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New constructionOur latest inspection of a brand-new home found 102 items the builder had missed.See why →
New Construction

New doesn’t mean finished.

We’re finding far more in brand-new homes than we did five years ago. Our last three new-construction reports listed 102, 86 and 79 items, each on a house that had just been built. If you’re buying new, have it inspected before you close. It’s your one chance to make your new house perfect.

  • Pre-drywall
  • Before settlement
  • Before the warranty ends
Call (443) 537-8823Contact
The Century Difference

We inspect the fit and finish. On everything.

Maryland’s minimum standard asks two questions: does it work, and is it safe? It doesn’t require an inspector to look at paint, finishes or carpet at all. On a new home, that leaves out most of what’s wrong. Before you close is your one chance to get your new house perfect, so we go over every finish in it.1

The minimum

Does it work? Is it safe?

  • Roof, structure and foundation
  • Electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling
  • Paint, finishes and carpetNot required

A Century new-home inspection

Everything in the standard, plus fit and finish on every surface.

  • Trim, caulk and paint
  • Drywall, ceilings and corners
  • Cabinets, counters and hardware
  • Doors, locks and closers
  • Floors, tile and grout
  • Stairs, treads and railings
  • Windows, screens and sills
  • Siding, grading and the exterior

That’s how our latest new-build report reached 102 items. Read the report

What new homes look like right now

Numbered figures are cited at the foot of the page
Items in our latest new-build report
102
Frederick, MD · September 2026
Average across our last three
89
New-construction reports, June to September 2026
New-home buyers skip the inspection2
1 in 7
Clever Real Estate survey of buyers, 2022
Of those who did found problems2
65%
Same survey; 24% said the house failed outright

Why it’s happening, and why it matters

  • Builders are working short-handed.

    In September 2026, 58% of builders surveyed by the National Association of Home Builders reported a shortage of finish carpenters, and 57% a shortage of framing crews. Across the nine trades NAHB has tracked since 1996, shortages averaged 47%, higher than at any point in the 2004–2006 building boom.3

  • It shows up in the details.

    In our reports that means stair treads with gaps, cabinets and trim left unfinished, roofs patched with caulk and fire doors that don’t close on their own. Now and then it is structural, like headers bowing over windows.

  • The county inspection isn’t a home inspection.

    County inspectors check that work meets the building code at set stages. They don’t open every cabinet, test every outlet or write you a punch list, and they don’t work for you. Neither does the builder’s walkthrough.

  • Maryland gives you a deadline.

    State law gives buyers of a newly built home implied warranties: one year for most defects and two years for structural ones. Your contract may replace them with the builder’s own written warranty. Either way, a defect found after the deadline is much harder to get fixed at the builder’s cost.4

When we inspect a new home

  • Before the drywall goes up.

    Framing, wiring, plumbing and fire blocking, while they can still be seen and fixed.

  • Before settlement.

    A full inspection and a photo punch list you hand the builder before you sign, like the reports below.

  • Before the first year is up.

    Anything that has appeared since move-in, reported while the builder is still obliged to fix it.

Our recent new-construction reports

Redacted, and quoted from the delivered report

Sources

  1. 1Code of Maryland Regulations 09.36.07, Minimum Standards of Practice for home inspectors: § .11C says the inspector is not required to inspect “paint, wallpaper, and other finish treatments” or carpeting
  2. 2Realtor Magazine (National Association of Realtors), “Most Common Inspection Problems Uncovered in New Homes,” May 2, 2022, reporting a Clever Real Estate survey of new-home buyers
  3. 3National Association of Home Builders, “Labor Shortages a Growing Problem,” Eye on Housing, October 14, 2026
  4. 4Maryland Code, Real Property § 10-204 (implied warranties on new homes)

Century figures are counted from our own delivered reports. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Buying New?

Book your new-construction inspection.

Call or message us with your settlement date. We’ll fit the inspection in ahead of your final walkthrough.

(443) 537-8823Contact

Serving Anne Arundel, Baltimore City & County, Carroll, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s & Washington County