All four stages Where each inspection falls in your build.
If you are not sure which inspection you need, this page is the short answer. Find the point your build is at, read what happens there, and go straight to that stage.
Four visits, four different houses.
A new home is four different buildings over the course of a build. It is a graded pad with rebar and pipe in the ground. It is an open frame with wire and duct running through it. It is a finished house with the paint still curing. Then it is a home that has lived through a Florida summer.
Each of those moments shows you something the next one hides. That is why the inspections are spaced the way they are, rather than all done at the end. Every stage lands at a point where what we find can still be corrected without cutting into finished work, and while your builder's crews are still in the community.
You do not have to book all four. Most clients book the stages their build has not passed yet. If you only want one, the pre-drywall and pre-closing stages are the two that most people choose, for different reasons: one sees the bones, the other tests every system.
The four stages, in order.
Pre-slab, before the pour.
On site: the pad is graded and compacted, forms are set, reinforcement is tied, and the plumbing and electrical sleeves are in the ground. The concrete truck is booked. We review footings, forms and dimensions against the plans, reinforcement size, spacing, laps and support on chairs, vapor barrier coverage and tears, under-slab plumbing position, termite treatment evidence and drainage away from the pad.
Time on site: 1 to 2 hours.
Pre-slab inspection ›
Pre-drywall, before the walls close.
On site: the house is framed and dried in, rough electrical, plumbing and HVAC are installed, and the municipal rough-in inspections have passed. Insulation is next. We review framing and notching, hurricane straps and connectors against the truss and plan schedule, bracing, rough wiring and plumbing, duct runs, window and door flashing at the block openings, roof deck nailing, firestopping and nail plates. 360° imaging is an optional add-on at this stage.
Time on site: 3 to 5 hours depending on the size of the house.
Pre-drywall inspection ›
Pre-closing, before you sign.
On site: the house is complete, cleaned and powered, appliances are installed and the builder is preparing for your orientation walkthrough. We operate every system: roof and exterior, windows and doors, attic and insulation, HVAC performance measured at the air handler, panel and outlets, plumbing fixtures and drainage, appliances, cabinetry and finishes, grading and drainage. Thermal imaging of ceilings and walls is included. 360° imaging and a sewer scope of the drain lines are optional add-ons at this stage.
Time on site: 3 to 5 hours depending on the size of the house, scheduled 7 to 10 days before closing.
Pre-closing inspection ›
11-month, before the first year ends.
On site: you have lived in the home through a full wet season and a Florida summer. The frame has dried, the soil has moved, and anything that was going to show has shown. We review settlement cracking, drywall and trim separation, door and window operation, roof and flashing, stucco and siding, drainage performance, HVAC, attic conditions and plumbing, and we check the original punch list item by item. Thermal imaging of ceilings and walls is included. A sewer scope of the drain lines is an optional add-on at this stage.
Time on site: 3 to 5 hours depending on the size of the house.
11-month warranty inspection ›
Dates move. Plan for it.
Nothing on a build calendar is fixed. A pour date slides because of an afternoon storm, a concrete delivery, or a municipal inspector who runs out of daylight. A rough-in date slides because the electrician is finishing the house two lots over. Closing dates move for a dozen reasons, most of which have nothing to do with the house.
Two of our four stages have narrow windows. Pre-slab is essentially a single day, and pre-drywall lives in the few days between a passed rough-in and the insulation crew. Those are the two where notice matters most.
The approach that works is simple. Tell us early, before you have a firm date, so we know your build is coming. Then stay in touch as the date takes shape. A message that says the pour is now looking like next Thursday is more useful than a confirmed date we receive the night before.
What helps us most
- Your builder, community and lot number
- The stage your build is at right now
- Your construction manager's name and number, so we can coordinate access directly
- A rough target date, even a loose one, as early as you have it
- A quick message whenever that date shifts
We coordinate site access with your builder's construction manager, so you do not need to arrange anything on site yourself. Weekday, early evening and weekend appointments are available, which helps when a pour lands at the end of a week.
Starting partway through a build.
Most people do not find an inspector the week their lot is cleared. They find one when a neighbor mentions drywall going up, or when a closing date lands in an email. So most clients start at whichever stage their build has already reached, and that is a perfectly normal way to begin.
Nothing is lost by starting late. Each stage stands on its own, and the report from a single visit is complete in itself. If your walls are already closed, the pre-closing and 11-month stages are still ahead of you. If you are already in the house, the 11-month inspection is still ahead of you.
Because even a new home deserves a second set of eyes.
My build is already framed. What can I still book?+
If the walls are open, pre-drywall is available now, and pre-closing and 11-month are both still ahead. If insulation is in, call us and we will tell you honestly what can still be reviewed before you book anything.
Can I book more than one stage at a time?+
Yes, and it is the simplest way to do it. Tell us which stages you want and roughly where the build is, and we will put the whole sequence on the calendar and follow the dates with you as they firm up.
Do you inspect homes outside the Orlando area?+
Our service area runs from The Villages down to Lakeland, including Orlando, Leesburg, Sanford, Lake Mary, Apopka, Oviedo, Winter Garden, Clermont, Minneola, Lake Nona, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Davenport, Lake Alfred and Winter Haven. See the full service area
What does it cost?+
Because most new-construction clients choose multiple stages across the build, pricing is based on the home's size, location, and the stages selected.
Rather than pricing each stage separately, we provide a complete inspection schedule and quote upfront, so you know your total investment before scheduling. Tell us the community and floor plan and we will put a quote together before you book. Discounts apply for active-duty military, veterans and first responders.
Go to your stage.
All new-construction inspectionsPre-Slab Inspection
Forms, reinforcement, chairs, vapor barrier and under-slab systems, reviewed while they are still visible and can still be moved.
Read more ›Pre-Drywall Inspection
Framing, connectors, rough electrical, plumbing and HVAC, window flashing and roof deck, all still open to view.
Read more ›Pre-Closing Inspection
A full walk of the finished home with every system operated, documented so you and your builder can work through items together.
Read more ›11-Month Warranty Inspection
A second full look after a year of settling and Florida weather, while your builder's warranty period is still open.
Read more ›Not sure which one? Tell us where you are.
Send us your builder, your community and what the house looks like today, and we will tell you which inspection comes next and when it needs to happen.