Pre-Drywall Inspections in Prosper, Celina & Melissa, TX
Framing, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC rough-in inspections for new homes in Prosper, Celina, Melissa, Anna, McKinney, Gunter, Van Alstyne, Sherman, and surrounding communities.
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Actual findings documented on RTI inspections across North Texas.
The One Inspection You Can Only Do Once
A pre-drywall inspection is a small window of opportunity that closes permanently the day the drywall goes up. Once those walls are sheathed and finished, the framing, plumbing rough-in, electrical rough-in, HVAC ducting, and structural connections become invisible. Any defects in that work get sealed inside the house. Some will surface within months as visible problems. Others will quietly cause issues for years before anyone figures out what is wrong. A pre-drywall inspection catches them while everything is still exposed and easy to fix.
This is the inspection nobody knew they needed until they saw what gets caught. Robert spent more than 30 years in residential construction before becoming a TREC-licensed inspector. That experience is exactly what a pre-drywall inspection requires. There is no checklist substitute for someone who knows what proper framing, proper rough-in, and proper structural connections actually look like.
What a Pre-Drywall Inspection Actually Catches
The point of this inspection is to evaluate everything that will soon be hidden behind drywall, insulation, and finish work. RTI looks at framing for proper nailing patterns, missing fasteners, cuts and notches that have weakened structural members, and beams or headers that were altered after they went in. The roof structure gets checked, including truss bracing and connection points. On the plumbing side, the rough-in is evaluated for proper venting, sloping, support, and connections that were not glued or torqued correctly. Electrical rough-in gets checked for boxes that are not secured, wires that are not properly stapled or protected, and circuits that have been run incorrectly through structural members.
RTI also checks insulation prep, exterior sheathing and weather barriers, window and door installation, and the HVAC ducting before it gets buried in walls or above ceilings. Air sealing details at penetrations and joints are documented at this stage, while they are still reachable. Once the drywall goes up, none of this can be evaluated without invasive demolition.
When to Schedule
The pre-drywall inspection happens after the rough-in trades are complete (framing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC) but before the drywall hangers show up. Your builder’s superintendent can usually tell you when this window opens. In North Texas production builds in Anna, Melissa, and the surrounding suburbs, this stage typically lasts 3 to 7 days, so do not wait too long once you get the heads-up. RTI recommends telling your builder at contract signing that you intend to bring an independent inspector at this stage. Most builders are accommodating, though some require advance scheduling and will not delay the build for an inspection.
For maximum protection on a new build, pair this with a final new construction inspection before closing and an 11-month warranty inspection before your builder warranty expires. All three are available together as the New Build Bundle at a reduced rate. If your slab has not been poured yet, a pre-pour foundation inspection covers the stage before this one.
Timing, Reports, and Pricing
A pre-drywall inspection is different from a standard home inspection in scope and focus. The TREC Standards of Practice apply to homes that are substantially complete, so this visit is a construction-stage evaluation rather than a Standards of Practice inspection.
The inspection typically takes 2 to 3 hours depending on the size and complexity of the home, and you are welcome to come along. Many homeowners do. You will receive a detailed report within 24 hours, with photos of every concern documented in context, so you can show the builder exactly what needs to be addressed before drywall installation begins. Those photos are often the only lasting documentation of what is actually behind your walls. Pricing is based on square footage, so contact RTI for current pricing on your property.
What this inspection turns up
Actual findings documented on RTI inspections across North Texas. Every finding is photographed and explained in your report.
Questions about the pre-drywall inspection
Answers grounded in the Texas Real Estate Commission Standards of Practice that every licensed inspector in the state follows.
What does a pre-drywall inspection look at that the city rough-in inspection does not?
The city rough-in inspection confirms specific code items at a single point in time. An independent pre-drywall visit looks for workmanship: studs and plates over-bored or notched too deep for pipes, wiring run through framing without protective plates, ducts crushed or disconnected, fireblocking missing at chases and soffits, hold-downs and straps left off, and damage caused by trades working after the framing inspection passed.
Does a pre-drywall inspection follow the TREC Standards of Practice?
Not directly. The Texas standards define minimums for a home that is substantially complete, and a house at rough-in is not. Section 535.227 allows an inspector to go beyond the standards when competent to do so, which is where three decades in residential construction matter. Treat this visit as a construction-stage evaluation with a photo report rather than a standards inspection, and the final inspection before closing as the standards inspection.
What happens if I miss the pre-drywall window?
Some things stay visible after drywall: the attic framing, the ducts and equipment up there, and anything in an unfinished garage or utility space. Everything inside the exterior and interior walls does not. If the walls are already closed, the right move is a thorough final new construction inspection before closing and an 11-month warranty inspection, which will catch what surfaces as the house goes through its first year.
Will the pre-drywall report say the framing meets code?
No. An inspector is not required to determine code compliance and RTI does not certify it. The report documents specific conditions with photos, such as a cut joist, a missing nail plate, or a duct with a kink, so the builder can correct them before insulation and drywall. The builder's engineer and the municipal inspector remain responsible for code.
How do I find out when the pre-drywall window opens?
Ask the superintendent at contract signing and again once framing starts. The window opens when the framing, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC rough- ins are complete and have passed their city inspections, and it closes when insulation goes in, which is usually only days later. When the builder tells you rough inspections have passed, that is the signal to book.
What is a nail plate and why does it matter?
A nail plate is a small steel plate fastened to the face of a stud or plate where a pipe or cable passes through the wood within reach of a drywall screw or trim nail. Without it, a fastener driven months later can pierce a water line or wire and cause a leak or a short inside a finished wall. Missing plates are among the most common pre-drywall findings on production homes.
The job is not complete until you feel comfortable and all of your questions and concerns are answered.