Most new-home builders cover workmanship for one year from your closing date. An 11-month warranty inspection is a full inspection of the house, timed so you can hand your builder a list of problems before that year runs out.

We go through the house the way we would for a buyer: the roof, the attic, the structure we can see, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, and the outside of the home. You get a detailed report with photos within 24 hours, and every item stands on its own, so it is easy to send to your builder.

How it works

1. Book in month 10 or early month 11. Count from your closing date, not the day you moved in.
2. We inspect the home. Most homes take two to four hours, and your report with photos arrives within 24 hours.
3. You send the items to your builder. Use the builder's warranty request process and get them in before the deadline.

What is an 11-month warranty inspection?

It is a home inspection with a deadline attached. Builders in the Phoenix area usually split their written warranty into parts: one year for workmanship and materials, longer coverage for some systems, and the longest coverage for major structural parts. The exact terms are in your warranty booklet, and they differ from builder to builder.

The one-year workmanship coverage is where most first-year problems land, and it is the first part to end. "11-month" is not a legal term. It is simply the last comfortable point to inspect, report and get repairs on the builder's schedule before that year is up.

When should you schedule it?

Count from your closing date. Builders usually start the warranty clock at closing, not on move-in day, and requests that arrive after the deadline may not be covered. Booking in month 10 or early month 11 leaves time for the report, for your request to reach the builder, and for the builder to schedule repairs.

By month 11 your house has also been through a full Arizona summer. That is when air conditioning, attic ducts and roof sealants show their problems, so the timing works in your favor.

What we check

• The roof: tiles or shingles, flashing at walls and vents, valleys, gutters and downspouts. How we inspect a roof depends on its type, height and condition.
• The attic: insulation coverage, duct connections, ventilation, and stains that point to leaks.
• Heating and cooling: whether each system heats and cools, the thermostats, and the condensate lines and drains.
• Plumbing: fixtures, the supply and drain lines we can see, the water heater, and signs of leaks under sinks and around toilets.
• Electrical: the main panel, outlets, and GFCI and AFCI protection.
• Outside: stucco, sealant around windows and pipes, the visible foundation, and grading and drainage around the house.
• Inside: doors and windows that stick or will not latch, cracks and water stains on walls and ceilings, cabinets, and built-in appliances.
• The garage: the overhead door and the door into the house.

We inspect to the Arizona standards of practice, and you can see a sample report before you book.

What first-year inspections often turn up

Every house is different, but the same kinds of items show up again and again in Phoenix-area homes after their first year:

• Stucco cracks, and gaps in the sealant around windows, doors and pipes
• Cracked or slipped roof tiles, and flashing that needs attention
• Attic ducts that pulled loose or were never fully connected
• Air conditioning that cannot keep up once the summer heat arrives
• Grading and downspouts that send monsoon water back toward the foundation
• Thin or missing insulation in parts of the attic
• Doors and windows that stick or no longer latch as the house settles
• Drywall cracks and nail pops

Some of these are cosmetic. Others, like a duct blowing cooled air into the attic, cost you money every month until someone fixes them.

How do you get your builder to fix what we find?

The report only helps if the items reach your builder before the deadline. This is the order that works:

1. Read your warranty booklet first. It tells you the deadline, how requests have to be submitted, and what counts as homeowner maintenance instead of a warranty item.
2. Submit through the builder's own process. Many builders use an online portal or a warranty manager, and some say they do not accept a third-party inspection report as the request itself. Our report lists every finding on its own, with where it is, what is wrong and a photo, so you can enter the items one by one.
3. Keep a record. Save a copy of what you sent, the date you sent it, and every reply.
4. Have the repairs checked. Once the builder's work is done, we can come back and look at the repaired items. A re-inspection is a $150 add-on as of October 2026; call for today's pricing.

If a builder will not deal with workmanship problems, the Arizona Registrar of Contractors accepts complaints against licensed contractors. For a new home, the complaint has to be filed within two years after close of escrow or actual occupancy, whichever came first, and the Registrar asks owners to contact the contractor first. The details are on the Registrar's complaint page. We are home inspectors, not attorneys, so treat this as general information.

Is it worth it if the house looks fine?

Most first-year problems are out of sight. They sit in the attic, on the roof, behind the air conditioning equipment and under the sinks, and a house can look perfect from the living room while a duct leaks into the attic or a cracked tile lets water through. Once the one-year workmanship coverage ends, those repairs are usually yours to pay for.

Some of our clients hire us twice on the same new home: once before closing, and again before the warranty runs out. The second visit still turns up items.

How much does an 11-month warranty inspection cost?

The price depends mostly on the size of the home. Most homes fall between $300 and $600, and larger homes cost more. Our home inspection price guide breaks the ranges down by square footage. A re-inspection after the builder's repairs is a $150 add-on as of October 2026.

These are typical ranges, not a quote. Inspection prices change from year to year and can shift with the season, and your price depends on the home itself (its size, age, construction and location) and on which parts of the inspection and which add-on services you choose. Call (480) 585-6456 for a free quote and today's pricing.

Where we do warranty inspections

We do 11-month warranty inspections across the Phoenix area, including Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, Peoria, Surprise, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Cave Creek, Carefree, New River, Fountain Hills, Apache Junction, Sun City and Sun City West.

Why homeowners call Desert State

Desert State has been inspecting Valley homes since 1999, more than 25,000 of them. Our inspectors are state-certified and AHIT-certified, the report comes within 24 hours, and we are rated 4.9 out of 5 on Google. The word our clients use most in those reviews is "thorough."

If your home is still being built, our new construction inspections cover the earlier stages, from pre-drywall to the final walk-through.

11-month inspection FAQ

Do I need to be home for the inspection?

You do not have to be there the whole time, but try to be there at the end so the inspector can walk you through what they found. We need access to the attic, the electrical panel, the water heater and the air conditioning equipment.

How long does it take?

Most homes take two to four hours. Larger homes take longer.

Will my builder accept your report?

It depends on the builder. Some accept a copy of the report, and others want each item entered through their own warranty process. Every finding in our report stands on its own with a photo and its location, so you can submit it the way your builder asks.

What if my one-year warranty already ended?

Check your warranty booklet. Coverage for some systems and for major structural parts usually runs longer than one year. For workmanship problems in a new home, the Arizona Registrar of Contractors accepts complaints within two years after close of escrow or actual occupancy, whichever came first. An inspection still gives you a written record of what is wrong.

Do you make the repairs?

No. We inspect and report, and warranty repairs are your builder's job. Keeping the two separate keeps our report honest about the house.

Do you inspect new homes before closing, too?

Yes. Some of our warranty clients first hired us before closing. See our new construction inspections.

Answers to scheduling and payment questions are on our FAQ page.

Call (480) 585-6456 for your free inspection quote today, and get on the schedule with the best home inspection team in the Phoenix area.