One way to ensure that a house is built according to complete and proper workmanship is by performing a pre-drywall inspection. “Pre-drywall” refers to the construction phase prior to covering the interior wall framing with insulation & drywall. This inspection includes the review of components that are present such as the foundation, framing, rough plumbing, electric & mechanical systems, windows, and roof components, right before the drywall is hung. A pre-drywall inspection can catch missing structural hardware, bowed studs, protect plumbing and wiring from nail punctures, expose deficiencies in exhaust ducting layout, bring up questions regarding the centralized heat & air duct distribution. Additionally, the exterior weatherproofing membrane and seals are done correctly to minimize air and moisture penetration.
The city inspectors do a good job of keeping home builders honest. Their job is to check that the home construction complies with the IRC (International Residential Building Code) and that the construction of the home matches the blueprints that were submitted to and approved by the governing city. These inspectors work expeditiously to review each home for the criteria on their code checklist as they visit twelve to twenty homes each day. They examine for building code but not for the quality of the work. They also cannot catch everything on every project.
The pre-drywall inspection gives the home purchaser the second set of qualified eyes to uncover additional items that have been overlooked and time to make the corrections before these issues are forever concealed.
Attached is a completed Pre-Drywall Inspection Report. Please give the file a little extra time to open.