Pre Drywall Inspections: Your Only Chance to See Inside Your Walls

There is exactly one moment in the life of your new home when you can see inside the walls. It lasts a few days. Then the insulation goes in, the drywall goes up, and everything behind it is hidden for the next fifty years.

That moment is when we do a pre drywall inspection.

Why this window matters so much

Once drywall is hung, finished and painted, a missing fastener, a notched beam or a pinched pipe is not going to show itself until it causes a problem. By then the fix means cutting open finished walls, and the cost goes up fast.

Before drywall, the same issue is often a quick fix by the framing crew or the right trade, at almost no cost to anyone. It is the cheapest time in the whole build to get something corrected.

What we look at

A pre drywall inspection is a non invasive, visual inspection of what is readily accessible at that stage of construction. Depending on where the build is, that includes:

Framing and structure

• Wall framing, headers over doors and windows, and load paths

• Floor and roof framing, trusses and their connections

• Notching and boring in framing members that may weaken them

• Fasteners, hangers, straps and connectors

• Fire blocking and draft stopping where required

Foundation and exterior shell

• Foundation and visible connections to the framing

• Sheathing and weather barrier

• Window and door flashing

• Roof covering, flashing and penetrations

Rough plumbing

• Supply and drain lines and how they are supported

• Pipes that have been damaged, kinked or run too close to where nails and screws will go

• Protection plates where pipes pass through framing

• Drain, waste and vent routing

Rough electrical

• Wiring routing, support and protection

• Boxes, stapling and clearances

• Protection plates where wiring runs close to the face of framing

Rough heating and cooling

• Duct routing, support and connections

• Crushed, kinked or disconnected ducts

• Penetrations through framing

We report what we see on the day of the inspection, with photos, so you and your builder can address it before the walls close. Like any visual inspection, it cannot find what is hidden or not yet installed, which is why we recommend a final inspection before closing too.

Why Bruce is different on new construction

This is where experience counts. Our founder, Bruce Quinn, is a Certified Master Inspector, a Navy veteran and has a background as an electrical contractor. He has spent years learning how a house is supposed to come together, how building code says it should be done, and what it looks like when a step got skipped.

That matters at pre drywall because the issues are not always obvious. A beam notched in the wrong place, a missing strap, or a wire stapled where a drywall screw is going to land are easy to miss if you do not know exactly what you are looking for. Bruce does.

One important note: we are not code inspectors, and a pre drywall inspection does not replace the inspections your local building department performs. Those inspectors enforce code. We are an independent second set of eyes working for you, with a very detailed understanding of building code, and we regularly work alongside local building inspectors and trade inspectors to stay on top of changes.

We are not there to fight your builder

Most builders in Middle Tennessee have good crews and want to get it right. But every house is built by a lot of people under a lot of time pressure, and even good crews miss things. A pre drywall inspection is a second set of trained eyes that helps your builder deliver the house you are paying for. Many builders welcome it.

We treat every jobsite with respect and every crew the way we would want to be treated. Honest work done well, even in the places no one will ever see, is something we believe in. That is what this inspection is really about.

How it fits with your other inspections

For the most complete picture of a new build, we recommend three visits:

1. Pre drywall, while the framing and rough systems are still visible

2. Final inspection, before closing, once the house is finished

3. 11 month warranty inspection, before your builder's workmanship warranty ends

Together they cover the parts of the house you will never see again, the finished product, and everything that showed up during the first year of settling.

Scheduling tip

Ask your builder or site superintendent to let you know as soon as rough plumbing, electrical and mechanical are in and before insulation starts. That is the window. It moves fast, so call us early.

Call or text (615) 916-7264 or book online at absoluteinspectors.com. We serve Middle Tennessee, Knoxville and Chattanooga.

We are grateful for you.

Sources

• InterNACHI Pre Drywall Inspection Standards of Practice

• InterNACHI: Pre Drywall Inspections