New construction warranty
Book it before the builder’s year runs out.
An 11-month warranty inspection, also called a one-year warranty inspection, a first-year warranty inspection, or a new construction warranty inspection, is a full look at a new house you already own in Jacksonville and Eastern North Carolina. It is timed so the written list can reach the builder before that first year ends.
Why month 11
01
The written first year is the one that closes
Most written new-home warranties give about a year on workmanship and materials. The builder has to be put on notice before that year ends. The repairs do not have to be finished inside the year.
02
A year of weather shows the work
By month 11 the house has been through a humid summer and a heating season. Doors stick, lots settle, and leaks that were not obvious at the closing walkthrough have had time to show up.
03
The report is your list
Cody does not work for the builder. The Spectora report is photos and plain findings you can send in the way your warranty requires. It is documentation, not a promise that every line will be covered.
What gets looked at
Same major systems as a full home inspection. The question at month 11 is what a year of living and Eastern North Carolina weather made visible.
Grading and gutters
New lots settle. Soil that sloped away at closing can slope toward the house by month 11. Gutters are not a code item on every house. If the builder installed them, a downspout that dumps against the foundation and washes the soil is noted. An extension is a common fix. The warranty decides whether they have to add it.
Roof
Damaged shingles that appear to come from workmanship, flashing, and the boots at plumbing and other roof penetrations. A high-definition drone is used for the maximum visual inspection of the roof, so the builder cannot say the owner or the inspector damaged the shingles by walking on them.
Exterior
The outside: siding, the exterior face of the windows and doors, and caulk that opened after a year of weather.
Doors, windows, and drywall
The inside of the doors and windows, including ones that rub after the first humid summer. Nail pops and drywall seam cracks are described, not assumed to be covered. Most warranties exclude them as normal shrinkage unless the cause ties back to workmanship.
HVAC
Whether the system that was installed actually heats and cools the house, and whether condensate and bath fans are leaving the house instead of the attic.
Electrical
Devices that are loose, dead, or not protected the way they should be. Thermal imaging of the panel is used to find circuits that are overheating.
Plumbing
Leaks that appeared with a year of use, and fixtures that were never finished.
Attic and crawlspace
Insulation gaps, ventilation, and moisture. Coastal humidity finds what a closing walkthrough walked past. Thermal imaging is included.
North Carolina does not use one warranty for every builder.
Written warranties are not the same from one builder to the next. This inspection documents the workmanship of components that can be seen, so you can put the builder on notice. A contract can leave items out when it says so plainly. The longer answer is with the other questions. The report does not decide what the warranty covers, and it does not say whether you can sue.
Count from the start date printed in the warranty, which is often the closing date. Month 11 is the usual time, which is why it is called an 11-month inspection. It leaves room to write the report and send notice. The builder does not have to finish the repairs before the year ends. They have to be put on notice before it ends. Notice on day 364 still counts. Two weeks left is not too late if there is an opening. If the walls were still open when you bought, the pre-drywall inspection and the inspection before closing were the earlier chances.
Send the list the way the warranty says.
Read the warranty for how notice has to be given. Some builders want a portal. Some want a form. Some want email. The report does not replace that step. It is the photo list you attach so the request is specific.
A written warranty usually does not cover damage you caused, ordinary maintenance, or appliances that have their own manufacturer warranty. Nail pops, seam cracks, and hairline settling cracks are often excluded too, unless a workmanship cause is visible. The report says what is there and, when it can be seen, what it appears to come from. The warranty says which of those items they still have to correct.
As a courtesy, Cody will look at the builder’s reply so a vague or misleading answer does not water the request down. Weekends are available when you request them by phone.
1-year warranty
Get a warranty inspection on the calendar.
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