Pre-Drywall Inspection Checklist for Home Inspectors
A pre-drywall inspection checklist for inspectors: framing, fasteners, flashing, plumbing, electrical and HVAC rough-in, photos, builder timing and pricing.
Short answer: A pre-drywall inspection is a visual inspection of a new house after framing, roofing, windows and the plumbing, electrical and HVAC rough-ins are in, and before insulation and wall coverings hide them. You check framing damage and connectors, flashing, rough-in runs and protection, and whether the house is ready to insulate. It lives or dies on timing with the builder and on located, photographed findings the superintendent can act on.
Once drywall goes up, most of what makes a house sound is gone from view for good. A pre-drywall visit is the only point where a home inspector can see the framing, the flashing behind the siding and every pipe and cable run at once. That is why it is the most useful phase in a new construction inspection package, and the one with the tightest window.
What a pre-drywall inspection is
InterNACHI's Pre-Drywall Inspection Standards of Practice (updated March 6, 2025) defines it as "a non-invasive, visual examination of the accessible areas of a residential property." It says the inspection, "also known as a rough-in inspection," happens after the foundation, framework, roofing, exterior covering, doors, windows, mechanical systems, plumbing and electrical are installed, and before insulation and interior walls and ceilings are covered.
That definition gives you the booking trigger: rough-ins are complete, insulation has not started.
No state has an official pre-drywall form. The InterNACHI SOP is association guidance, and many inspectors use it or adapt it. It is organized into ten sections: roof; exterior; basement, foundation, crawlspace and structure; heating; cooling; plumbing; electrical; fireplace; attic, insulation and ventilation; and doors, windows and interior.
What you are not doing
The same SOP excludes determining "compliance with codes or regulations," along with the cause of a condition, service life and concealed defects. You are not the building official, and the municipal framing and rough-in inspections are separate from yours.
Say that plainly to the client and in your agreement. Then do the work the SOP asks of you. Under section 3.3, the inspector reports as in need of correction "any observed cutting, notching and boring of framing members that may, in the inspector's opinion, present a structural or safety concern." That is an observation standard, not a code standard, and it is where much of the pre-drywall value sits.
The pre-drywall inspection checklist
Use this as a starting template, and adjust it for your climate and the builders you see. It is written for observation, not code enforcement. A few rows go past the InterNACHI SOP, which does not require you to check conformance with manufacturer installation instructions or to operate a moisture meter. If you include them, say so in your agreement.
| Area | What to check | Typical findings |
|---|---|---|
| Framing | Studs, plates, headers, beams, joists and trusses; bearing points; cut, notched or bored members; damaged or split lumber; site modifications to engineered members | Truss chord cut for a duct, over-bored top plate, cracked joist, missing or undersized header support |
| Engineered wood | I-joists, LVL, trusses; field cuts, holes outside the manufacturer's allowed zones, missing blocking or bracing shown on the plans | Flange cut on an I-joist, notched LVL, truss bracing not installed |
| Connectors and fasteners | Joist hangers fully nailed, hurricane ties or straps present, hold-downs, anchor bolts and nuts, nail plates where pipes and cables pass near the stud face | Empty hanger nail holes, missing strap, pipe run with no protective plate |
| Sheathing and water-resistive barrier | Wall and roof sheathing attached and intact; housewrap laps, tears and taping | Torn housewrap, reverse laps above windows, damaged sheathing edges |
| Flashing | Windows and doors, roof-to-wall intersections, kickout locations, penetrations, deck ledger locations | Missing head flashing, sill pan absent, kickout missing, penetrations not sealed |
| Roof | From the ground or eaves, and the underside from inside; decking, penetrations, signs of leaks on framing | Water staining on trusses or sheathing, daylight at penetrations |
| Plumbing rough-in | Supply and drain lines supported and protected, drains sloped, vents present, tub and shower valves and drains, water heater location and venting path | Sagging drain, pipe without protection near the stud face, kinked PEX, unsupported runs |
| Electrical rough-in | Boxes secured, cables supported and protected where they pass through framing, cables clear of sharp edges and ducts, panel location clear | Cable pinched under a plate, missing nail plate, box loose, cable resting on a flue |
| HVAC | Duct runs complete and supported, no crushed or kinked flex duct, connections sealed, returns present, flue and vent paths, equipment locations | Crushed flex duct at a joist, disconnected boot, duct resting on the attic floor framing in a traffic path |
| Insulation readiness | Penetrations through top plates and floors sealed where the builder's plan calls for it, attic baffles, areas that will be hard to insulate later | Open chases, missing baffles at the eaves, gaps around tubs on exterior walls |
| Moisture | Wet framing, standing water, mold-like growth on framing or sheathing | Framing that should dry before it is enclosed |
| Fireplace | Framing clearances around factory-built units as shown in the installation instructions on site | Combustible framing tight to the unit, instructions not on site |
Keep the list for your template, then report only what you observed and deemed material. A report that repeats the checklist back with "OK" beside every row is harder to read, not safer.
A note on moisture meters
Moisture in framing is one of the most useful things you can report at this phase, because it gets sealed in if nobody says anything. Measure and record readings where you have a reason to, name the meter, and state the reading as an observation. Do not promise the wood is dry enough to enclose. That is the builder's call.
Photo documentation
Pre-drywall is the one inspection where the photos matter more than the text. Six months from now, nobody can go back and look. Your photos are the only record of what was in that wall.
What a useful pre-drywall photo set looks like:
- One wide shot per room or wall before you start, so any close-up can be placed later.
- A close-up per finding, with the defect centered and something in frame for scale or location (a window edge, a labeled stud, a tape measure).
- Photos of good work too in key places, such as ledger locations, window flashing and straps. The client may need them later, and so may you.
- Consistent naming or order, room by room, so the superintendent can walk the report.
In Binsr, photos and videos attach at four levels: the inspection, a section, a line item or an individual finding. On a pre-drywall report, attaching the photo to the finding itself means the superintendent sees the evidence next to the words, not on page 40. Binsr also supports 360-degree photos with a built-in viewer, which works well for a whole framed room. And because the Report Builder works fully offline and syncs when signal returns, a new subdivision with no cell coverage does not stop you.
A thermal camera is less useful before insulation than after. Save it for the final and the 11-month visit.
Timing with the builder
The pre-drywall window can be a few days. Rough-ins get approved, insulation arrives, and the walls close. If you miss it, there is no second chance.
| Step | Who | When |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm the purchase contract allows third-party inspections | Client | Before booking |
| Get the site superintendent's contact | Client | At booking |
| Ask to be told when rough-in inspections are scheduled or passed | Client and superintendent | As construction nears rough-in |
| Book the visit | Inspector | After rough-ins are complete, before insulation |
| Confirm the day before | Inspector | 24 hours ahead |
| Send the report | Inspector | Same day where possible, so the builder can act before insulation |
| Reinspect corrections, if sold | Inspector | Before insulation, by arrangement |
Two rules make this easier:
- Ask for rough-ins complete, not "framing done." A framed house with no plumbing or electrical is too early for this visit.
- Deliver fast. A pre-drywall report the builder gets after insulation is a record, not a correction list. See our guide to same-day inspection reports for the workflow.
If you arrive and insulation has started, inspect what is visible, list what was covered as a limitation, and follow the fee terms in your agreement.
Writing findings the builder will act on
The superintendent reads your report looking for what they can fix quickly and what they can dispute. Give them nothing to dispute.
- Locate precisely. Room, wall, stud bay or truss count from a reference point.
- Describe, do not diagnose. "Top plate bored for drain, approximately two-thirds of the plate width removed, no reinforcement observed" instead of "bad plumbing."
- Say why. One sentence on the consequence.
- Recommend. "Builder to correct" plus the right professional for evaluation, such as the truss manufacturer or engineer for a cut truss.
- Attach the photo to the finding.
Our guide to writing defect comments that hold up goes further. If you use a comment library, write pre-drywall comments once and reuse them. Binsr's library starts with 12,000+ comments and templates written by inspectors, and you can add your own.
Texas and state rules
As of November 2026, Texas TREC rule 22 TAC §535.223 lists "an inspection of a building or addition that is not substantially complete" and quality-control construction inspections performed for builders among the exceptions to the REI 7-6 form requirement. A pre-drywall inspection of a house under construction generally falls outside the form, so you can use your own template. TREC's November 9, 2026 meeting agenda included proposing amendments to the inspection standards and the report form. As of November 11, 2026 none had been adopted. Read the current rule for your situation, and see our TREC report guide. Other states rarely address pre-drywall inspections directly. Check your state's licensing law for whether any inspection for a fee falls under your license, and assume it does.
How to price a pre-drywall inspection
Price it as its own service, from your own costs. The work is detail-heavy, the drive is often to the edge of your service area, and the schedule moves.
| Cost to include | Notes |
|---|---|
| Time on site | A large two-story house takes longer than the square footage suggests because every wall is open |
| Drive time | New subdivisions tend to sit outside your usual routes |
| Rescheduling buffer | Builders move dates; price in the slot you hold open |
| Report time | Many findings, each needing a located photo |
| Reinspection | Separate fee for checking corrections before insulation |
| Failed visit | Fee if the house is not ready or access is refused on the day |
| Liability | The client may rely on this report later if something concealed fails |
The full method, including the volume test, is in how to price ancillary inspection services. Many inspectors sell pre-drywall with the final and an 11-month warranty inspection as a package, but price each piece so it pays on its own first.
Frequently asked questions
Sources and verification
- 22 TAC §535.223, Inspection report form (Cornell LII mirror of the Texas Administrative Code), Texas Real Estate Commission rule
- Property Inspection Report Form REI 7-6, Texas Real Estate Commission
- Pre-Drywall Inspection Standards of Practice, InterNACHI
- New Construction Phase Inspection Agreement, InterNACHI
Keep reading
- New construction home inspections
- 11-month builder warranty inspections
- Deck inspections
- How to price ancillary inspection services
- Same-day inspection reports
- Write defect comments that hold up
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