What to Inspect on a Brand-New House in Cane Bay or Nexton: A Buyer's Walkthrough

A brand-new house in Cane Bay Plantation or Nexton can look flawless on the surface and still hide issues that only surface later: grading that sends water toward the slab, flashing installed improperly above a window, an HVAC system that was never balanced. The advantage of buying new construction is that inspections happen in phases, so you can see behind the walls before the drywall covers them. This guide covers the phases that matter, what each one checks, what it costs in the Charleston area, and how the builder's warranty fits in. The short version up front: hire an independent inspector, inspect before you close, and never treat the builder's final walkthrough as a substitute for your own set of eyes.

I am Denise Rush, a REALTOR® with EXIT Realty Lowcountry Group serving Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties, and new construction is a large part of my week in Summerville's master plans. Everything here is general education: inspection fees, builder policies, and warranty terms all vary, so treat every figure as an estimate to confirm with your inspector, your builder, and your contract.

Why inspect a brand-new house at all?

The county inspects new construction for building code compliance at set points in the build, but that is a different job from a buyer's inspection. Code compliance is the minimum standard, and county inspectors do not check the grading around your specific lot, confirm that appliances actually run, or catch every cosmetic and workmanship issue. Build quality also varies with the crew, the subcontractors, and the pace of construction, which is exactly why buyers in master plans like Cane Bay, Nexton, and Carnes Crossroads routinely hire their own inspectors long before they receive the keys.

Inspect in phases, not just at closing

The strongest new-construction buying strategy is three inspections plus a warranty-year check, each with a different job. Most buyers schedule at least the pre-drywall and final inspections, and it is worth understanding what the full set looks like before you decide which to skip.

The pre-pour foundation inspection

Before the slab is poured, an inspector checks soil compaction, rebar placement, vapor barriers, and formwork. It is the most expensive phase to get wrong: correcting a foundation issue after concrete is down is costly, while a pre-pour inspection runs the same few hundred dollars as any other. Some buyers skip it; on a slab-on-grade home in the lowcountry, I would not.

The pre-drywall framing inspection, the highest-value check

This is the one inspection every new-construction buyer should treat as the priority. Before the drywall goes up, the inspector can see the plumbing, electrical, HVAC, framing, and window flashing, the systems that become invisible once the walls close. Homes.com's guide to pre-drywall inspections describes this stage as the buyer's only real chance to see behind the walls, and it is hard to argue with that. Schedule it a week or two before the builder plans to hang drywall so there is time to correct findings.

The final pre-closing inspection

Roughly one to two weeks before closing, the inspector verifies that everything is complete and working: systems, appliances, finishes, and the details no county visit looked at twice. This is also the stage where the builder's punch list should be checked item by item. Builders in Cane Bay and Nexton, including names like David Weekley Homes and others, run their own walkthrough processes, but that lists what the builder agreed to fix, not what an independent eye can find.

The warranty-year inspection

A fourth inspection right before the builder's one-year warranty expires can turn small, fixable issues into warranty claims instead of out-of-pocket repairs. Industry guidance commonly calls this the 11-month inspection. If you buy a quick move-in home that sat in inventory for a while, some wear items may already be aging, which makes the warranty-year check even more useful.

What to check during your own final walkthrough

• Grading and drainage: confirm the ground slopes away from the foundation on all sides, and that no low spots will pond water against the slab or crawlspace.
• Roof, gutters, and downspouts: verify downspouts are extended away from the house and no shingle or flashing damage is visible from the ground.
• Windows and doors: open and close every one, check that locks and screens work, and look for gaps where weatherstripping should seal.
• Plumbing: run every faucet, flush every toilet, and check under sinks and around the water heater for slow leaks and proper drainage.
• Electrical: test outlets and switches room by room, including the garage, and confirm the panel is labeled.
• HVAC: run the system in both heat and cool, listen for odd sounds, and confirm registers actually deliver airflow to every room.
• Crawlspace or attic: look at insulation, ventilation, and any sign of moisture before they become bigger conversations.
• Finishes and appliances: run the dishwasher, range, and laundry connections, and photograph every scratch, dent, or tile crack for the punch list.

The coastal South Carolina extras

The lowcountry's humidity, rain, and sandy soils earn three specialized checks. The first is a radon test, a continuous 48-hour test in a living area, because South Carolina is a state where elevated radon levels are common enough to matter. The second is a wood-destroying insect inspection, the same kind of report lenders typically require, because termites are a real coastal consideration here. The third is a moisture check, especially under a slab or in a crawlspace, where the Charleston area's water table can create conditions that are hard to see later. None of these is expensive, and all three answer questions before closing instead of after.

How much does a new-construction inspection cost?

A standard single-family inspection in the Charleston area typically runs in the $225 to $375 range, with $247 to $300 a common quote for a typical 1,500 to 2,000 square foot home and larger or coastal properties trending higher. The caveat: new-construction inspections are billed per phase, so a pre-drywall inspection, a final inspection, and a warranty-year inspection are separate engagements with separate fees. Compare quotes from inspectors who regularly do draw inspections in Cane Bay and Nexton, and confirm the per-phase pricing up front.

How the builder's warranty fits in

South Carolina new homes typically carry a structural warranty plus a one-year workmanship warranty, with different coverage windows for different systems and some items prorated over several years. The warranty protects against defects in workmanship and materials, but it has deadlines, exclusions, and claim processes. The final inspection catches what is incomplete; the 11-month inspection catches what is failing just inside the warranty window. Read the warranty document with your agent before closing so you know exactly what is required to file a claim.

Before you tour builders, this guide to what to know before buying new construction in Charleston covers contracts, deposits, upgrades, and timelines.

And to match inspections to the right houses, my map of the active builder lineup in Cane Bay and Nexton shows who is building where.

If you are shopping move-in-ready homes, the quick move-in versus build-to-order comparison explains how inventory homes change the inspection picture.

The bottom line

A new house is not a reason to skip the inspection; it is a reason to inspect smarter, in phases, with coastal conditions in mind. Pre-drywall is the highest-value check, grading and drainage are the most important things to see with your own eyes, and the 11-month warranty inspection is the one that pays for itself when it finds something. Hire an independent inspector, keep every report, and photograph your punch list. A few hundred dollars buys certainty at the most expensive purchase you may ever make.

Inspection fees and builder warranty terms in this article are estimates from public sources as of October 2026 and vary by inspector, home size, and builder. Verify every figure with your inspector, your builder, and your contract. This article is general education and not a substitute for a licensed professional inspection of a specific home.