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Your Builder Warranty Expires in 12 Months.

The one-year warranty covers everything in your new build. Once the clock runs out, anything that was the builder's problem becomes yours. Across Portland Metro and SW Washington, Russ Motyko inspects new homes at month 10 or 11 and documents what your builder still has to fix on their dime.

(971) 202-1311 Schedule Your Inspection →
Save $50 on your warranty inspection
Use code WARRANTY at checkout
Russ Motyko, Certified Master Inspector, performing an 11-month builder warranty inspection in the Portland metro
12+
Years as a Licensed General Contractor
5.0★
Google & Yelp Rating

Builder's Eye. Buyer's Side.

I Know What Your Builder Hopes You Won't Notice.

An 11-month builder warranty inspection in the Portland Metro area by Trusted Home Inspections
Portland Metro & SW Washington

For 12 years I worked as a licensed contractor. I framed walls, set trusses, ran wiring, replaced ducts, and flashed windows. I know what proper install looks like because I've done it. I also know what a rushed install looks like because I've fixed plenty of those too.

Year-old defects look different than day-one defects. Soil settles. Caulk shrinks. Bath fans fail quietly. The HVAC starts telling you which rooms it can't quite reach. Insulation gaps that nobody could see on closing day show up clear as day on a thermal camera once you've heated the place for a winter.

Every new build community in Happy Valley, Hillsboro, Ridgefield, and Camas has its own pattern of issues. Same crews. Same shortcuts. Same defects show up at month 11 over and over. After hundreds of warranty inspections across the metro, I know where to look first.

I hold Certified Master Inspector® certification (top 3% of the industry), Oregon OCHI license #1898, and Washington DOL license #1856. Free thermal imaging on every inspection.

What Is an 11-Month Inspection

Your Last Chance to Use the Warranty You Paid For.

An 11-month warranty inspection is a full home inspection in the 10th or 11th month of owning a new construction home. Same scope as a buyer's inspection. Different timing. Different purpose.

New construction defects don't all show up on move-in day. Some need a full season cycle to appear. Soil settles. Caulking cracks. The HVAC system reveals which rooms it can't keep up with. Moisture finds the gaps that looked sealed at closing. By month 11, a year of real life has surfaced what the home actually does under load.

That is what this inspection documents. Every finding gets photos and plain-language notes you can hand straight to the builder. After 12 months, what used to be their bill is your bill.

How Builder Warranties Are Structured

1
Year
Workmanship Warranty
Covers defects in materials and workmanship across the whole home. The widest warranty you get and the shortest. This is the one a month-11 inspection protects.
Expires at month 12
2
Years
Systems Warranty
Covers electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. Narrower than workmanship but lasts twice as long. Findings tied to those systems may also be claimable here.
10
Years
Structural Warranty
Covers major structural defects only. Longest warranty, narrowest scope. Doesn't cover finishes, workmanship, or most systems.

What We Find at Month 11

Defects That Show Up After a Year of Living There.

Hundreds of warranty inspections across Portland and SW Washington. These are the findings that come up over and over by month 11. A year of weather, settling, and real occupancy is what surfaces them.

Grading and Drainage

Soil around a new home settles a lot in the first year. Ground that drained away from the foundation at closing often slopes back toward it by month 11. In Portland's wet season, that pushes water into the crawlspace. More on drainage.

Most common month-11 finding

Settling Cracks

Hairline cracks in drywall, foundation walls, and concrete are normal as the structure settles and soil compacts. Most are cosmetic. Some point to deeper movement worth documenting and watching.

Document while warranty is active

HVAC Duct Leakage

Duct joints that were sealed in a hurry often loosen after a full year of expansion and contraction. Rooms that won't heat or cool evenly, or higher-than-expected energy bills, are the first signs. Thermal imaging finds the leaks fast.

Hits your power bill every month

Roof and Flashing

Flashing that wasn't sealed right at chimneys, skylights, and roof transitions often won't leak until the second wet season. By month 11, if flashing is wrong, there's usually evidence somewhere in the attic. More on roof issues.

Catch before leaks reach the ceiling

Insulation Gaps

Missing or compressed insulation in the attic, around rim joists, and at recessed lights. Invisible to the eye. Obvious to a thermal camera once the home has been heated and cooled for a season.

Thermal imaging catches these

Electrical Defects

Reversed polarity, missing GFCI protection, loose connections, bonding gaps. Some were missed at the original inspection. Some show up later. All are workmanship items the builder owes you.

Builder fixes these on their dime

Plumbing Leaks

Slow connection leaks at supply lines, drain flow problems, water heater performance issues. Some don't surface for months. Thermal imaging finds hidden water behind walls before stains appear.

Catch before drywall damage

Radon

If you skipped radon testing at closing, now is the right time. Clackamas County is EPA Radon Zone 1. Add radon testing for $150 with your inspection.

Test every home, regardless of age
Timing Matters

Don't Cut It Close.

The longer you wait to schedule, the less leverage you have. Book at month 11.5 and find a major issue, and the builder has almost no time to respond, send a crew, and complete the repair before your warranty expires. After that, it's your bill.

Schedule at month 10 or early month 11. Get your report. Submit warranty claims in writing within a few days. Give the builder reasonable time to respond. Follow up before month 12. That sequence gets repairs done.

If your warranty has already lapsed, you may still have coverage for electrical, plumbing, or HVAC under the two-year systems warranty. Call us and we can help sort out what's still claimable.

1–9
Months 1–9 — Live in It and Take Notes
Doors that stick, floors that squeak, drafty corners, slow drains. Keep a running list. Every one of those is a possible warranty claim.
10
Month 10 — Book Your Inspection
Sweet spot. A full year of weather and living has surfaced the defects, and you still have 6 to 8 weeks of runway before the warranty closes.
11
Month 11 — Submit Claims in Writing
Email your builder with the full report attached. List each item you're claiming. Ask for responses in writing, not just by phone.
12
Month 12 — Warranty Expires
Everything the workmanship warranty covered is now your wallet's problem. Repairs not claimed before this date come out of your pocket.
13+
After Month 12 — Your Bill
Workmanship window closed. Two-year systems warranty may still apply for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. Structural warranty still active for 10 years.

After the Inspection

How to Turn Your Report Into Builder Action.

Getting the inspection is step one. Getting the builder to act is the goal. Here's the sequence that gets repairs done before your warranty closes.

1

Receive Your Report

Full digital Spectora report with photos, severity ratings, and plain-language notes. Usually delivered the same day.

2

Prioritize Findings

Safety and structural items first. Workmanship and finish items second. Call us if anything in the report needs more context.

3

Submit in Writing

Email your builder with the report attached. List every item you're claiming. Get a written response, not just a phone call.

4

Follow Up

Track each item. Set a deadline before month 12. Keep all email correspondence in one place.

5

Verify Repairs

Request a re-inspection if a repair needs confirming. We offer re-inspections for $195.

Your report carries real weight. A homeowner saying "the floor squeaks" is easy to brush off. A written report from a Certified Master Inspector with photos, thermal images, and severity ratings is much harder to ignore. Most builders respond to professional reports because they have warranty obligations and a reputation to protect. For a full look at what gets included, see our sample reports.

Client Stories

What people say about Russ

Real reviews from clients across Portland Metro & SW Washington.

★★★★★ 5.0 RatingGoogle Reviews ★★★★★ 5.0 RatingYelp Reviews

Transparent Pricing

Simple, Flat-Rate Pricing

No hidden fees, no surprise add-ons. Thermal imaging is included on every inspection.

Starter Standalone Inspection
$395up to 1,000 sq ft
  • Full home inspection
  • Free thermal imaging
  • Roof & crawlspace
  • Detailed digital report
Book Now
Most Common Inspection + Radon
$545up to 1,000 sq ft
  • Full home inspection
  • Free thermal imaging
  • Detailed digital report
  • EPA-certified radon test
Book Now
Best Value Inspection + Radon + Mold
$740up to 1,000 sq ft
  • Full home inspection
  • Free thermal imaging
  • Detailed digital report
  • EPA-certified radon test
  • Mold air sampling & lab results
Book Now

See our full pricing page for all size ranges.

Common Questions

Warranty Inspection FAQs

Questions new construction homeowners ask before booking a month-11 inspection across Portland and SW Washington. Have a different one? Call (971) 202-1311. Russ answers his own phone.

Yes. Use code WARRANTY at checkout for $50 off your 11-month warranty inspection. The code applies to any home size and stacks with the standard flat-rate pricing. Active duty military, veterans, reservists, National Guard, and military families also get an additional 10% off — mention your service when booking. Book online any time.
Different inspection at a different point in time. Your pre-purchase inspection caught what was visible on closing day. The 11-month inspection looks at what changed after a full year. Soil settles, caulking cracks, the HVAC reveals which rooms it can't keep up with, and moisture finds gaps that were sealed on day one. Many findings at month 11 simply weren't there or weren't visible at closing. New construction is everywhere right now in Oregon City, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, Ridgefield, and Camas, and we inspect warranty homes in all of them.
Most do, especially when the claim is documented professionally. A homeowner phone call about a crack in the drywall is easy to wave off. A written report from a Certified Master Inspector with photos, thermal images, and severity ratings is hard to dismiss. Submit claims in writing, reference the report, and keep all correspondence in one place. The vast majority of documented warranty claims get addressed before the window closes.
The one-year workmanship warranty is gone, but you may still have coverage. Most builds come with a two-year systems warranty for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. The 10-year structural warranty also stays active. Call us and we'll talk through what you're seeing. Even past the warranty window, knowing the real condition of your home is valuable for planning, maintenance, and any future sale.
Yes, and I want you there. You've been living in the home for almost a year. You know which doors stick, which rooms run cold, and where you noticed that hairline crack appearing. Sharing that context helps me dig deeper in the right places. Some of the best findings in warranty inspections come from something the homeowner mentions during the walkthrough.
Most warranty inspections take 2 to 3.5 hours depending on size. Full scope, same as a buyer's inspection. The Spectora report is delivered the same day in most cases, with high-res photos, severity ratings, and plain-language notes. See full pricing by square footage.
More than on a brand-new home, honestly. The camera shows where insulation is missing or compressed, where ductwork is leaking conditioned air, where moisture is hiding behind drywall, and where electrical hot spots are forming. After a year of running the systems, all of those issues have had time to develop. Thermal imaging is included on every inspection at no extra charge. Most other inspectors charge $100 to $250 for it as an add-on.
Same flat-rate pricing as a buyer's inspection. Starting at $395 for homes up to 1,000 sq ft and going to $795 for homes up to 5,000 sq ft. Use code WARRANTY at checkout for $50 off. Free thermal imaging included at every price point. See full pricing, or book online.
If you didn't test before closing, now is the right time. Radon testing is $150 added to your inspection. The Portland metro and much of SW Washington have elevated radon potential. New construction doesn't change the geology under the slab. If levels come back high, a mitigation system runs $800 to $1,500 and cuts exposure by more than 90%.
Yes. New construction inspections before closing are one of the most important services we offer. Use code NEWCONSTRUCTION at checkout for a discount. The pre-closing inspection catches what's wrong while the builder is still on the hook to fix it before you sign. The 11-month inspection then catches what shows up after move-in. Together they give you full coverage of the build and the first year of ownership.

Where We Inspect

Serving Portland Metro & Southwest Washington

Available 7 days a week within a ~35-mile radius of Portland. Not sure if we cover your area? Just call.

~35-mile radius from Portland
Available 7 days a week
Dual-licensed OR & WA
Oregon state-licensed home inspector seal
Oregon Certified OCHI Lic. #1898
Washington state-licensed home inspector seal
Washington Licensed DOL Lic. #1856

Multnomah County home inspections. Portland and the rest of Multnomah County are full of older housing stock, including 1920s craftsman bungalows in SE Portland, Pearl District lofts, and mid-century homes in NE Portland. Older homes mean knob-and-tube wiring, cast iron drains, and aging foundations. I’ve inspected hundreds of homes across Multnomah County and know exactly what to look for in each neighborhood.

Portland Gresham SE Portland NE Portland NW Portland North Portland Troutdale Bethany Sellwood Pearl District Fairview

Don’t see your city? We likely cover it.

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The clock is already running.

Serving Portland Metro & SW Washington. Available 7 days a week. Use code WARRANTY at checkout for $50 off.

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