Your Final Walkthrough and First Year in a New Home

The cabinets are in, the paint is dry and the house finally looks like the one you planned. Two things are left: making sure it was finished the way it should be, and learning how to take care of it. Here is what to expect at the final walkthrough and in the first year after you move in.

This is the last part of our four-part series on how a home gets built. Part one covered the design, part two covered choosing your finishes, and part three covered construction.

The final walkthrough comes before the keys

Near the end of the build, you and your builder walk through the whole house together. The point is simple: confirm that what was built matches what you agreed to, and find anything that still needs attention while the builder is standing next to you.

Bring your plans and your selections list. Go in daylight, allow plenty of time, and do not let anyone rush you. It is far easier to point something out now than after the furniture is in.

What to check, room by room

You do not need to be an expert. You need to be thorough. Start with the doors and windows: open, close and lock each one. They should move freely and latch without a fight.

Then the plumbing. Run every faucet, hot and cold. Flush every toilet. Fill the sinks and tubs a little and watch them drain, and look under the sinks for drips.

Flip every switch and test the outlets. A phone charger works fine for this. Turn on the heating and cooling and make sure air is coming out of the vents in each room. Turn on each appliance, including the range hood, the dishwasher and the garbage disposal.

Look at the paint, trim and flooring in good light and from more than one angle, checking for scratches, gaps and missed spots. Open every cabinet door and drawer and check that they line up and close properly.

Finish outside. Walk around the house. The ground should slope away from the foundation, and the gutters and downspouts should be connected and pointed away from the house.

Compare what you see to your selections list as you go: the right flooring in the right rooms, the right fixtures, the right paint colors.

The punch list is normal

Anything that needs to be fixed or finished goes on a punch list. A scuffed wall, a cabinet door that needs adjusting, a missing piece of trim. Every new house has one, and a punch list is not a sign that something went wrong.

Write each item down, and take a photo of it if you can. Before you leave, ask two questions: who is responsible for each item, and when will it be done? Keep your copy of the list until every line is crossed off.

Collect your documents before you move in

A new house comes with paperwork, and you will want it later. Ask for all of it and keep it in one place: the manuals for the appliances, the furnace, the air conditioner and the water heater, and the warranty paperwork that comes with them.

Add a list of every paint color, by room, with the brand and the finish, and the names of your flooring, tile, countertops and fixtures in case you ever need to match or replace one. If you took our advice in part three, keep your pre-drywall video there too.

A binder works. So does a folder on your phone. What matters is that you can find it in five years.

A few things to do before moving day

Transfer the utilities into your name and set up internet service ahead of time. Change the door codes, and the locks if needed, once the build is finished.

Find the main water shutoff and the electrical panel, and make sure everyone in the house knows where they are. Learn how to change the furnace filter, and find out what size it takes.

Knowing where the water shutoff is takes two minutes. On the day you need it, you will be glad you looked.

What to expect in the first year

A new house settles in during its first year. The lumber dries, the seasons change, and the house goes through its first full cycle of heating and cooling. Some things that look alarming are ordinary.

Small drywall cracks and nail pops are common as the framing dries and settles, especially at corners and where walls meet ceilings. The caulk around tubs, showers and trim can shrink or separate slightly, so recheck it during the year. Doors can stick or swing as the humidity changes with the seasons, and may need a small adjustment.

Keep a running list of what you notice, with the date. It is easier to deal with several small items at once than one at a time.

How to look after a new house

A few simple habits protect the house. Change the furnace filter on schedule, because a clogged filter makes the system work harder. Keep the gutters clear, because clogged gutters send water where it should not go.

After a heavy rain, watch where the water goes. It should run away from the house, not sit against the foundation. New soil around a foundation can settle in the first year, so look again after a few storms.

Give new grass and landscaping the water they need while they get established, and test the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors so you know what the different chirps mean.

Building with us

We walk through every home with its owner, room by room, before the keys are handed over, and anything that needs attention goes on a list we work through together.

That is the end of the series. If you are thinking about building and have a question we did not cover, send it to us. We are happy to talk it through.

Written by Kayla Klemme