Where the inspection fits in a builder's timeline
Buying new construction in Lakewood Ranch usually means working on the builder's calendar, not yours. The house gets finished, the builder schedules a walkthrough, and closing follows. An independent inspection has to fit into that sequence at the one point where it does the most good: after the house is finished and before the final walkthrough, with enough time left for the builder to make repairs before closing.
Getting there takes a little planning, and it starts with the contract.
Step 1: Read your purchase agreement for inspection and access terms
Builder purchase agreements are drafted by the builder, and they can differ from the resale contracts many buyers have seen before. Some builder contracts limit when outside inspectors can come on site, require advance notice, or set conditions on who can enter a home that is still technically under construction. Others are more flexible. The only way to know is to read yours. Look for:
- Inspection language. Is a buyer's inspection mentioned at all? Is there an inspection period, or is the home sold without one?
- Site access. Who can enter the home before closing, when, and with how much notice? Is a builder representative required to be present?
- Inspector requirements. Does the builder ask for a license number or proof of insurance before an inspector comes on site?
- Walkthrough and punch list terms. When is the final walkthrough scheduled, how are items recorded, and is there a second walk?
- Closing mechanics. How are unfinished items handled at closing, and what does signing the walkthrough form mean?
If anything is unclear, ask the builder's sales office in writing and keep the answer. Your real estate agent or attorney can help you read the terms, and it is worth doing before you sign, since the terms may be hard to change afterward.
Step 2: Find out which county issued the permits
Lakewood Ranch is a master-planned community of more than 35,000 acres located in both Manatee and Sarasota Counties, according to Lakewood Ranch's developer, Schroeder-Manatee Ranch. That matters because the building department that issued your home's permits, performed its code inspections and will issue its certificate of occupancy depends on where the address sits.
- Manatee County: the Building Inspections Section handles permit inspections, and its CO checklist requires all final inspections (building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing) to pass, all CO holds to be released, and all fees to be paid. Permit status can be checked through the county's online services portal linked on that page.
- Sarasota County: the Building Division page links to the county's permit and parcel search.
Looking up the permit record lets you see which final inspections have passed and whether a CO has been issued. That is a useful signal of how close the house really is to done, and it helps you pick an inspection date that will not land while trades are still working.
Step 3: Inspect when the house is finished, with utilities on
The best inspection date meets three conditions:
- The house is finished. Flooring, cabinets, countertops, interior doors, trim, fixtures and appliances are installed. An inspection before finish work is done cannot evaluate what is not there yet.
- Utilities are on. Water, electricity and, if the home has it, gas. Without utilities, an inspector cannot run fixtures, test outlets and GFCIs, or operate the air conditioning, which is a large part of the inspection.
- The final walkthrough has not happened yet. The point is to bring the findings to the walkthrough so they go on the builder's punch list.
Some buyers also pay for inspections at earlier stages, such as before drywall goes up. Those are separate services with their own timing; this article is about the finished-home inspection.
Plan to be there. A typical single-family home inspection with High Tide takes about 2.5 to 3.5 hours on site, and clients are encouraged to attend and ask questions. If this is your first home, allow an extra 30 to 45 minutes for the walk-through of findings at the end.
Step 4: Leave room for repairs before closing
An inspection the day before closing gives the builder no time to act. Work backward from your closing date instead.
| Milestone | When | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Read inspection and access terms | Before signing, or as soon as you have the contract | Tells you what is allowed and how much notice to give |
| Check the permit record | As the home nears completion | Shows which finals have passed and whether a CO is issued |
| Buyer's inspection | After finish work and utilities are on, before the final walkthrough | The report can go straight onto the punch list |
| Report delivered | Within 24 hours, typically the next morning | Gives you time to review before the walkthrough |
| Final walkthrough | After you have the report | Items from the report and your own walk go on one list |
| Builder repair window | Between walkthrough and closing | Items fixed before you move in |
| Closing | After repairs, or with open items documented in writing | Protects you if anything is still outstanding |
How many days each gap needs depends on your builder and the number of items. Ask the builder how much time it typically needs between the walkthrough and closing to complete punch list work, and schedule the inspection early enough to fit that window.
Step 5: Bring the report to the walkthrough
High Tide's reports are digital, with photos, and work on phone and desktop, so you can pull up each finding in the room where it was found. Walk through the findings with the builder's representative and ask that each one be added to the punch list, or noted as reviewed if the builder disagrees. Our final walkthrough checklist covers what to test yourself on the day and how to write items so crews can find them.
Step 6: Keep the report after closing
Do not file the report away and forget it. Keep it with your contract, warranty booklet and certificate of occupancy. It is a dated, photographed record of the house as it was delivered. If something comes up later, you will want to know whether it was noted before closing. How that record fits with your warranty and Florida's defect notice process is covered in our guide to builder warranty deadlines and Chapter 558.
If you are buying in Lakewood Ranch or elsewhere in Manatee or Sarasota County, you can read more about booking an inspection for a newly built home, which starts at $500.
The short version
- Read the purchase agreement first for inspection, access and walkthrough terms. Do not assume anything about third-party access.
- Lakewood Ranch spans Manatee and Sarasota Counties, so check which county issued your permits and look up the permit record.
- Inspect when the house is finished and utilities are on, before the final walkthrough.
- Work backward from closing so the builder has time to fix what the report finds.
- Bring the report to the walkthrough, then keep it with your warranty papers.
