Meeting with the builder Monday to walk the home pre drywall.

1. For a builder like 1T, how long does this mean we have until completion?
2. Any questions I should ask or things I should confirm with the builder at this meeting?

My realtor will be there too but maybe there are things I'd forget to ask.

Thanks!

NWE's comments about taking pictures of every wall is important. One additional thing I did was mark on the slab the location of every plug and switch,I.e. 14d, 48q, etc. In this example, I had a duplex plug 14" off the slab and a quad plex 48" off the slab. After the sheetrock was installed, I verified each plug/outlet I marked on the slab was cut properly. This helped me to identify a few outlets which were missed during Sheetrock installation. Very easy to fix any issues when everything is marked well. Good luck!

Agree on pics and thinking about there you want plus, TVs on wall, fetch. Easy to add at this point, including blocking for TV mounts.

One note on electrical, in almost all instances you are not going to have power to house at pre drywall.

For your pics... cho every room thr same way. Id make some index cards or something to start each room, then go the same way through each room and take similar sequences.

Download them AS SOON as you get home and name the files or bring them into a power point or something. Two weeks from now they'll be useless and every wall will look thr same.

For your pics... cho every room thr same way. Id make some index cards or something to start each room, then go the same way through each room and take similar sequences.

Download them AS SOON as you get home and name the files or bring them into a power point or something. Two weeks from now they'll be useless and every wall will look thr same.

I advise all my clients to hire a home inspector at the beginning of the build. Pay them an inspection every time a draw is requested or when the HI says it's time to do so.

SteveBott said:

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I advise all my clients to hire a home inspector at the beginning of the build. Pay them an inspection every time a draw is requested or when the HI says it's time to do so.

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I agree, this is cheap insurance for a multi hundred thousand dollar investment



If you want to be cheap and DIY

Then at the minimum buy a good 6 ft level and go check all the columns and walls in the house. Be especially vigilant where endwalls are that cabinets boxes will parallel. If the wall is out and the cabinets are level the end result will show on the sheetrock to wood reveal.

Also on each wall ~ halfway up put a screw in each corner and pull a string line across the wall. You are looking for studs that have either been crowned wrong or have to much crown in them. Mark the bad ones and make them straighten or replace each stud.

I'm going to punch my new house today...

I just looked back in my calendar and we had our pre-sheetrock meeting 8/24 and we're expected to close 11/30 so three months give or take FWIW.

HIRE AN INSPECTOR!!

They're not that expensive and they will find things you never would've thought about i.e. pinched ducting, unsupported ridge ends in the attic, they'll get up on the roof if you can't yourself and check all of the flashing and penetrations. It's invaluable information to provide to the builder. Most builders aren't trying to get one over on you but sometimes you need to nudge them and provide photographic proof of issues before they get covered up.

Lastly, and maybe most importantly, try to get in there before they put up insulation and look for any sliver of daylight coming through the exterior sheathing. Mark the room and location with photos/notes on your phone and send them to the builder. When they insulate, GO BACK AND CHECK! Our builder "forgot" about one pretty major gap in the sheathing and the sheetrocker just covered it with insulation...I went back and tore the insulation out and sent another picture until they fixed it. Don't be afraid to protect your investment!

Tl;dr

Three months in my experience from pre-sheetrock to close and hire a third party inspector.

JP76 said:

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SteveBott said:

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I advise all my clients to hire a home inspector at the beginning of the build. Pay them an inspection every time a draw is requested or when the HI says it's time to do so.

---

I agree, this is cheap insurance for a multi hundred thousand dollar investment



If you want to be cheap and DIY

Then at the minimum buy a good 6 ft level and go check all the columns and walls in the house. Be especially vigilant where endwalls are that cabinets boxes will parallel. If the wall is out and the cabinets are level the end result will show on the sheetrock to wood reveal.

Also on each wall ~ halfway up put a screw in each corner and pull a string line across the wall. You are looking for studs that have either been crowned wrong or have to much crown in them. Mark the bad ones and make them straighten or replace each stud.

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This right here, I'm in an older house but whoever built it used some real bananna'd pieces of lumber when they put the place together and I wish someone would've checked them with string. This sort of thing is a bear to replace if you end up going that route.