New Construction Home Inspection Portland:
What It Is, What Builders Miss, and Why You Need One
A brand-new home is not a defect-free home. Here’s what a new construction inspection covers, what it finds, and why having one done before you close is one of the best decisions you can make.
Brand-new homes have defects. That’s not an opinion. It’s what happens on job sites where speed matters and dozens of subcontractors are rotating through multiple projects at once. A new construction inspection doesn’t mean you distrust the builder. It means you’re doing your job as a buyer.
Russ Motyko has inspected a lot of new builds across the Portland metro and SW Washington. The findings are rarely catastrophic. But they’re almost always there: insulation gaps, flashing problems, duct connections that weren’t sealed, grading that sends water toward the house instead of away from it. Caught before closing, they go on the builder’s list while the crews are still around.
This post covers what a new construction inspection is, when to get it, what it typically finds, and why skipping it doesn’t make sense no matter what the builder tells you.
What a New Construction Inspection Actually Is
A new construction inspection is an independent, third-party evaluation of a newly built home. An inspector who has no relationship with the builder or the sales team walks through the property and documents what they find: not what passed city code, but what’s actually there.
The municipal building inspector and your independent inspector have different jobs. The city inspector checks for code compliance at specific phases of construction. Their visits are often brief, checking that work meets minimum standards. They’re not hired to protect your interests. They’re hired to enforce code.
Your inspector is there for you. Their job is to note the visible conditions that don’t look right, whether or not it’s technically a code violation, and put it in writing with photos and video so you have documentation before you close.
That documentation matters. If issues come up after closing, you want a clear record of what condition the home was in at the time of purchase.
The Two Inspections That Actually Help
There are two points where an independent inspection delivers the most value on a new build: right before closing, and just before the builder’s one-year workmanship warranty runs out.
Pre-delivery inspection (final walkthrough). This happens right before closing. The home is complete, and the inspection covers everything a standard buyer’s inspection would: roof, exterior, foundation, electrical panels, plumbing fixtures, HVAC performance, windows, doors, insulation in accessible areas, and more. Thermal imaging is included on every Trusted Home Inspections inspection, which can point to insulation gaps and HVAC issues that a standard visual check can miss.
11-month warranty inspection. This one comes after closing, before the workmanship warranty expires. It’s covered in more detail below.
What New Construction Inspections Find
The assumption that new means perfect doesn’t hold up in practice. Here’s what actually comes up on new construction inspections in the Portland area.
Insulation problems. Compressed batts, missing sections, and gaps around electrical boxes and pipes are common. They don’t show up on a visual inspection of finished walls. Thermal imaging can point to them. Insulation gaps raise your energy bills and can create condensation problems over time.
Improper HVAC duct connections. Flexible ducts get kinked, improperly connected, or partially disconnected in attic and crawlspace spaces. An unsealed duct joint means conditioned air is going into your attic or crawlspace instead of the rooms you’re trying to heat and cool.
Electrical issues. Reversed polarity at outlets, missing breakers, open grounds, and improper grounding are all things that happen on new construction. Panels get installed and wired fast. Mistakes happen.
Flashing and weather sealing. Window and door flashing, roof-to-wall flashing, and penetration sealing are areas where new construction often has gaps. Water intrusion from flashing errors may not show up for months or even years, but the conditions for it are established from day one.
Grading and drainage. The lot around a new home is often graded to shed water toward the foundation while final landscaping is still unfinished. Positive grade away from the foundation is a basic requirement. It’s also one of the most frequently overlooked items on new construction sites.
Plumbing. Unsecured pipes, improper trap configurations, and missing cleanout caps show up regularly. Most are easy fixes, but only if you know they’re there.
These are the systems and areas that get documented on a new construction inspection.
- Roof type, materials, and visible condition documented
- Insulation coverage and installation quality in attic
- Flashing at roof-to-wall transitions and around penetrations
- Grading slope, should fall away from foundation, minimum 6 inches in 10 feet
- Duct connections that are not sealed or are disconnected
- Reversed polarity or open grounds at electrical outlets
- Window and door installation, caulking, and flashing
- HVAC equipment installation and visible ductwork condition
- Plumbing: drain slopes, fixture installation, water heater installation
- Attic ventilation: net free area, soffit and ridge vent balance
Real Inspection Photos
What Builders Miss, in Photos
Real photos from Russ's new construction reports of the issues above.
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Insulation blocking soffit vents on a new home. Blocked intake air can lead to heat buildup or attic condensation. -
A fireplace vent that was not weather sealed at the siding. Gaps like this are where water can start getting in. -
Excess ABS cement squeezed out at drain fittings. Installers are supposed to wipe it off during assembly.
Why the Builder’s Inspection Is Not Enough
Builders do their own inspections. Some have quality control teams. Some walk the home before they hand it over. None of that replaces an independent inspection, and here’s the simple reason: the builder’s team works for the builder.
Their job is to deliver a home that satisfies their quality standards and passes municipal inspections. Their interest is in completing the project and moving to the next one. An independent inspector has none of those pressures. Their job is to document the condition of the home for the buyer.
That’s not a knock on builders. Most build solid homes. But quality control on a busy job site with tight timelines and rotating subcontractors is hard. Things get missed. An independent set of eyes can catch some of what slipped through.
Some builders will tell you that you can use their walkthrough checklist instead of hiring an inspector, or that their homes are inspected by the city and there’s nothing more to do. That’s not inaccurate, but it misses the point. The city inspector and the builder’s team are not looking at the home the same way an independent inspector is.
New construction activity in the Portland metro
- Active new construction in Hillsboro, Happy Valley, Wilsonville, Ridgefield (WA), Camas (WA), and Battle Ground (WA)
- Portland metro and SW Washington new builds commonly include stick-frame construction on engineered trusses
- Clark County, WA sits in EPA Radon Zone 1, and elevated readings turn up across the Portland metro. Testing is the only way to know.
- New homes in Clark County, WA are subject to the Washington State Energy Code, which calls for duct leakage and whole-house air leakage testing
After Closing: The 11-Month Warranty Inspection
Most new homes come with a builder’s warranty that covers workmanship defects for one year. That warranty is worth protecting.
An 11-month warranty inspection happens before that first year expires. It’s a full inspection of the home, looking at everything that may have changed or developed since closing. Settlement cracks. HVAC issues that only show up after a full heating and cooling season. Grading and drainage problems that reveal themselves over the winter. Roof and flashing issues that only appear after rain.
The findings from the warranty inspection give you documentation to bring to the builder before the workmanship warranty expires. After that, repairs may fall to you.
If you’re buying a new construction home, plan for two inspections: one now, one at 11 months. Use code WARRANTY when you book the 11-month inspection.
A new construction inspection is not a signal of distrust. It’s a baseline. You need documentation of the home’s condition at closing, and you need someone looking out for your interests while there’s still time for the builder to fix what’s wrong.
Scheduling Your Inspection
Trusted Home Inspections serves the full Portland metro and SW Washington. Russ Motyko is Oregon City’s only Certified Master Inspector®, dual-licensed in Oregon (OCHI #1898) and Washington (DOL #1856). He’s also a licensed general contractor, and he has completed 3,000+ inspections. Thermal imaging is included at no additional charge on every inspection.
To book a new construction inspection, use the online scheduler or visit the new construction inspection page for more details. For questions about what to expect, check the FAQ or the buyer inspection page.
Use code NEWCONSTRUCTION when booking to receive a discount on your new construction inspection.
New Construction Inspection Portland FAQ
