Is Pre-Drywall Inspection Necessary? 5 Reasons to Get One
See behind the curtain (and the walls)
A pre-drywall inspection normally isn’t a legal requirement, but it’s always a good idea to get one.
Pre-drywall inspections can save you from costly repairs for hidden structural damage or utility problems.
A pre-drywall inspection costs around $300, on average, and it’s worth every penny.
When you’re having a new home built, you have the unique opportunity to complete a pre-drywall inspection to look at structural components and utilities before the walls go up. This type of home inspection can save you from major repair costs down the road, but is a pre-drywall installation necessary? We’ll discuss the answer to this and more in this guide.
Is a Pre-Drywall Inspection Necessary?
Hiring a home inspector near you to conduct a pre-drywall inspection isn’t a legal requirement, as your local building department will complete its own inspections to sign off on building permits. However, it’s always a good idea to hire a home inspector to complete an inspection. Doing so will give you peace of mind that the builder is doing everything according to your building plans and local building code, and it could save you from costly repairs down the road.
5 Reasons You Should Consider a Pre-Drywall Inspection
There are five main reasons you should pay the cost of a home inspection before the drywall goes up, even if you plan on paying for a final inspection once the home is complete.
Exposes Structural Problems
Most importantly, a pre-drywall inspection can identify structural issues, including early foundation cracks, damage to structural beams and load-bearing walls, issues with roof truss connections, and other structural-related problems on the home inspection checklist. Structural repairs can cost upward of $25,000, so identifying problems early on and having your builder address them for free is always a good idea.
Identifies Issues With Utilities
Similarly, a pre-drywall inspection includes a look at electrical wiring, plumbing pipes, and HVAC ducts to confirm they’re all installed and sealed properly and didn’t sustain damage during the installation process. Related damage could tank your home’s efficiency if there are air duct leaks or cost thousands in repairs and build-back if you skip the pre-drywall inspection.
Verifying That Insulation Is Sufficient
Your inspector will also be able to get a look at the insulation and air sealing to confirm the builder is adequately protecting your home from the climate in your area. They can check for missing insulation, gaps in the exterior walls that could leak conditioned air outside, and the proper R-value to ensure your new home is as energy-efficient as possible.
Confirms Your Home Is Up to Code
A pre-drywall inspection will allow your inspector to get a good look at the skeleton of the home—including framing, structural components, and utilities—to ensure that everything is up to code. Once the walls are up, seeing code violations that could be costly to repair or even dangerous to live with is much more challenging.
Makes Renovations Easier
Finally, if you ever go to do renovations in your home, you can always go back to the photos your inspector took as a part of your pre-drywall inspection to see where load-bearing walls and utilities are located. This can help make removing walls and cutting into drywall safer for you and your home, as well as more efficient. Feel free to ask questions during your home inspection about future renovations you do and how the status of what’s behind the walls could affect those plans.
How Much Does a Pre-Drywall Inspection Cost?
A pre-drywall inspection costs around $300, on average, but you could pay anywhere between $100 and $600, depending on the size and complexity of your home, as well as the location. Most homeowners pay somewhere between $200 and $400.
Frequently Asked Questions
After the pre-drywall inspection, your builder can install drywall, tape and spackle, flooring, paint the walls, and complete the construction with trim and other finishing materials. Once all of the finishing work is done, you’ll schedule a final inspection to confirm everything is to your satisfaction before you and your family can move in. If it’s not, you may need to walk away after the final inspection.
It’s not necessary to do a final inspection if you had a pre-drywall inspection done, but a post-drywall inspection is always worth it. It won’t uncover any structural issues or problems with utilities that the pre-drywall inspection missed, but it will confirm that the flooring, drywall, lighting fixtures, plumbing fixtures, and other finishings in your home are installed properly. A post-drywall inspection on new construction also gives you a baseline of how your home sits in case you need to call on the builder’s warranty within a year after closing.
