Pre-Drywall Inspection

Footprints Property Inspections looks inside your walls while they are still open, so problems with the framing, wiring, plumbing, and ductwork are found while the builder can still fix them. Serving new homes across Summit, Medina, and the surrounding counties.

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Open wall framing on a new build before drywall
InterNACHI Certified Master InspectorASHI Certified Inspector

Making sure the builder didn't hide mistakes behind drywall

Once insulation and drywall go up, most of what holds your house together disappears for good. Framing connections, wiring runs, plumbing lines, and ductwork all end up behind finished walls you will never see again.

A pre-drywall inspection is your one realistic chance to look at that work while it is still exposed. Footprints walks the house after the rough-in trades finish and before the walls close, checking the framing, electrical, plumbing, and ductwork while a fix is still a quick job for the builder instead of a torn-open wall.

When the builder says the warranty covers it

Plenty of new-home buyers are told the builder's warranty has them covered. A warranty only helps with problems you can find and prove. A drain line without enough slope or a framing member cut to make room for a duct can sit behind finished drywall for years before it shows up as a stain, a crack, or a sagging floor, often after the warranty has run out.

Finding it now means the builder fixes it while the wall is open, on their dime. Footprints is hired by you and works independently of your builder, so the report reflects what is actually in your walls.

Catching a rushed build before the walls close

Crews can move from rough-in to insulation quickly, so the window for this inspection is short. Footprints is based in Copley and inspects new builds across Summit and Medina counties, and we plan the timing with you: after the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC rough-ins are done, and before the insulation and drywall go in.

Tell your builder early that you plan to have this phase inspected. Most builders allow it, though some try to discourage it or limit access. In Ohio, you have the right to hire your own inspector on a property you are purchasing.

A photo-heavy report of what's inside your walls

Your report arrives within 24 hours, with photos showing each item and where it is in the house, so you can send it to your builder while the walls are still open. Those photos are worth keeping, too. Years from now, when you hang cabinets, finish a room, or track down a leak, you will know exactly what is behind the drywall.

If you are there when the inspection wraps up, your inspector walks you through the safety and defective items in person, so you know which ones to push hardest on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a pre-drywall inspection if the house passes the city's framing inspection?

Yes. A city inspection confirms the framing and rough-ins meet minimum code at that point in the build. It is not a review of how carefully the work was done. Footprints is hired by you and works independently of your builder, so the inspection looks at the quality of the framing, wiring, plumbing, and ductwork, not just whether it cleared the minimum.

When should I schedule a pre-drywall inspection?

After the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC rough-ins are finished and before the insulation and drywall go in. Crews can move through that stage quickly, so ask your builder for the expected rough-in completion date as early as you can and book around it. Footprints plans the timing with you so the inspection lands in that window instead of after it has closed.

What does a pre-drywall inspection look at?

Everything that is about to be hidden for good. Footprints checks the framing, electrical wiring, plumbing lines, and ductwork while they are still exposed, looking for problems that would be expensive or impossible to reach once the walls are finished. It is the only point in the build where you can see the structure and the systems running through it before they disappear behind drywall.

Will my builder let me bring my own inspector before drywall?

Most builders allow it, though some try to discourage it or limit access to certain phases. If a builder resists an independent inspection, that is worth paying attention to. In Ohio, you have the right to hire your own inspector on any property you are purchasing, new or existing. Let your builder know early that you plan to have the pre-drywall phase inspected.

What happens if the inspection finds problems?

Your report arrives within 24 hours, with photos and a description of where each item is, so you can send it to your builder while the walls are still open. If you are there when the inspection wraps up, your inspector walks you through the safety and defective items in person. The goal is to get repairs made before insulation and drywall cover them up.

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

Walls Closing Soon?

We typically respond within one business day.

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(330) 760-2245
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