Most new homes come with a one-year builder warranty, and most homeowners never use it. An 11-month warranty inspection documents every defect while the builder is still responsible, so repairs come out of their pocket instead of yours.
Most new homes come with a one-year builder warranty. And most homeowners never fully use it, because they don't know what to look for, or the year quietly slips by. An 11-month warranty inspection fixes that. It's one of the smartest, lowest-cost moves a new homeowner in the Tulsa area can make.
I'm Anthonie Bounds, owner and lead inspector at Home Shield Inspections, a licensed and insured home inspector (OK License #70003206), InterNACHI® Certified (NACHI25051531) and ASHI Certified, serving Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Owasso, Jenks, Bixby, and the surrounding Green Country communities.
What Is an 11-Month Warranty Inspection?
An 11-month warranty inspection (sometimes called a year-end warranty inspection) is a full inspection performed near the end of your builder's one-year warranty period. It's timed on purpose. By month eleven, the home has been through a full cycle of Oklahoma weather: summer heat, winter cold, and the settling that naturally happens in the first year.
That's exactly when construction defects and settling issues tend to show up. Catching them before the warranty expires means the builder is still responsible for the repairs, not you.
Why the Timing Matters
Once your one-year warranty runs out, every defect becomes your expense. A crack that would have been a warranty claim in month eleven becomes an out-of-pocket repair in month thirteen.
An inspection near the 11-month mark gives you a documented, professional list of items to submit to your builder while repairs are still their responsibility. It turns "I think something's wrong" into a clear, photo-backed report the builder can act on.
What We Look For
After a year of real-world living, these are the issues that most often surface in new Tulsa-area homes:
- Drywall cracks and nail pops from normal settling
- Doors and windows that have shifted and no longer seal or latch properly
- Grading and drainage problems that appear after the first heavy rains
- Roof and flashing issues that weren't visible at closing
- HVAC performance that falls short once the system has run through a full summer and winter
- Plumbing leaks under sinks, at fixtures, and around the water heater
- Electrical concerns that show up after months of daily use
Each finding is documented with photos and plain-language explanations, organized so warranty items are easy to identify and submit.
How to Use Your Report With the Builder
The report is built to be handed directly to your builder. Instead of a vague list of complaints, you give them a clear, professional document with photos and specific locations. That makes it far more likely your requests are taken seriously and handled before the deadline.
Bring the report to your builder's warranty department in writing, keep a copy for your records, and follow up in advance of your warranty expiration date.
Frequently Asked Questions
When exactly should I schedule my 11-month inspection?
Schedule it around the 10.5-to-11-month mark after closing. That leaves enough time to complete the inspection, submit findings to your builder, and have repairs scheduled before your one-year warranty expires.
How much does an 11-month warranty inspection cost?
Pricing is based on the home's heated square footage and starts at $375. See our full pricing tiers for details, or call for an exact quote.
My home is brand new, do I really need this?
Yes. New construction is still built by people on a deadline, and defects are common. The 11-month inspection is your chance to have the builder fix them on their dime instead of yours.
Protect Your Investment Before the Warranty Ends
Don't let a valuable warranty expire unused. Learn more about our 11-month warranty inspection or schedule your inspection today.
Call Home Shield Inspections at 918-313-9003. Shielding what matters most.