Builder Warranty Inspection | 11th Month & Structural Warranty | Fort Bend County | Imperial Pro
Builder warranty inspection — 11th month inspection before builder warranty expires, Fort Bend County Texas
ICC Certified ICC #10111729
Phase 4 of 4  ·  New Construction

Your warranty expires
whether you use it
or not.

11th Month Builder Warranty & Structural Warranty Inspections · Fort Bend County & Greater Houston

Watch — why new construction needs an independent eye

Because the best builder isn't here on earth.

Rule Your Home.™

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11
Month Window
Before Warranty Expires
ICC
Code Certified
#10111729
🇺🇸Veteran-Owned
TREC #23450
24h
Report Delivery
or Less
The Window Most Buyers Miss

Month 11 is your
last shot. Most
buyers never take it.

Your builder's 1-year warranty covers workmanship defects, system failures, and construction errors that emerge in the first year of ownership. The coverage is real and enforceable — but it expires on a date, and most builders won't remind you it's coming.

Foundation movement, roofing defects, HVAC issues, window and door failures, moisture intrusion — these are exactly the issues that tend to appear in the first year as the home settles and systems are put under real load. Catching them at month 11 means the builder fixes them. Catching them at month 13 means you do.

We schedule the 11th-month inspection, document everything with a full TREC report, and give you the documentation to submit a formal warranty claim before coverage disappears.

1
Move-In Month
Closing Day

Warranty clock starts. Most homeowners don't know it.

3
Early Signs
Settlement Begins

Nail pops, minor cracks, sticking doors. Easy to dismiss as normal.

6
Mid-Year
Systems Under Load

HVAC, plumbing, and roofing have now experienced a full seasonal cycle.

11
◈ Schedule Now
11th Month Inspection

The last window. We document everything still covered under your builder warranty.

Last chance — builder pays for corrections
12
⚠ Warranty Expires
Coverage Gone

Everything that was the builder's problem is now yours.

Two Warranty Services

Know your window.
Book the right inspection.

Your home may be covered under two separate warranties. We inspect for both — on different timelines, with different scopes, and different paths to action.

Structural Coverage
02

Structural Tenure
Warranty Inspection

For homes within their 10-year structural warranty period

Most new construction homes carry a separate 10-year structural warranty covering the foundation, load-bearing walls, beams, and primary framing. If you're within that window and noticing signs of structural movement — sticking doors, diagonal cracks, sloping floors — this inspection documents what's happening and what the warranty should cover.

  • Full ZIPLEVEL® foundation elevation survey
  • Structural movement documentation
  • Load-bearing wall & beam assessment
  • Drainage & soil-related root cause analysis
  • Written licensed report with warranty language
  • Scope & pricing tailored to your home & situation
Request a Quote  →

Custom scope · Response within 24 hours

Structural Warranty Coverage

Most homeowners don't know
their structural warranty
is still active.

Texas new construction homes typically carry a separate 10-year structural warranty under the Texas Residential Construction Commission Act. This warranty covers major structural components — the foundation, load-bearing walls, primary framing, beams, and roof structure — for a decade after your closing date.

Foundation movement in Fort Bend County's expansive clay soils doesn't always announce itself loudly. Diagonal cracks above door frames, floors that slope subtly, doors that no longer latch — these are the early signs. If you're within your 10-year window, those signs may still be the builder's responsibility to correct.

A structural warranty inspection gives you documentation you can use — a licensed report that establishes what's happening, when it started, and what the warranty should cover. That documentation is what makes the difference between a claim that gets honored and one that gets dismissed.

◈  What's Typically Covered

10-Year Structural Coverage

Structural warranties typically cover major defects in load-bearing components that affect the home's structural integrity. Scope varies by builder and warranty provider — we document to support the claim your warranty describes.

Foundation — slab failure, excessive differential movement
Load-bearing walls — structural failure, major racking
Beams & columns — deflection beyond tolerance
Primary roof framing — structural failure
Floor systems — structural failure, excessive deflection
Important: Structural warranty terms vary by builder and warranty provider. We inspect and document — we don't interpret your warranty contract. Review your warranty documentation and consult an attorney if a claim is disputed.

Signs Your Home May Have a Structural Issue

Diagonal cracks above door or window frames
Doors or windows that stick, bind, or no longer latch
Floors that slope or feel uneven underfoot
Cracks in brick veneer, especially stair-step patterns
Separation between walls and ceilings or floors
Visible differential settlement visible on the exterior
11th Month — What We Inspect

Everything the first year
reveals — documented
while the builder still pays.

The 11th-month inspection is a complete TREC home inspection plus a foundation elevation comparison. Here's what gets documented.

01

Foundation Elevation Comparison

We compare current elevation readings against the baseline established at Phase 1 or 3. Even minor differential movement is documented — and in Fort Bend County's clay soils, month 11 is when the first cycle of movement is often measurable.

ZIPLEVEL® precision elevation survey
Comparison to prior phase baseline
Differential movement documentation
CAD elevation drawing in report

Roofing & Exterior Envelope

The first full year of weather exposure often reveals roofing deficiencies, flashing failures, and caulking gaps that weren't visible at closing. All of it is warrantable if documented in time.

Roof covering & flashing condition
Siding, trim & caulking
Windows & door weatherstripping
Gutters, downspouts & drainage

HVAC Systems

After one full heating and cooling cycle, system deficiencies that weren't detectable at move-in become apparent. Undersized equipment, duct failures, and installation errors all show up in year one.

Equipment operation & performance
Duct system condition & airflow
Thermostat & controls operation
Condensate drainage
04

Plumbing & Water Intrusion

Slow leaks that were too small to detect at closing have had 11 months to grow. We document any active moisture, water staining, or drain performance issues that indicate a warrantable defect.

Supply & drain system performance
Moisture meter testing at high-risk areas
Water heater condition & operation
Hose bib & irrigation connection check

Electrical Systems

Year-one electrical failures are more common than buyers expect — breakers that trip under load, GFCI outlets that fail, and improper circuit configurations that weren't loaded at move-in.

Panel condition & labeling
Outlet & GFCI/AFCI operation
Smoke & CO detector placement
Visible wiring & junction box condition

Workmanship & Settlement

Nail pops, cracked tile, separated trim, and sticking doors — dismissed as "normal settling" by builders — are warrantable workmanship defects when documented professionally before the year expires.

Interior doors & hardware operation
Drywall cracking & nail pop documentation
Tile, flooring & finish separation
Trim, molding & caulking gaps
From the Field — Warranty Inspections

What buyers discover
after they move in.

Real inspections from Fort Bend County new construction — defects that only surface after closing, and why the warranty window matters.

Warranty Inspection — Harvest Green

Buyers Won't Notice This Until After Closing

Harvest Green, Richmond TX — defects that only surface after move-in, and exactly why a warranty inspection exists. These were still correctable at the builder's expense.

Phase Inspection — Fulshear, TX

You'd Never Notice This Until It's Too Late

Fulshear, TX — issues in a new build that are invisible at walkthrough and only reveal themselves over time. Exactly what the warranty window is designed to catch.

Common Questions

Warranty
answered.

The questions homeowners ask before their warranty inspection — and the ones they wish they'd asked sooner.

At or around the 11th month after your closing date — before your 12-month anniversary. This gives you time to receive the report, identify warrantable items, and submit a formal claim to your builder before coverage expires. Don't wait until the last week. Builders sometimes take time to respond, and you want that process started while your warranty is clearly active.
We can still conduct the 11th-month inspection and document current foundation elevations. Without a baseline for comparison we can't show differential movement over time, but we can document the current state and note any readings that fall outside acceptable tolerances. If you do have prior inspection reports from any source, bring them — even builder-provided documentation can serve as a reference point.
The 1-year warranty covers workmanship and materials — essentially anything built or installed incorrectly. It expires at 12 months. The 10-year structural warranty covers major structural components: the foundation, load-bearing walls, primary framing, beams, and roof structure. It's a separate, longer-term coverage that most buyers don't realize is distinct from the 1-year. Both require documented evidence to support a claim.
"Normal settling" is one of the most commonly misused phrases in new construction. Some minor movement is expected. But diagonal cracks above door frames, doors that no longer latch, and floors that slope measurably are not normal — they are signs of differential foundation movement that warrant documentation and, in most cases, a warranty claim. We document what we find. What you do with that documentation is your decision — but you need the report first.
If the issue is structural — foundation, load-bearing walls, primary framing — you may still be covered under your 10-year structural warranty. This is where the Structural Tenure Warranty Inspection is applicable. We scope each engagement individually based on your home, your warranty documentation, and what you're observing. Request a quote and we'll work through it with you.
Yes. Our reports are TREC-compliant, professionally formatted, and include photographs, written descriptions, and documentation structured for exactly this purpose. Most builders accept third-party inspection reports as supporting documentation for warranty claims. Our ICC certification and TREC license give the report credibility that a homeowner's phone photos simply don't carry.

The warranty doesn't
care about your schedule.
Use it before you lose it.

Whether you're approaching month 11 or wondering if you're still covered under a structural warranty — act now. The documentation you collect today is the only thing that gives you leverage with your builder tomorrow.

Schedule 11th Month  →
Structural Warranty — Request a Quote → Fort Bend County & Greater Houston · 24h report delivery