A brand-new home can still have incomplete workmanship, installation problems, moisture concerns, or defects that appear only after occupancy. The safest approach is to inspect at the right stages, document what you observe, and check your warranty documents before assuming an issue is covered.

Alberta requires warranty coverage for new homes where the building permit was applied for on or after February 1, 2014. Coverage categories and time periods vary, so use your provider’s process and official guidance rather than treating every deficiency as automatically warrantable.

Quick summary

• Inspect at possession and consider another inspection before an applicable 11-month warranty period ends.
• Check finishes, plumbing, electrical systems, heating, ventilation, moisture, insulation, exterior drainage, roofing, and structural components.
• Record each issue with photographs, its exact location, dates, conditions, and a neutral description.
• Review coverage dates, notify the appropriate builder or warranty provider, and retain every report and communication.
• An independent inspection can document conditions, but it cannot guarantee coverage, repairs, or a successful claim.

Which new-home inspection do you need, and when?

A possession-stage inspection looks for visible deficiencies before or shortly after occupancy. A post-possession review can reveal concerns that require regular use, weather, or seasonal operation to become noticeable.

An 11-month warranty inspection focuses on unresolved, recurring, or newly noticed problems before a relevant warranty period expires. It should not replace an earlier inspection, because waiting until the deadline leaves less time to clarify findings and arrange an assessment.

Stage	Focus	Why timing matters
Possession or new construction	Visible workmanship, incomplete items, systems, safety concerns, and accessible areas.	Creates an early condition baseline.
Post-possession follow-up	Leaks, drainage, heating, ventilation, condensation, drafts, movement, and regular-use issues.	Some conditions appear only after operation or seasonal change.
11-month warranty inspection	Recurring or newly observed deficiencies across finishes, systems, envelope, exterior, and structure.	Documents concerns before applicable coverage ends.

Spot On’s new home warranty inspection service is available in Calgary and surrounding communities. Always confirm the dates and requirements in your own warranty documents.

1. Finishes and workmanship deficiencies

Look for incomplete trim, gaps at baseboards, damaged flooring, uneven transitions, chipped paint, drywall cracks, visible fasteners, and inconsistent repairs. Check cabinetry for damaged surfaces, misaligned doors, missing hardware, and gaps.

Test doors and windows for operation, latching, rubbing, damaged seals, and frame damage. Note bathroom and kitchen fixtures that are loose, poorly sealed, scratched, or not functioning as expected.

Use precise descriptions. “Gap approximately 6 millimetres at the baseboard beside the dining-room window” is more useful than “poor workmanship.” Alberta’s Construction Performance Guide can help homeowners compare observations with performance expectations without diagnosing the cause.

2. Plumbing, electrical, heating, and ventilation problems

Run accessible plumbing fixtures and observe whether drains clear normally, supply lines remain dry, toilets refill properly, and water appears where it should. Check inside cabinets for moisture, staining, loose connections, or signs of an intermittent leak. Do not remove concealed components.

Test accessible switches, receptacles, lights, and fixtures. Note warm, damaged, loose, or non-functioning components, but do not open electrical panels or attempt repairs. Suspected wiring or equipment concerns should be investigated by a qualified professional.

Operate heating and ventilation controls as intended. Record rooms that remain unusually cold, noisy, or difficult to ventilate, and note whether exhaust fans operate. Do not assume uneven temperature proves an insulation or mechanical defect. Record when the condition occurs and what else you observe.

Alberta warranty materials include defects affecting heating, plumbing, and electrical systems, but the applicable definition, time period, and evidence still matter. Coverage is not automatic simply because an issue is found.

3. Moisture, insulation, and building-envelope concerns

Look for water staining, damp odours, condensation, cold surfaces, drafts, and discolouration around windows, doors, ceilings, foundation walls, and mechanical areas. Record whether the condition follows rain, snowmelt, cold weather, showers, or changes in indoor humidity.

Inspect accessible attic and basement areas for dampness, disturbed insulation, staining, or signs that air or water is moving improperly. Do not enter unsafe areas or disturb insulation and finishes. A visible symptom can have several possible causes, including ventilation, air leakage, plumbing, drainage, or exterior water entry.

A thermal imaging inspection can identify unusual temperature patterns for further investigation, but a thermal image alone does not prove moisture, missing insulation, or a warrantable defect. Interpret it alongside visual observations and other appropriate evidence.

4. Roof, exterior, grading, and drainage issues

From the ground, look for damaged or missing siding, loose exterior components, open penetrations, incomplete caulking, damaged window or door interfaces, and areas where water could collect. Check that downspouts discharge away from the home and that grading appears to direct surface water away from the foundation.

Observe decks, steps, guards, railings, exterior doors, and attached structures for incomplete finishes, movement, damage, or drainage concerns. Record standing water, soil settlement, erosion, or water marks near the foundation after wet conditions.

Roof surfaces, flashing, penetrations, and upper elevations may not be safely accessible. Spot On identifies drone roof inspections as an available tool for difficult-to-access areas. Drone imagery has limits, and concealed or weather-dependent conditions may require further assessment.

5. Foundation and structural concerns

Document significant cracks, changes in floor level, unusual movement, water entry, separation at finishes, or doors and windows that begin sticking alongside other changes. Record the location, approximate size, direction, whether the condition is new, and whether it changes with weather.

A crack or uneven surface is an observation, not automatically a structural diagnosis. Avoid calling a condition foundation failure, settlement, or a framing defect unless a qualified professional has established that conclusion. For complex, worsening, or safety-related concerns, ask the builder or warranty provider what assessment is required.

Major structural components have their own warranty category and protection period. That does not mean every crack qualifies. Keep photographs over time so an assessor can understand whether the condition is stable or changing.

How to document defects so they can be assessed

Use one record for each deficiency. Take a wide photograph showing the room or elevation, followed by a close-up. Include a reference object when size matters, while avoiding unnecessary private information.

• Location: Identify the room, wall, elevation, fixture, or component.
• Observation: Describe what is visible, such as staining, a gap, a leak, or a non-functioning fixture.
• Date and conditions: Note when you first noticed it and whether it followed rain, freezing temperatures, occupancy, or system use.
• Extent: Record approximate length, area, frequency, or recurrence where safe.
• Communication: Save builder messages, work orders, photographs, reports, responses, and repair dates.
• Outcome: Note whether the issue was repaired, remains open, returned, or changed.

A detailed home inspection report can organize photographs, explanations, and recommendations. It remains important to distinguish what an inspection observed from what a builder, warranty provider, engineer, or other qualified professional determines.

What Alberta homeowners should do next

Locate your warranty documents and confirm coverage dates, the provider, claim instructions, and relevant categories. Alberta advises homeowners with a new-home issue to check coverage dates and contact their warranty provider, which will explain the required process. See the official Alberta claims guidance before submitting information.

Notify the builder or warranty provider through the specified channel. Send a concise list of deficiencies with photographs and supporting documents. Keep proof of submission and original files. If an assessor requests additional information or an inspection, provide records showing when and how the issue appeared.

Not every condition is automatically covered. Eligibility may depend on the warranty definition, reporting date, applicable protection period, and available evidence. If there is a disagreement, follow the provider’s process and consult Alberta’s information about warranty-related complaints.

When an independent inspection is worth considering

An independent inspection can be useful before possession, before a warranty deadline, when several symptoms may be connected, or when important areas are difficult to access. It can provide a structured record when you are unsure which observations deserve follow-up.

Spot On describes its new-home and warranty inspections as reviews extending from the foundation to the roof. Its supplied service information also identifies thermal imaging, drone roof inspection capability, same-day digital reports with photographs and recommendations, and follow-up questions. These tools can improve documentation, but no inspection guarantees that every concealed condition will be found or that a claim will be accepted.

New-home warranty defect checklist

• Confirm your provider, coverage categories, and relevant dates.
• Inspect finishes, fixtures, doors, windows, plumbing, electrical components, heating, and ventilation.
• Look for moisture, condensation, drafts, staining, insulation concerns, grading problems, and drainage issues.
• Review accessible exterior, roof, flashing, siding, decks, steps, and railings without entering unsafe areas.
• Record foundation or structural observations without claiming an unconfirmed cause.
• Photograph the context and close-up, then note location, date, conditions, and recurrence.
• Submit the deficiency list through the required process.
• Retain reports, emails, work orders, photographs, and repair records.
• Seek qualified advice for safety, engineering, electrical, or specialized concerns.

Frequently asked questions

Is a new home inspection different from a warranty inspection?

They can occur at different stages. A new construction or possession inspection establishes the home’s early condition, while a warranty-stage inspection focuses on deficiencies that remain, recur, or become visible before coverage expires.

What should I inspect before an 11-month warranty deadline?

Review finishes, fixtures, plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilation, moisture, insulation, exterior drainage, roof areas, and foundation or structural observations. Pay attention to issues revealed by seasonal changes or regular occupancy.

Does finding a defect mean it is automatically covered?

No. The issue must be assessed against the applicable category, definition, dates, and evidence. Contact the warranty provider and follow its process.

Can thermal imaging confirm moisture damage?

No. It shows temperature differences that may justify further investigation. It does not by itself confirm moisture, cause, or warranty eligibility.

What information should I send about a defect?

Provide the exact location, neutral description, photographs, date first noticed, conditions when it occurs, recurrence, and relevant repair history. Avoid overstating the cause unless it has been confirmed.

Conclusion

The most useful time to find and record new-home defects is before the relevant warranty coverage expires. Inspect systematically, describe observations accurately, and preserve evidence showing where, when, and how a condition appeared.

Use Alberta’s official guidance to identify the appropriate process. For Calgary, Airdrie, Chestermere, and surrounding communities, Spot On Inspections & Reviews provides new home warranty inspections with foundation-to-roof review, technology-enabled documentation, and digital reporting.