When you build a custom home with RKM Homes on your lot in the Denver area, the one-year walkthrough warranty inspection is a formal opportunity to catch defects that show up after the house has been lived in through seasonal changes. Typically scheduled around the 11–12 month mark after closing, this inspection is a systematic review of workmanship, installed systems, and the building envelope to identify items covered under the builder’s one-year warranty. Because Denver’s freeze-thaw cycles, snow loads, and intense sun can reveal issues in seals, flashing, roofing, and exterior finishes, this inspection is especially important for site-specific concerns like grading, drainage, and foundation settlement on your property.
During the walkthrough you’ll accompany an RKM project manager or warranty coordinator who follows a detailed checklist: interior finishes (paint, flooring, cabinetry, trim), mechanical systems (HVAC operation and thermostats), plumbing (fixtures, drains, leaks, water pressure), electrical (outlets, lighting, panel), appliances, windows and doors (seals, hardware, weatherstripping), roofing and gutters, exterior cladding and flashing, and site elements such as hardscapes and drainage patterns. The team documents each item with notes and photos, distinguishes safety-critical or weather-dependent items that require immediate attention, and demonstrates system operation (furnace, hot water, humidifier, sump pump) so you understand normal performance and maintenance requirements. Bring your warranty packet, product manuals, and any previously noted punch-list items so they can be cross-checked.
The one-year warranty generally covers defects in workmanship and materials but not normal wear and tear, homeowner alterations, or damage from acts of nature; exclusions and specific timelines are detailed in your warranty documents. After the walkthrough, RKM will categorize and prioritize repairs, communicate expected completion windows (commonly within 30–90 days depending on urgency and parts), and schedule service visits. To get the most from the inspection, be present, point out intermittent or seasonal issues you’ve observed, provide access to attics/crawlspaces and mechanical closets, and keep a written record of agreed repair plans so follow-up and scheduling are clear.
What does my one-year walkthrough warranty cover and what is excluded?
A one-year warranty on a custom home typically covers defects in workmanship and materials that result from the construction process — for example persistent roof leaks caused by improper flashing, plumbing leaks at joints installed during construction, electrical systems that fail to meet basic safety or function, and components that fail to operate as intended (doors/windows that won’t latch, HVAC that won’t heat or cool). As the builder, we generally define “covered” items in the warranty document as construction-related failures that become apparent within the first year and are not caused by misuse or lack of maintenance. Be aware that many specific components — appliances, tile, glass, and mechanical equipment — also carry separate manufacturer warranties; those cover factory defects rather than installation workmanship.
Common exclusions are items the industry treats as normal settling, wear, or homeowner responsibility. Examples you can expect to be excluded: very small drywall hairline cracks or shrinkage (typically under about 1/8″ wide), minor paint touch-ups from normal settling or surface abrasion, cosmetic scuffs and scratches from moving in, or failures caused by improper homeowner maintenance (for instance, clogged gutters, not changing HVAC filters on schedule, or running an HVAC system without the recommended humidity control for engineered flooring). Other exclusions usually include damage from landscaping changes or soil movement after close, alterations or repairs done by others, insect or animal intrusion not related to construction defects, and damage from storms or other “acts of God.”
Practical steps that protect your coverage relate directly to those exclusions: read the warranty document line-by-line and ask your builder to point out the owner-maintenance items and any dimensional thresholds for “normal” cracks or blemishes; follow maintenance items the builder lists (for example, change HVAC filters every 1–3 months, clean gutters seasonally, and maintain indoor humidity for wood floors—often 30–50%); and keep manufacturer manuals for appliances and mechanical equipment so you know which party handles a defect. If something looks borderline — a widening crack, a door that’s sticking intermittently — ask the builder to clarify whether it falls under workmanship or normal settling so you know how it will be handled before it becomes a dispute.
When should I schedule my one‑year walkthrough warranty inspection and who needs to be there?
As an experienced custom home builder I recommend scheduling the walkthrough for a date within a few weeks before or after the one‑year anniversary of your closing—aim for 11 to 13 months after move‑in so issues that appear with the first seasonal cycle are visible. Book the appointment 2–4 weeks in advance, earlier if your home is large or during peak construction season. Choose a daylight slot on a dry day so exterior siding, roof, landscaping, and grading can be properly evaluated; plan for roughly 60–90 minutes for a typical custom home and 2–3 hours for larger footprints or homes with complicated systems.
Prepare to make the inspection efficient and useful: compile a prioritized, room‑by‑room list of concerns with clear labels (e.g., “Kitchen — cabinet hinge bottom drawer sticks”), attach or take photos with timestamps, and email that list to the builder 48 hours before the walkthrough. Bring any original punch lists or closeout documents, appliance model numbers and manuals, and note prior repairs or service visits that might affect the warranty. Make sure utilities are on, HVAC is set to occupied/auto, exterior irrigation or gutters are accessible, and attic/crawlspace access panels are unlocked so nothing is missed; having a charged smartphone for photos and voice notes is extremely helpful.
Participants usually include the homeowner, the builder’s warranty representative or project manager, and sometimes the original superintendent or subcontractors for specialty systems (HVAC, plumbing, roofing, or cabinetry) when pre‑arranged. The homeowner’s presence is important to point out subjective items (noise, drafts, operating feel) and to agree on scope where practical; if you can’t attend, designate an authorized representative in writing and provide your prioritized list. Some builders will accommodate a live virtual walkthrough if attendance is impossible, but an in‑person inspection is best for assessing finishes, seals, and mechanical operation.
What should be on my one-year walkthrough inspection checklist and which defects do custom homes most commonly have?
From our experience as custom home builders, the most useful checklist divides the house into zones and systems so you don’t miss anything: exterior (roof, flashing, gutters, siding, windows, doors, grading), interior finishes (walls, trim, paint, doors, floors, tile, countertops, caulking), wet areas (bathrooms, kitchen, laundry, water heater, sump), and mechanical/electrical (HVAC operation, plumbing fixtures, drains, outlets, GFCIs, appliances). During the walkthrough, physically operate everything — open and close every door and window, run each faucet and shower for a minute to check pressure and leaks, flush every toilet, turn on heat and air conditioning, test exhaust fans, run each appliance through a normal cycle, and trip reset buttons on GFCI outlets. For roofs and attics, we recommend checking attic ventilation and insulation levels and looking for staining around penetrations; for basements or garages, scan for new signs of moisture, efflorescence, or cracking.
The defects we see most often at the one‑year mark are usually from normal settling or small finishing issues rather than structural failure. Expect to find hairline drywall cracks or nail pops along seams, paint touch-ups needed at high-traffic areas, minor door or window alignment and latch adjustments, grout hairline cracks or loose tile edges, scuffs or small dents in wood floors and baseboards, and caulking shrinkage at tubs and counters. System-related items commonly reported include minor plumbing drips at supply fittings, slow bathroom drains from hair buildup, HVAC balancing or thermostat calibration issues, noisy or slow garage door operation, and gutter separations or downspout misalignment that affect drainage.
To make the walkthrough efficient and productive, do it room-by-room with a short checklist and mark each item with a simple priority: safety/function (leaks, electrical hazards), performance (HVAC, plumbing flow, appliance operation), then cosmetic/finish items. When you find a defect, note its exact location, what you did to reproduce it (e.g., “ran cold faucet on kitchen sink for one minute — slight leak under cabinet at hot-supply coupling”), and whether it’s intermittent. We also advise asking the builder on the spot whether an issue is likely settling-related and seasonal (and therefore expected to change), and to get clear next steps for repair scheduling and access so fixes aren’t delayed.
How do I submit a one-year warranty claim and what paperwork do I need to keep?
From my experience as a custom-home builder, the first step is always written notification: email to the warranty contact or the online portal we provide, with the subject line that includes your address and job number. In that initial message state the date you discovered the issue, a concise description (room, system, symptom), and your preferred contact times. Follow up with a printed letter or certified mail if you don’t get an acknowledgement within 5–7 business days — having a dated delivery receipt eliminates ambiguity about timeliness.
When you document the defect, be specific and methodical: take wide photos to show context, then close-ups of the problem, and a short video that pans from the room entry to the exact issue so we can see location and scale. Include supporting documents such as your purchase/closing statement, the original build contract or scope of work page, the final punch list from closing (if any), appliance/fixture serial numbers and manuals, and any municipal inspection or permit numbers relevant to the work. If you attempted a temporary fix or obtained a contractor estimate, include receipts and dated repair notes — we need to see what was done and when to determine responsibility.
Keep your records organized and redundant: store everything in a single folder on your computer and in a cloud backup (filename format like YYYYMMDD_Address_issue.jpg) and keep a printed copy in your home files. Maintain a simple communication log for phone calls (date, time, person, summary) and save all emails; this chronological trail speeds diagnosis and prevents disputes over when issues were reported. Well-organized documentation shortens the time to schedule repairs, helps us prioritize legitimate safety or weather-related concerns, and protects your rights if there is ever a disagreement about coverage or timing.
What are my builder’s repair obligations and timelines during the one‑year walkthrough warranty, and how do I resolve disputes?
As the builder, our obligation during the one‑year warranty is to correct defects in materials and workmanship that fall under the warranty terms — not to cover routine wear or homeowner modifications. Safety and code‑related items are treated as highest priority and will be addressed immediately or with a temporary fix until a permanent repair can be scheduled. For every agreed repair we will provide a written scope (what will be done), the proposed timeline, and the trades who will perform the work so you know what to expect and can plan access to the home.
Typical, practical timelines you can expect from a reputable custom builder are: an acknowledgment of your repair request within 3–7 business days, scheduling of non‑emergency items within 14–30 days, and completion of straightforward repairs within that scheduled window. More complex issues that require structural work, engineering, permits, or seasonal conditions (exterior painting, landscape repairs) can reasonably take 30–90 days to complete; if that’s the case we’ll explain the reason and interim protections. Always ask for a written confirmation of the schedule and whether repaired items carry a short follow‑up warranty (many builders guarantee the repair work itself for a limited period after completion).
If you believe a repair isn’t completed properly or the builder misses agreed timelines, start by escalating to the builder’s warranty or production manager and request a clear corrective plan in writing. If direct escalation doesn’t resolve it, follow the dispute process in your contract — most custom‑home contracts outline mediation or arbitration as the next step; you can also request a neutral third‑party inspection to document unresolved issues. For code or safety violations your local building department can inspect; pursuing small claims or legal action is a last resort after written notices, documented attempts to resolve, and the contract’s dispute process have been exhausted.