Your Waxahachie Builder Offers a Final Walk-Through. Bring Your Own Inspector First (2026)

By Steven J. Thomas

You are about to close on a new build in Waxahachie. The builder's rep invites you for a walk-through, points at a few scuffs and hands you a clipboard. It feels like an inspection. It is a handoff, run by the person who works for the builder.

Direct answer

A builder's walk-through is not a third-party inspection. The builder's rep works for the builder, and the list they create is the builder's list. Hire your own licensed inspector for a pre-drywall visit and again before closing, then log every item in writing with dated photos. One local buyer's guide puts an inspection at $300 to $500, against hidden problems of $3,000 to $7,000.

What the Waxahachie numbers say

Redfin's August 2026 data shows a Waxahachie median sale price of $390,242, up 7.2% from a year earlier. Homes took 70 days to sell, 21 more than last year, and 53.9% had a price drop (Redfin, Waxahachie, August 2026). Resale homes are sitting longer, and builders are competing with them. That gives you more room to ask for a clean list before closing than you had a year ago, based on current conditions.

Why the builder's walk-through is not an inspection

The rep who walks you through is paid by the builder. Their job is to get you to closing with a signed list of small items. That is a normal part of the process, and it is a different job from finding what a framing crew missed. A Texas buyer's guide from LRG Realty makes the point directly: the builder's inspector reports to the builder, not to you (LRG Realty, Texas new build walkthroughs and warranty).

Where to put an inspector

• Pre-drywall: walls are open, so framing, plumbing and wiring are visible. The same guide cites $3,000 to $7,000 of hidden framing or plumbing problems when this visit is skipped. Treat that as one source's estimate, not a rule.
• Before closing: an inspector checks the finished house against your contract and the plans. You often have more leverage here, because the builder wants the closing.
• About month 10 or 11: the first-year workmanship coverage ends soon. Submit your list in time, because builders often batch repair visits.

The cost math

An inspection visit runs $300 to $500, per the same guide. On a Waxahachie median-price home of about $390,000, that is roughly 0.1% of the price. A single hidden framing issue at $3,000 would cost six to ten times the inspection.

How to run the punch list

• Walk with your inspector and photograph every item with a date stamp
• Put the list in writing and send it to the builder by email, so you have a record
• Ask for a completion date for each item before you sign anything
• Ask what happens at closing if an item is open, and get that answer in writing
• Check your warranty paperwork for how long each type of claim stays open, since cosmetic claim windows can be short

Bring your own agent

Nobody in the model home works for the buyer unless the buyer brings their own agent. In many communities the builder pays a buyer's agent anyway, but registration rules differ. Ask before your first visit, because a registration filed late can cost you the representation.

FAQ: new build inspections in Waxahachie

Do I need a pre-drywall inspection?

It is optional, and it is the only time you can see inside the walls. Ask your builder how much notice they give before drywall goes up.

Will the builder let my inspector in?

Policies differ by builder and by community. Ask for the policy in writing before you sign the contract.

How much does a new build inspection cost?

One Texas buyer's guide puts it at $300 to $500 per visit. Your inspector sets the actual price based on house size and scope.

What if the builder will not fix an item before closing?

Get the item, the completion date and the responsible party in writing. If the builder will not commit, talk with your agent before you close.

Does a new build still need an inspection?

Yes. A new house gets city inspections, and those check code. Your inspector checks workmanship against your contract.

What to do next

Book the inspector before the builder sets your closing date, and register your own agent before your next visit. A few hundred dollars now costs less than a repair bill next year, based on current conditions.

Get the free New Construction Buyer Guide and see the full checklist before you sign.

Steven J. Thomas is a licensed Texas real estate broker with Refind Realty DFW (TREC Broker License #0657467) and a loan officer with Envision Home Lenders (NMLS #689220). The figures above are illustrations and third-party estimates, not a price opinion or legal advice. Rates change daily. Nothing here guarantees a price, timeline or outcome. Equal Housing Opportunity. Equal Housing Lender.

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