Questions to Ask When Buying a New Construction Home
Buying a brand new home from a builder is a different deal from buying a resale: the price is assembled from a base, a lot and options, the contract is the builder's own, and the house may not exist yet. These 61 questions to ask on a new construction home follow the purchase in order: price and options, the lot and community, the contract and deposit, financing, the months of building, then warranty and closing. The terms are those of a US builder sale, and the rules on deposits, warranties and taxes change from state to state.
Want questions from the whole vault instead? Try the random question generator.
The questions
Each question, and why to ask it
Price and options
What is the total price with this lot, this floor plan and these options, in writing?
Why ask it
The advertised base price usually leaves out the lot premium, the elevation and the options in the model, and each of those is added on its own worksheet at a different meeting. One signed page with the full number on it is what to leave with, because a running total kept in conversation is the one nobody can check later.
What comes in the base house, and what in the model home would I be paying extra for?
Why ask it
Model homes are built with the upgrade package throughout: cabinets, flooring, trim, lighting, landscaping, sometimes even the layout. Walk the model with the standard feature list in your hand and mark every difference, since that list is your real option budget.
May I bring my own real estate agent, and does that change the price or the incentive?
Why ask it
The agent in the sales office represents the builder. Some builders will only recognize a buyer's agent who was registered on your first visit, so raise this before you sign in at the model, and ask who pays that agent's commission.
Is the price fixed once I sign, or does the contract let it rise if materials or labor cost more?
Why ask it
Some builder contracts carry an escalation clause that passes cost increases on to the buyer during the build. Have the agent point to the paragraph, and if there is one, find out whether it has a cap and whether you may cancel with your deposit back when it is used.
Is there room on the price, the lot premium, the options or the closing costs, and which is easiest for you to move?
Why ask it
Builders are often more willing to give on upgrades or closing costs than on the recorded sale price, which becomes the comparison for every lot still unsold. Asking which of the four can move tends to get a straighter answer than asking for a discount.
What is the lot premium on this lot, and how does it compare with the others still available?
Why ask it
Lot premiums are set by the builder and are rarely explained on the price sheet. Ask what each remaining lot costs and why, then walk them: a premium for a wooded rear boundary buys something different from a premium for sitting at the corner of the entrance road.
What are the allowances for flooring, cabinets, counters and lighting, and what do the upgrades actually cost?
Why ask it
An allowance only means something once you know what it buys, so ask to see the flooring, cabinet and counter samples that fit inside it. Then get the full option price list, not a range, since the gap between the allowance and what you would actually pick is money on top of the contract price.
When is the cutoff for each category of selection, and what happens if I change my mind afterward?
Why ask it
Structural changes usually close before the slab is poured, while finishes stay open much longer, and a change order after a cutoff carries a fee plus whatever the delay costs. Get the cutoff dates in writing on the day you sign so you can plan your decisions around them.
Which options have to be chosen now because they cannot be added later, and which could wait until after closing?
Why ask it
Ceiling height, a bathroom rough-in in the basement, extra windows, a wider garage and conduit for future wiring are fixed once the house is framed. Spend the option budget there first and leave paint, hardware and fixtures for the years after you move in.
What is finished outside the house at this price: driveway, sod, plantings, irrigation, fencing, gutters?
Why ask it
The model's yard is usually landscaped well beyond what a standard lot receives. Get the exterior written out for your lot, front and back separately, since a bare back yard with no gutters becomes your project in the first month.
Which appliances and fittings come with the house, and which will I be buying the week I move in?
Why ask it
Refrigerators, washers, dryers, blinds, towel bars, the garage door opener and window screens are left out of some base packages and included in others. A list with brand and model numbers settles it, and it lets you price the gaps before you set your option budget.
Is this exact floor plan built somewhere I can walk through, not only the model?
Why ask it
A model is often a different plan, or the same plan with a bump-out and a taller ceiling. Standing in a finished standard version shows you the real room sizes, the window count and how much daylight the base house gets.
Do you have a finished or nearly finished house in this plan, and how is it priced against building one from the start?
Why ask it
A quick move-in house has its lot, options and finishes already chosen, so you give up the selections but see exactly what you are buying and can close on an ordinary rate lock. A builder holding a completed house with no buyer may also have more room on it than on one not yet started.
Lot and community
Where exactly will the house sit on this lot, and can I see the plot plan with setbacks, the driveway and the neighboring footprints?
Why ask it
The plot plan shows which way the main rooms face, how much back yard is left once the house is placed, and whether a neighbor's wall will stand a few feet from your kitchen window. Check where the utility boxes, the street light and any shared mailbox land as well.
How does this lot drain, and are there easements, a flood zone designation or a retention area on or beside it?
Why ask it
An easement along the back can rule out a fence, a pool or a shed in the strip you were counting on. The grading plan shows where the swales run, and an insurer can tell you whether the address needs flood cover before you commit to the lot.
What is planned for the land around this lot, and how much longer will construction continue nearby?
Why ask it
The tree line behind the lot belongs to whoever holds that parcel, and future phases, retention ponds and collector roads are frequently not shown in the sales materials. The recorded plat shows what is actually approved, and the count of unsold lots tells you how long the trucks will keep coming.
Which amenities on the site map are already built, and what date is each of the others committed to in writing?
Why ask it
A pool, a clubhouse or a trail drawn on the sales map may depend on a later phase selling. Find out whether its completion is a contract promise or only a plan, and who pays to run the amenity before enough homes have closed to share the cost.
What does the HOA cost, and are there any special district or bond assessments on this lot?
Why ask it
In some states the roads, water and sewer lines of a new subdivision are paid for through a special district, under names such as community development district or municipal utility district, and its charge sits on top of HOA dues and property tax. Ask whether one applies here and for the recorded disclosure for this specific lot, because the amount can differ by phase.
Who controls the homeowners association today, and when does it pass from the builder to the owners?
Why ask it
While the builder holds the majority of votes it sets the budget, and early dues may sit below what the community costs to run once it is complete. Read the turnover trigger in the declaration and ask whether a reserve fund is being built now, since the first owner-run board inherits whatever was or was not saved.
What do the covenants restrict: fences, sheds, parking, rentals, exterior colors, solar panels?
Why ask it
The rules are recorded against the lot and bind you whether or not anyone mentioned them in the sales office. Read them with your own plans in mind: the work van in the driveway, the dog that needs a fence, the basement you meant to rent.
What will my property tax bill look like in the second year, once the finished house is assessed?
Why ask it
The first bill on a new house is often based on the land alone, and the amount rises once the finished house reaches the tax roll. When that happens and how the value is set differ by county, so ask the assessor's office what a house at your price is likely to be billed and budget for that figure.
Which internet, power, water and trash providers serve this street, and is any service not connected yet?
Why ask it
New streets sometimes open before every provider has run its lines, and having a single internet option matters if you work from home. Check the address with the providers yourself, and ask whether mail comes to the house or to a cluster box down the road.
Which schools is this address assigned to, and could that change as the area fills in?
Why ask it
Attendance boundaries are drawn by the school district, not the builder, and fast-growing areas get redrawn. Call the district with the lot's address before relying on the school name printed in the brochure.
Where is the nearest community you finished three or more years ago, so I can see how your houses have aged?
Why ask it
Drive through it on a weekend and look at the driveways, the siding joints, the grading between houses and the state of the common areas. Owners out in their yards will usually tell you how their warranty requests were handled, which no sales office can show you.
Contract and deposit
Can I take the full contract, its addenda and the community documents away for a few days before I sign or pay anything?
Why ask it
The purchase agreement is written by the builder, and the sales agent generally has no authority to change it. A few days lets a real estate attorney in your state read it, and a builder who will not allow that has told you something about the months ahead.
Which documents become part of the contract: the plans, the specification sheet, my selections, the brochure?
Why ask it
Whatever is not attached or referenced is usually not owed, and many builder contracts say the written agreement overrides anything said or shown in the sales office. If a promise matters to you, such as the tree line behind the lot or the upgraded insulation, ask for it as a signed addendum.
What does the contract let you substitute or change without my approval: materials, dimensions, the elevation?
Why ask it
A substitution clause is normal, since products get discontinued during a long build. What you want is notice in writing and a say when the change is one you can see, like a different brick, cabinet line or window layout.
What completion date is in the contract, and what does the contract say happens if the build runs late?
Why ask it
Sales staff give an estimate and the contract usually gives a much later outside date, with the delay risk sitting on you. What matters is the remedy if the date moves twice, since your rate lock, your lease and your movers all depend on it.
How much notice will I get of the closing date, and how many days do I have to close once you give it?
Why ask it
Some contracts allow the builder to call closing on short notice and charge a daily fee if you are not ready. Compare that notice period with how long your lender needs to finish the loan and how much warning your landlord or your own buyer requires.
How is my deposit held, and under what circumstances do I lose it?
Why ask it
Deposits on new construction can be substantial and are often at risk if your financing changes, if you cannot close on the builder's schedule, or if you cancel after selections. Ask whether the money sits in escrow with a third party or goes to the builder, and read the default clause before you sign.
How much of the options and upgrade money is due up front, and is any of it refundable?
Why ask it
Design center payments are frequently treated differently from the earnest deposit and may be kept if the sale falls through for any reason, on the grounds that the house has been customized. Get the amount, the due date and the refund terms for each payment on one schedule.
If you cannot finish the house, or decide not to build it, what do I get back and how quickly?
Why ask it
Read the builder's termination rights as closely as your own. Some contracts limit the buyer's remedy to a returned deposit, which does not cover a lost rate lock or a second move, so ask your attorney how much protection that gives where you live.
Will you accept a contingency on the sale of my current home, and if not, what happens if it has not sold by closing?
Why ask it
Many builders will not accept a home sale contingency, or will accept one only with a deadline and the right to sell the lot to someone else. Know before you sign whether you could carry both houses for a few months or would be giving up the deposit.
Does the contract require arbitration, and does it replace any implied warranty?
Why ask it
Builder contracts are drafted by the builder's attorneys and commonly send disputes to binding arbitration and put the limited written warranty in place of any implied one. How far that is allowed depends on the state, so have a real estate attorney there read the clause before you sign, while the terms can still be discussed.
Does the contract restrict renting or reselling the home for a period after closing?
Why ask it
Some builders add an owner-occupancy or anti-flip clause with a penalty if you sell or lease within a set period. It rarely matters until a job moves you across the country, which is the worst moment to discover it.
Financing
Do I have to use your lender and title company to get the incentive, and what is the incentive worth?
Why ask it
The incentive usually arrives as paid closing costs or a rate buydown, and it is often tied to the builder's affiliated lender and title company. Have its value put in dollars, then get one outside loan estimate for the same loan and compare the total cost, not the monthly payment.
Is the rate buydown temporary or for the life of the loan, and what will the payment be once it ends?
Why ask it
A temporary buydown lowers the payment for the first year or two and then steps up to the full note rate. Have the lender print the payment for every year, and judge the offer on the last number, not the first.
Is this an ordinary mortgage that funds at closing, or would I be taking a construction loan with draws?
Why ask it
With a production builder you typically pay a deposit and close once on the finished house, while a build on your own lot may need a construction loan that pays the builder in stages. The two differ in down payment, interest during the build and who carries the risk, so be sure which one you are being quoted.
If rates move while the house is being built, what protection do I have and what does it cost?
Why ask it
A build of many months can outlast an ordinary rate lock, and an extended lock or a float-down option usually carries a fee. Ask how long the lock runs, what an extension costs, and who pays for that extension when the delay is the builder's.
My approval will be months old by closing: when is it rechecked, and what happens to the contract if I no longer qualify?
Why ask it
Lenders generally pull credit and verify employment again shortly before closing, so a new car loan or a change of job during the build can change the answer. Find out whether the financing contingency still protects your deposit at that late stage or runs out earlier.
What happens if the appraisal comes in below the contract price?
Why ask it
Prices set today for a house finishing next year sometimes fail to appraise, and many builder contracts do not give you a way out. Look for an appraisal contingency, and if there is none, ask what your choices would be: usually covering the gap in cash, a price the builder agrees to lower, or losing the deposit.
Which closing costs are particular to buying from you: an HOA capital contribution, transfer taxes, the survey, utility connection fees?
Why ask it
Builder contracts sometimes shift costs to the buyer that a resale seller would normally pay in that area. Request an itemized estimate early and have your agent or attorney mark any line that is unusual locally.
During the build
Has the permit for my house been issued, and what still has to happen before work starts?
Why ask it
The clock in many contracts does not start until permits, loan approval and your structural selections are all complete. Knowing which of those is outstanding tells you whether the quoted move-in month is counted from today or from some later date.
What are the stages from foundation to final inspection, and how long has each taken on the last few houses in this phase?
Why ask it
Recent history on the same street is a better guide than the brochure timeline, because the same crews and the same permit office are involved. Write the stages down so that each progress update can be measured against something.
Who is the site superintendent on my house, and how will I hear about progress?
Why ask it
The superintendent schedules every trade and checks the work, so that one person matters to your house as much as the name on the entrance sign. Ask for a name, a phone number, and how often you will get an update, then notice whether those updates actually arrive.
Is there a pre-construction meeting and a pre-drywall walk with the superintendent, and what gets decided at each?
Why ask it
The first meeting is where the plans, your selections and the placement on the lot are checked against each other before anything is ordered. The pre-drywall walk is your look at the bones of the house, so bring the option sheet and confirm that every paid-for outlet, blocking and rough-in is there.
Where will the outlets, switches, light boxes, data lines and hose bibs go, and can I ask for changes before the walls close?
Why ask it
Moving a box costs little while the studs are open and a great deal once the wall is painted. Walk the framed rooms picturing your furniture, the television wall, the desk and the holiday lights, and put any request in writing as a change order.
May I visit the site during construction, and what are the rules?
Why ask it
Regular visits catch mistakes while they are still cheap to fix, and photographs of each stage become your record when something is questioned later. Builders set their own conditions, so find out which days are open, whether someone must escort you, and what safety gear the site requires.
If I see something on site that looks wrong, who do I tell, and how will I know it was dealt with?
Why ask it
Instructions given straight to a subcontractor tend to vanish, because that crew takes direction from the superintendent. An email with a photo and the room name creates a record, and a reply with a date on it is what a resolved item looks like.
May I have my own inspector at pre-drywall, at final, and before the warranty year ends?
Why ask it
Pre-drywall is the only chance to see framing, wiring, plumbing and duct connections before they disappear, and some contracts limit third party inspections. Get written permission for all three visits, since the municipal inspector checks code minimums rather than workmanship.
Which city or county inspections will the house go through, and can I see each result?
Why ask it
Permit records are public in many places and often searchable by address, so you can follow along without waiting to be told. A failed inspection that was corrected and then passed is ordinary; what you are checking is that nothing was covered up before its sign-off.
What do you do when framing or subfloor gets soaked before the roof is on?
Why ask it
Rain during framing is hard to avoid, so the useful part of the answer is how wet material is dried and checked before insulation goes in. A builder with a real process can say who takes moisture readings and when, and swollen subfloor seams are something you can look for yourself at the pre-drywall visit.
Warranty and closing
What has to be complete before you can require me to close: the certificate of occupancy, final grading, appliances, landscaping?
Why ask it
Contracts often define completion more loosely than buyers expect, sometimes as the certificate of occupancy alone. Find the definition, and ask how unfinished items are documented if you do close with some outstanding.
What is the walkthrough and punch list process, and how long may I keep adding items?
Why ask it
Drywall cracks, nail pops and sticking doors surface over the first several months as the house dries and settles, so a single walkthrough before closing is not enough. Many builders schedule a thirty day and an eleven month visit, and you want that commitment before closing rather than after.
How will I know the subcontractors and suppliers on my house have been paid before I close?
Why ask it
In many places a trade or supplier the builder has not paid can file a lien against the property, even after you own it. Your title company or attorney can say how that is handled in your state, and whether the owner's title policy you are buying covers it.
What are the warranty periods, and is the structural coverage backed by an insurer or by you?
Why ask it
A common pattern in the US is about one year on workmanship, two on systems and ten on structure, though the terms are the builder's own and state law may add to them. Read the warranty booklet itself, check who pays a structural claim if the builder is gone by then, and ask whether the coverage passes to a buyer if you sell.
What written standards decide whether something is a defect or within tolerance, and can I read them now?
Why ask it
Warranty decisions are usually made against a published set of performance standards: how wide a concrete crack must be, how far a floor may be out of level. Reading them before you sign shows what the coverage means in practice, which the brochure summary will not.
What do I have to do in the first year to keep the warranty valid: filters, caulking, drainage, humidity?
Why ask it
Limited warranties commonly exclude damage put down to missed maintenance or to changes the owner made to the grading. The homeowner manual lists the tasks, so have it in hand before closing and keep dated photos or receipts for each one.
Which manufacturer warranties come with the roof, windows, heating and cooling equipment and appliances, and who registers them?
Why ask it
These run separately from the builder's coverage and can last longer, but some shorten if the product is not registered within a set time after closing. Collect model and serial numbers at the walkthrough so registration takes one evening.
After closing, who handles warranty requests, your own staff or an outside administrator, and how do I send one in?
Why ask it
The superintendent who knows your house moves to the next phase once you have the keys. Get the name of the warranty department or company, the way requests are submitted, how fast a reply is promised, and what counts as an emergency outside office hours.
What mechanical and energy documentation will I get for my house specifically?
Why ask it
Ask for the heating and cooling load calculation, the duct design, and the blower door and duct leakage results if the local energy code calls for those tests. Together they show whether the equipment was sized for this house, and they are far easier to obtain before closing than a year after.
Contracting With a Builder Before the House Exists
Practical guidance for the conversation itself
Buying New Construction: Who Answers What
The sales agent: price, lot, options and incentives
The agent in the model home can answer the price and lot groups and can hand you the contract, the option price list and the community documents. Anything promised there that is not in those papers should come back to you as a signed addendum, because the agent's word alone is rarely something the contract recognizes.
Your lender and an attorney: financing and the contract
Take the financing group to the builder's lender and to one outside lender, and the contract group to a real estate attorney licensed in the state where the house will stand. Rules on deposits, arbitration and implied warranties differ from state to state, so that attorney's reading is the one to rely on.
The superintendent: everything once ground is broken
After the foundation is poured, the person with the answers is the site superintendent, not the sales office. Hold the build and warranty groups for the pre-construction meeting and the pre-drywall walk, when that person is standing in the house with you and can point at what you are asking about.
The Contract Stage
Have an attorney read it, not the sales agent
The on-site agent works for the builder and usually cannot change the contract. A real estate attorney will flag the arbitration clause, the warranty disclaimer, the completion date and delay remedy, the deposit default terms, the appraisal and financing contingencies, and the clause letting the builder substitute materials of equal or better quality without telling you. Ask what a contract review costs before you book it, and weigh that against the deposit you are about to put at risk.
Get the whole price on one signed page
Base price, lot premium, elevation, structural options, design center selections and any incentive should appear together on a single document you both sign. Builders present these on separate worksheets at different meetings, which makes the running total easy to lose track of and hard to argue about later.
Price the incentive against an outside lender
Ask what the incentive is worth in dollars, then get one independent loan estimate for the same loan amount. Compare total cost over the years you actually plan to stay rather than the monthly payment. Builder financing is sometimes genuinely the better deal, but you cannot know that without a competing quote in hand.
Plan around the selection cutoffs from day one
Write down every cutoff date at signing: structural, plumbing and electrical rough-in, cabinets and counters, flooring, paint. Decisions made under time pressure at the design center tend to be the ones buyers regret, and a change order after the cutoff costs both a fee and calendar time.
While the House Is Being Built
Inspect at pre-drywall, and pay for it
Once the walls close, framing, wiring, plumbing, duct connections, insulation and flashing are invisible for the life of the house. Hire your own inspector for a pre-drywall visit and give the report to the superintendent in writing. Of the inspections you can pay for on a new build, this is the one where everything found is still cheap to correct.
Photograph every stage yourself
Walk the site weekly if you are allowed and take dated photographs of the foundation, the framing, the rough-ins, the flashing at windows and roof penetrations, and the insulation before it is covered. When a warranty question arises in year three, your photographs may be the only record of what is behind the drywall.
Raise issues through the superintendent, in writing
Speaking directly to a subcontractor puts them in an awkward position and rarely produces a documented fix. Email the superintendent with a photograph and a specific description, keep the thread, and follow up on anything that goes quiet. A pattern of unanswered emails during construction is a fair preview of warranty service afterward.
Walk the lot in the rain before you close
Grading and drainage are finished last, sometimes in a hurry, and water held against a foundation is costly to put right. Look for ground sloping away from the foundation on every side, downspouts discharging well past the backfill, and no standing water near the walls. Take dated photographs so you have a record if the grade changes later.
Red Flags
- A contract that limits or forbids your own independent inspections.
- A completion date in the contract that is months later than the one you were given verbally, with no remedy for delay.
- A large deposit paid to the builder rather than into escrow, with broad default language attached.
- An incentive that requires waiving the appraisal contingency or closing on a fixed date regardless of readiness.
- A structural warranty with no clear answer on who pays a claim if the builder is no longer in business.
- Option and lot pricing that is never assembled into one signed total.
- No answer about what will be built on the land behind the lot.
- A superintendent nobody will name, or a name that changes twice during your build.
Paperwork to Collect Before Closing
- The signed contract with every option worksheet and change order attached.
- Certificate of occupancy plus the permit and inspection history for the address.
- The limited warranty document naming the carrier, the coverage periods and the claim procedure.
- Manufacturer warranties with model and serial numbers for the HVAC, water heater, roof and windows so you can register them.
- The load calculation and duct design for your house, plus blower door and duct leakage results where those tests were run.
- Survey, recorded plat and final grade certification for the lot.
- HOA documents, current budget, reserve study and any special district or bond disclosure.
- The signed punch list from your final walkthrough with target completion dates on each item.
- Whatever your title company or attorney asks for to show the trades and suppliers were paid, such as lien waivers, if that applies in your state.