
What the owner has noticed — Drywall cracks, Nail or screw pops, Doors sticking or not latching, Squeaky floors, Water in the basement or crawlspace, Leaks, Rooms too hot or cold, Hot water problems, Breakers tripping, Puddles or low spots in the yard, Cracked concrete, None
The owner's own list, in their words
Has the owner already reported anything to the builder?
What was reported, and what the builder did
Grading, Drainage and Flatwork
How the ground has settled since closing, and where the water now goes.
Has the backfill against the foundation sunk, leaving a dip or trench?
Ground at the foundation now — Falls away all round, Flat in places, Falls toward the house in places
Do downspouts and extensions carry water well away?
Any washouts, bare channels or ponding in the yard?
Cracks in the driveway, walks and patio — None, Hairline shrinkage cracks, Wider than about 1/4 in., or one side higher
Are window wells draining, with no debris or water in them?
What you saw around the house
Grading and drainage photographs
Exterior
Siding, trim, sealant, doors and windows after a year of weather.
Siding and trim
Has sealant opened up at windows, doors, siding joints or penetrations?
Exterior paint and stain
Exterior doors, thresholds and weatherstripping
Windows from outside
Deck, porch, steps and rails
Garage door opener reverses on an obstruction — Reverses, Does not reverse, No opener
Do outdoor taps run without leaking?
What you saw outside
Exterior photographs
Roof and Attic
The roof after its first winter and summer, and the space under it.
How you looked at the roof — Walked the roof, From a ladder at the eaves, From the ground with binoculars, Drone images, Through an upstairs window, Could not be seen
Roof covering
Flashing, vents and penetrations
Gutters and downspouts
Any shingles lifted, creased or missing?
Attic — how you looked — Went in, From the hatch, No access
Is the insulation even, with no bare or windblown patches?
Any stains, frost marks or damp sheathing?
Are bath fan and other ducts in the attic still connected and ending outdoors?
What you saw on the roof and in the attic
Roof and attic photographs
Foundation and Structure
Cracks, water and movement in the foundation and floors after the first year.
Foundation cracks — None, Hairline shrinkage, Wider than about 1/4 in., Horizontal, One side displaced, Leaking or stained
Any sign of water in the basement or crawlspace?
Any floor noticeably out of level, bouncy or squeaking badly?
Are basement posts and beams bearing tight, with no new gaps?
What you saw at the foundation and structure
Foundation photographs
Settlement Cracks, Nail Pops and Finishes
The fit-and-finish items a first year brings out — exactly what the warranty is for.
Drywall cracks — None, Hairline at corners of doors and windows, Longer or wider cracks, Tape seams lifting
Nail or screw pops counted
Is there a gap where interior walls meet the ceiling (truss uplift)?
Do all interior doors latch without rubbing?
Does every window open, close and lock?
Flooring — No problems, Cracked tile or grout, Gaps or cupping in wood, Carpet rippled or seams open, More than one of these
Has caulk or grout opened at tubs, showers, counters or backsplash?
Trim, casings and baseboards
Cabinets, drawers and counters
Stairs, handrails and guards
What you saw inside
Interior photographs
Plumbing
Every fixture run, every trap looked at, and the water heater.
Any drip or stain under a sink, around a toilet, or at the water heater?
Did every tap give hot and cold the right way round, and every drain empty?
Do the toilets flush, refill, stop and sit firm?
Static water pressure
Temperature and pressure relief valve — Valve fitted, discharge pipe runs down to near the floor or outside, Discharge pipe missing, capped, threaded at the end or running uphill, No relief valve fitted, Could not see it
Water heater condition and connections
If there is a sump pump: did it run when the float was lifted?
What you saw at the plumbing
Plumbing photographs
Heating and Cooling
Each system run from its thermostat, and how evenly it serves the rooms.
Heating — Forced-air furnace, Heat pump, Boiler — radiators or baseboard, Electric baseboard, Radiant floor, Ductless mini-split, Wall or space heater, Other
Heating, from the thermostat — Responded and ran, Did not respond, Not run — too cold, too hot or shut down
Cooling — Central split system, Heat pump, Ductless mini-split, Evaporative cooler, Window or wall units only, None
Cooling, from the thermostat — Responded and ran, Did not respond, Not run — too cold, too hot or shut down, No cooling system
Temperature drop across the cooling coil
Does every room get air, with no room the owner says is always too hot or cold?
Is the condensate line draining, with no water in the secondary pan?
Ground-fault (GFCI) outlets near water and outdoors — Every one tested tripped and reset, One or more would not trip or reset, Missing where you would expect them, Not tested
Arc-fault (AFCI) protection — Present, tested and reset, Present, one or more failed the test, None seen, Not tested
Any outlet, switch or light that does not work?
Any missing cover plate, or outdoor outlet without its weather cover?
Is every breaker in the panel labelled?
Smoke alarms — Present and sounded when tested, Present, one or more stayed silent, Missing from a bedroom, hall or level, Present, not tested
Carbon monoxide alarms — Present outside sleeping areas, Missing — the home burns fuel or has an attached garage, Not needed — all-electric with no attached garage, Not checked
What you saw at the electrical
Electrical photographs
Warranty Items for the Builder
One line per item, with the exact spot and a photo, in the order you want them fixed.
One problem per line. Say the room and the exact spot. The builder decides what the warranty covers — your job is to get it on the list in time.
Warranty items
Location
Issue
System — Grading and drainage, Exterior, Roof, Structure, Drywall and paint, Doors and windows, Flooring, Cabinets and counters, Plumbing, Heating and cooling, Electrical, Other
Priority — Safety — fix first, Defect — needs repair, Fit and finish
Photo
Sending the List
When the list went to the builder, how, and by when it must arrive.
The list must reach the builder by
Date sent
Sent by — Builder's portal, Email, Builder's form, Certified mail, Not sent yet
Sent to
Cover note to the builder
Has the homeowner read and agreed the list?
Not Inspected and Limitations
Anything you could not see, reach or run today, and why — so nobody reads silence as a clean bill.
Name each area or item you could not get to and the reason. A report that leaves something out without saying so is read as if it was fine.
Areas or items not inspected
Area or item
Why — No safe access, Blocked by stored belongings, Utility off, Locked or no key, Weather or roof conditions, Covered by finishes, Outside the agreed scope, Occupant asked us not to, Other
What the client should do about it
Outside this inspection unless separately agreed — Mold sampling, Radon testing, Wood-destroying insect inspection, Asbestos or lead testing, Sewer line camera, Septic system, Private well or water quality, Pool or spa, Irrigation, Low-voltage, security and data wiring, Code compliance
Other limits on today's visit
Summary and Sign-Off
The few things the reader most needs to know, and who stands behind the report.
In a few sentences: the most important things from today
Specialists you recommend calling in — Structural engineer, Licensed electrician, Licensed plumber, HVAC contractor, Roofer, Chimney sweep, Foundation or pier contractor, Pest control operator, Drainage or grading contractor, None
Any other photographs
Inspector — signature
Homeowner — name
Homeowner — signature
Home Inspection
11-Month Warranty Inspection
An 11-month builder warranty inspection for a new home's first owner: warranty and builder details, what has changed since closing, settlement cracks, nail pops, drainage, every system, and a list of warranty items with location, photo and priority — ready to send to the builder before the deadline.
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Fill this in and download the finished PDF. Your answers stay on this device as you type. We ask for an email address once, at the download.
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An 11-month warranty inspection is booked by the owner of a new home a few weeks before the builder's one-year warranty runs out. The house has been through four seasons of heating, cooling, rain and settling, and the small faults that appear in a first year — cracks, nail pops, sticking doors, low spots in the yard, sealant pulling away — are still the builder's to fix. This checklist walks the house system by system and ends in the list to send. Fill it in here and download a finished PDF without an account.
Why eleven months
Most builders' warranties cover workmanship and materials for a year, systems for two, and structure for longer. The fit-and-finish items in the first category are the ones most owners lose, because nobody looks for them until the year is up. Inspecting at eleven months leaves time to send a list, get a reply and book the repairs before the deadline passes.
Read the warranty first. Some exclude items the owner does not report within a set time, some require claims in writing on their own form, and the year may start at closing or at the certificate of occupancy.
What a first year does to a house
Framing lumber dries and shrinks, so nail and screw heads push through drywall and hairline cracks open at the corners of doors and windows.
Roof trusses can lift in winter, opening a gap where interior walls meet the ceiling.
Backfill against the foundation settles, so ground that sloped away at closing can now hold water against the wall.
Sealants and grout pull away at tubs, showers, counters and siding joints.
Doors that latched in summer bind in winter, and the other way round.
Ducts in the attic come loose, and condensate lines clog.
Making the list useful to the builder
A warranty list is read by a supervisor who will dispatch trades from it. One item per line, with the room and the exact spot, what is wrong, a photo, and a priority. Group nothing; ten nail pops in the hallway is one line, but nail pops and a sticking door are two.
Keep it factual. Say what you saw and, where helpful, what you would expect instead. The builder decides whether a crack is within their tolerance; your job is to make sure it is on the list before the year ends.
Common questions
When should an 11-month warranty inspection be done?
About ten to eleven months after closing, or whenever the warranty start date says. That leaves a few weeks to send the list and get a written answer before the year runs out.
Is it worth inspecting a house that passed its final inspection?
Yes. The final inspection looks at a house that has never been lived in. A year of use, weather and settling brings out problems that did not exist yet, and they are the builder's responsibility only until the warranty ends.
What does a builder's warranty usually cover?
It varies, but a common pattern is one year for workmanship and materials, two years for plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems, and ten years for major structural defects. Cosmetic damage caused by the owner and normal shrinkage within the builder's stated tolerance are often excluded.
Should the homeowner be at the inspection?
It helps. The owner knows which doors stick in January and which rooms are always cold. The form opens with their list so nothing they noticed gets left out.
What happens after the list is sent?
Keep a copy with the date it was sent and how. Builders usually reply with which items they accept and book the trades. When the repairs are done, a short re-inspection against the same list confirms each one.