The home has a story after move-in.

An 11-month warranty inspection is commonly planned during the eleventh month of a new home’s first year. The extra lead time is the point: it gives you room to read the report, organize questions and follow the notification process in your builder paperwork before a deadline arrives. Do not rely on the name of the service alone—your agreement determines the dates, notice method and what the builder may consider.

Start by locating the warranty end date and any instructions for submitting concerns. Some builders use an online portal; others request an email, form or service appointment. If the documents call for notice before a particular date, schedule early enough to receive and review the inspection report first. A new home does not need to feel urgent to deserve a deliberate look.

Daily life gives you observations that a first walkthrough could not. Before the appointment, make a short, practical list of items you have noticed: a door that has become difficult to operate, a recurring mark after rain, uneven comfort between rooms, a drainage question, or a component that does not seem to work as expected. Note where it is, when it occurs and whether it has changed. Photos from your own records can be helpful context, too.

Bring that list to the inspection. It helps our team understand what you want to discuss while we look at the home’s readily accessible areas and systems. We will consider those observations in the context of what can be seen on the day, not turn every routine adjustment into an alarming conclusion. If a question calls for a specialist, the report can help you frame that next conversation.

This is a visual inspection of accessible conditions, not a reconstruction of the build or a prediction of how every component will perform in the future. Conditions behind finished surfaces, under stored belongings or in areas that cannot be safely reached may remain outside the view of a visit. That honest boundary matters as much as the observations themselves.

The report gives your concerns a clear record: written descriptions, photos where useful and the location or component involved. It can help separate items to monitor or maintain from conditions that merit clarification, repair discussion or further evaluation. See our broader residential inspection services for the questions a general inspection can address, or explore new-construction inspections if you are earlier in the building timeline.

Read the report soon after receiving it, then compare it with your builder’s warranty instructions. Submit concerns through the builder’s required channel while your own timeline is still open, and retain a copy of the report, your submission and any replies. A focused written record makes it easier to refer to the same condition in later conversations.

The inspection report is information for you and your builder; it does not decide coverage, require a particular repair or guarantee a claim outcome. The builder’s warranty terms and process govern those decisions. If the builder requests more detail, use the report to point to the relevant observation and ask what follow-up they need. Our role is to document what we observe clearly, so you can ask informed questions without overstating what the inspection can establish.

Your builder’s warranty relates to the newly built home and the agreement you made at purchase. Rojek’s ONIT Home benefit is a separate, limited 90-day homeowner plan available after an eligible completed inspection, with its own provider, activation requirements and coverage terms. It is not an extension of the builder’s warranty, and it does not determine whether a builder will address an item in your report.

Rojek Home Services serves homeowners across Cook, DuPage, Will, Grundy and Kendall counties. Meet the people behind the work on our team page, learn more about the company on About Rojek, or confirm the area we serve on our Chicagoland service-area page.

Give yourself time to turn a year of living in the home into a useful builder conversation. Schedule an 11-month warranty inspection before your warranty deadline is close.