New Construction Inspection

Footprints Property Inspections puts an independent inspector on your side of the build, so mistakes are found while the builder can still fix them before your walkthrough and closing. Serving new homes across Summit, Medina, and the surrounding counties.

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New construction home being inspected before closing in Northeast Ohio
InterNACHI Certified Master InspectorASHI Certified Inspector

Brand new doesn't mean built right

A lot of new-home buyers hear the same thing from their agent or sales rep: the house passed the city's code inspections and comes with a warranty, so a private inspection is a waste of money. Code inspections confirm that a home meets minimum standards at specific points in the build. They are not a review of how carefully the work was done.

Code inspections don't check whether every shingle was fastened correctly, whether the attic insulation reached its full depth, or whether every bath fan actually vents outside. Those are the details a private inspection is built to catch. Footprints works independently of your builder and is hired by you, so the only job is to tell you what is actually in the house you are paying for. Every new construction inspection is led by an InterNACHI Certified Master Inspector who is also ASHI certified, with more than 13 years of inspecting homes across Northeast Ohio.

Builder shortcuts hidden behind drywall

Once insulation and drywall go up, most of what holds your house together disappears from view: framing connections, wiring, plumbing lines, and ductwork. That is why Footprints offers inspections at the key phases of construction: foundation, framing, pre-drywall, and final.

The pre-drywall visit is your last chance to see inside the walls while fixes are still simple for the builder. You can schedule a single visit or the full series, depending on how far along your build is.

Rushed builds in fast-growing neighborhoods

Footprints is based in Copley and inspects new builds across Summit and Medina counties, where crews often move from one house to the next on tight schedules. Rushed timelines are where the small misses happen: valley shingles left unclipped, attic insulation that never got blown in, a deck ledger board without proper flashing that later sends water into a finished basement.

Northeast Ohio adds its own pressure. Snow melt, spring rain, and freeze-thaw cycles find any gap around a foundation, roof, or window quickly. We inspect new homes throughout these communities, so we know what local builds need to stand up to.

Getting it fixed before your final walkthrough

The best time to catch a problem is before you sign off on the house. Some builders will later argue that an item was accepted at closing, especially anything cosmetic. A final inspection scheduled before your walkthrough puts every issue in writing first.

Footprints delivers the report within 24 hours, with photos showing what was found and where. You bring that report to your walkthrough and work through it with the builder, so the repairs land on their punch list while you still have the most leverage, before the keys are in your hand.

Explained face-to-face, not buried in a PDF

A long report full of checkboxes can make even a well-built new home sound alarming. When you are there as the inspection wraps up, your inspector walks you through the safety and defective items in person and explains what is serious, what is minor, and what simply needs routine care.

First-time Footprints clients also receive a printed Home Maintenance Manual, a practical guide to looking after the systems in a home that is new to you. And because the first year brings its own surprises, it is worth planning an 11th month warranty inspection before your builder's warranty ends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a home inspection on a new construction home if it passed code?

Yes. Passing code means the home met minimum requirements at the moments a code official checked it. A private inspection looks at the finished work as a whole, including how well things were installed, which goes beyond what a code inspection covers. Problems like unflashed deck ledgers, missing attic insulation, and improperly fastened shingles can exist in a home that passed every required inspection. Footprints is hired by you, not the builder, to find them.

When should the new construction inspection happen?

It depends on how far along the build is. If the walls are still open, a pre-drywall inspection lets you see framing, wiring, plumbing, and ductwork before they are covered. Footprints also inspects at the foundation and framing stages and offers a full phase series. If the home is nearly finished, schedule the final inspection a few days before your walkthrough so you have the report in hand when you meet the builder.

What's the difference between a pre-drywall inspection and a final inspection?

A pre-drywall inspection happens after framing and rough-in work but before insulation and drywall, so your inspector can see the structure and the systems running through the walls. A final inspection happens when the home is complete and looks at everything you will live with: roof, exterior, grading, attic, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, and interior finishes. Doing both gives you the clearest picture of the house from the inside out.

What happens if the inspection finds problems with my new build?

You share the report with your builder, ideally before your final walkthrough. Each item comes with photos and a description of where it is, which gives the builder what they need to fix it. If you are on site when the inspection ends, your inspector reviews the safety and defective items with you in person so you know which issues to put first. The goal is to get those items onto the builder's punch list before closing.

If I get a new construction inspection, do I still need an 11th month warranty inspection?

They work as a pair. The new construction inspection catches what is wrong before you move in. The 11th month inspection catches what shows up after a year of living in the home: settling, drainage issues after snow melt and spring rain, drywall cracks as the framing dries out, and roof or flashing leaks. Scheduling it before your builder's warranty ends means you can still submit those items under warranty.

What if my builder doesn't want me to bring my own inspector?

Most builders allow it, though some try to discourage it or limit access to certain phases. If a builder resists an independent inspection, that's worth paying attention to. In Ohio, you have the right to hire your own inspector on any property you're purchasing, new or existing. It helps to tell your builder early which phases you plan to have inspected.

Service Areas

  • Summit County (Akron, Copley, Fairlawn, Bath)
  • Medina County (Medina, Wadsworth, Brunswick)
  • Portage County (Kent, Ravenna, Streetsboro)
  • Stark County (Canton, North Canton, Green)
  • Cuyahoga, Lorain, and Geauga Counties

Business Hours

Mon - Sun 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Closing Soon?

We typically respond within one business day.

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(330) 760-2245
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