11-Month Warranty Inspection

Why the 11-Month Window Matters More Than Most Homeowners Realize

When you bought your new construction home, the builder almost certainly handed you a one-year limited warranty. It covers workmanship and materials defects that show up during the first 12 months of ownership. What most homeowners do not realize is that the burden is on you to identify those defects, document them, and submit a written claim to the builder before the warranty expires. If you wait until month 13 to mention that the upstairs bathroom door has been sticking since you moved in, the builder is no longer obligated to fix it.

This is where an 11-month warranty inspection earns its place. Scheduling a professional inspection at the 10 or 11 month mark gives you a complete, photo-documented list of every defect on the property while you still have legal standing to demand repairs at no cost. It also gives the builder enough time to actually complete the work before your warranty period closes.

What an 11-Month Inspection Actually Catches

By the time a home has gone through one full year of seasons in North Texas, the materials and systems have all expanded, contracted, settled, and been stressed by real-world use. Issues that were invisible at closing tend to surface during this period. Common findings include nail pops in drywall, hairline cracks in slabs and brickwork, grout separating from tile, doors and windows that no longer seal properly, HVAC systems that were never balanced correctly, and roof flashing or shingles that were installed sloppily and are now showing the consequences.

The inspection itself is the same scope as a full TREC home inspection. RTI evaluates the structure, roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and built-in appliances. The difference is the lens. On a buyer’s inspection the job is helping you decide whether to close on a home. On an 11-month inspection the job is building a documented case for the builder to fix what they did not get right the first time.

How to Use the Report

You will receive a Spectora report within 24 hours of the inspection, with photos and clear descriptions of every issue. Submit the full report to your builder along with a written warranty claim. Most builders will send their warranty team back out to address the items, and a thorough third-party report tends to be taken more seriously than a homeowner’s own list. If a particular issue gets pushback, you have the documentation to escalate.

If you are not sure exactly when your warranty expires, check your closing documents. The clock typically starts on your closing date, not your move-in date. RTI recommends scheduling the inspection at month 10 to leave a comfortable buffer for the builder to schedule and complete repairs before the deadline.

Timing, Reports, and Pricing

The inspection typically takes 2 to 4 hours depending on the size of the property. Pricing is based on square footage, so contact RTI for current pricing on your property. If you scheduled a pre-drywall inspection or a final new construction inspection with RTI when the home was being built, ask about the New Build Bundle, which includes all three inspections at a reduced rate.

About the 11-Month Inspection Process

An 11-month inspection is the same scope as a full home inspection, with a different purpose. Robert evaluates the entire property the way he would for a buyer, but the focus is documenting defects that have surfaced during your first year of ownership. After one full cycle of Texas heat, cold snaps, and rain, the issues that were hidden at closing tend to reveal themselves: settling cracks, drywall nail pops, doors that no longer latch, HVAC imbalances, and roof workmanship that did not hold up.

You are welcome to walk along and ask questions. Reports are delivered through Spectora within 24 hours, with photos and clear descriptions of every finding.