Why You Need an 11-Month Warranty Inspection on Your New Build Home
“New construction” doesn’t always mean problem-free. Small misses, and sometimes even larger misses, during the build can turn into expensive repairs after your builder’s one-year warranty expires.
An 11-month warranty inspection gives you a professional punch list while the builder is still responsible for fixing covered items.
At Blue Canyon Home Inspections, we’ve completed over 2,500 inspections in Arizona. We routinely help homeowners in Queen Creek document issues early—so the builder handles them, not you.
Disclaimer: I am not here to bash the builder or say any one builder is better than another. We’re all human and prone to mistakes. The builders are willing to fix those mistakes provided they are presented with them within the agreed upon time period. Hence, the 11-Month Warranty Inspection.
One quick story and then we will get onto the meat and potatoes: Its July, and Arizona was in the middle of breaking the heat records year after year. This sweet couple hired me for their 11-Month Warranty Inspection and one of the first things they brought up was they were worried that their AC wasn’t working. No matter what they did, they couldn’t get the home temperature to drop below 85 in the middle of the heat wave. They said they had called the builder 3 times about it, and all 3 times the builder sent the HVAC folks to go out, check the system, and report to the homeowners that the system was fine.
So I start my inspection at the compressor outside and everything looks good. The fan is spinning away, the refrigerant lines are cold, the system is appropriately sized for the home.
Next stop is to the attic to check the air handler and the ducting. Must be a leak right? Just as I get into the attic I notice something is wrong. I look up, I look down, I look up again. Yep…. no insulation.
The AC worked just fine, as 3 separate HVAC contractors had told the homeowners. But they oftentimes don’t look at how their specific component works together with the other components to create the system.
Thats where a home inspector comes in.
What is an 11-Month Warranty Inspection?
It’s a full home inspection scheduled around month 10 or 11 after move-in. You get a written, photo-rich report you can submit to your builder before the 12-month warranty window closes. Our inspections come with the full report on the home, and also come with a separate summary PDF that makes it really easy to send the findings over to the builder.
Our inspection covers:
Roof, attic, insulation, ventilation
Exterior, grading, drainage, stucco/paint
Electrical (panels, GFCI/AFCI, outlets, fixtures)
Plumbing (fixtures, supply, drains, water heater)
HVAC performance, ducts, thermostat function
Doors, windows, interior finishes, garage door/opener
Appliances (functional checks)
Safety items (smoke/CO, handrails, gaps)
Why New Builds Still Need an Inspection
Even quality builders face timeline pressure, subcontractor changes, and punch-list oversights. Not to mention sometimes things just break. Common things we find on new homes include:
Attic insulation gaps or voids (hot rooms, high energy bills)
Roof defects (cracked tiles, flashing errors that lead to roof leaks, unsealed penetrations)
HVAC issues (unbalanced airflow, kinked flex ducts, missing mastic)
Drainage/grade problems (negative slope, downspouts at foundation)
Plumbing leaks/slow drains (loose traps, cross-threaded connections)
Electrical defects (reversed polarity, missing GFCI/AFCI where required)
Window/door alignment (air leaks, latches not catching, torn weatherstripping)
Exterior stucco cracking and unsealed penetrations
Drywall/finish issues (nail pops, settlement cracks beyond touch-up)
Garage safety (missing safety sensors adjustments, improper fasteners)
Catching these during month 11 means the builder—not you—pays to correct them.
Pro Tip: You’ve already paid for the builders warranty, most builders include the cost of the warranty in the sale price of the home. So don’t let the money you’ve already spent go to waste, as well as have to deal with the cost of the repairs yourself later.
Why Timing Matters (Month 10–11)
Gives you time to schedule the inspection, receive the report, and submit to your builder.
Some Long Winded Insights: The typical inspection phase of a home purchase from the market is 10 days from the acceptance of the contract. Which means most home inspectors usually have work booked on their calendar for the next 10 days. After that though, they’re schedules are normally pretty free, so if you’re a proactive homeowner, you’ll usually have plenty of availability to choose from if you’re scheduling outside of that 10 day window.
Allows the builder time to schedule trades before the warranty ends. Their contractors are doing what they are doing on their normal day-to-day: building houses. Sometimes getting them pulled away from their routine can sometimes become hectic. If you can give the builder enough heads up though, scheduling is a breeze.
You avoid the end-of-year rush when many homeowners try to schedule at once.
How the Process Works
Schedule at Month 10–11. Book your inspection date.
On-Site Inspection (2–3 hours). We’ll go over anything that you’ve noticed in your time since owning the home, and then conduct our thorough inspection to find anything else that might not be so obvious.
Same-Day Report. Clear photos, plain-English explanations, prioritized list. That way there’s no confusion in what we found and what the builder needs to fix.
Submit to Builder. With the summary PDF, the findings are easy to hand off by simply sending the summary report to the builder.
Follow-Up (Optional). Need clarification for the builder? We’re happy to help.
Benefits for San Tan Valley & Queen Creek Homeowners
Rapid growth areas = many trades on tight timelines → more punch-list misses.
Soil movement & drainage can reveal themselves in the first monsoon season.
Energy performance matters in the East Valley heat—air sealing and insulation must be right.
Peace of mind when the builder handles fixes before your first anniversary in the home.
What Your Builder Will Appreciate
A professional, organized list saves everyone time:
Clear photos and locations of each issue
Specific descriptions (what/where/why it matters)
Safety and water-related items prioritized
Builders often prefer a precise, third-party report over vague homeowner notes.
FAQs
Do I need this if I had a pre-close inspection?
Yes. Issues can develop after move-in (settlement, seasonal expansion, usage).
Will this inspection void or affect my warranty?
No. It helps you use your warranty by documenting items before it expires.
Do you work directly with my builder?
You submit the report, and we’re available to clarify findings if needed.
How much time should I allow before my 12-month date?
Aim to inspect at month 10–11 to leave time for scheduling and punch-out.
The builder said they conduct a final inspection with us, why do I need to hire a third party?
The builders final inspection consists primarily of fixing the things YOU found. They don’t actually go through the home themselves. They 100% aren’t going to climb into the attic.
What You’ll Receive from Blue Canyon
Comprehensive, photo-rich 11-month inspection report
Prioritized action items (safety, water, energy, cosmetic)
Straightforward language you can forward to your builder
Veteran-owned reliability and local expertise across Arizona
Call to Action
Your builder warranty is a use-it-or-lose-it benefit. Make it count. Plus, you already paid for it. Don’t throw money down the drain by not utilizing the tools you’ve already purchased.
There’s usually two outcomes when it comes to our 11th Month Inspections: A. Holy smokes I’m so grateful you found that, having the builder fix this is going to save me 5 times what your inspection fee was or B. It was worth bringing in the third party inspector because I know how thorough you are, and the fact that you didn’t find anything gives me a tremendous peace of mind knowing the builder did a good job and I made a sound investment.
Booking for San Tan Valley & Queen Creek now:
Schedule your 11-Month Warranty Inspection with Blue Canyon Home Inspections today and hand your builder a clean, professional punch list—before the clock runs out.
