The Walkthrough Checklist: 21 Things to Inspect at Your New Home's Final Walk Before Closing Day

There is a moment in every new-home build that families remember long after they have unpacked the last box: the final walkthrough. The drywall dust is gone, the floors are clean, the lights are on, and for the first time the house stops being a project and starts being yours. It is exciting — and it is also the single best hour you will ever spend protecting your investment.

At Douglas Brooke Homes, we build in Cape Coral and across Southwest Florida on a simple promise: a smooth, well-managed build, on schedule and on budget, every time. Part of keeping that promise is walking the home with you before closing day and writing down anything that needs attention. Below is the checklist we recommend you bring with you — 21 things worth putting your hands on before you sign.

First, know what the final walkthrough is for

The final walk is not a home inspection, and it is not the moment to renegotiate your floor plan. Your new home has already passed municipal inspections and our own quality checks. The walkthrough exists to catch the small, cosmetic, and functional items that only show up once a house is finished and cleaned — a sticky door latch, a nicked baseboard, an outlet that was never energized.

Anything you find goes on a punch list. That list gets addressed under your builder warranty, and knowing what your warranty actually covers before you walk is the difference between a productive hour and a stressful one. Take your time. Bring your phone for photos, a phone charger to test outlets, and someone who will notice the things you are too excited to see.

Outside the home (1–6)

1. Roof, soffits, and fascia. From the ground, look for straight lines, consistent shingle or tile coverage, and clean soffit vents. Confirm the gutters and downspouts are secured and pointed away from the foundation.
2. Exterior finish and paint. Walk the full perimeter. Look for even stucco texture, consistent color, and clean caulk lines where trim meets wall — Florida sun and rain will find any gap you skip today.
3. Driveway, walkways, and lanai. Check the concrete for clean edges and proper slope. Water should run away from the slab, not toward it.
4. Grading, drainage, and irrigation. Confirm the lot is graded away from the home. Run the irrigation zones and watch where the heads spray — you want the lawn, not the exterior walls or windows.
5. Landscaping and sod. Sod should be laid tight with no large gaps, and any included plantings should be in place and healthy.
6. Exterior doors, garage door, and impact windows. Open, close, and lock every one. The garage door should travel smoothly, reverse on the safety sensor, and the keypad and remotes should work. On impact-rated glass, check for intact labels and clean, undamaged frames.

Systems you should actually run (7–12)

This is the section most buyers rush. Don't. In Southwest Florida, your air conditioning and your electrical are not luxuries — they are daily-use systems from May through October.

7. The HVAC system. Turn it on and let it run. Then walk to every single supply vent in the house and feel for air. A vent with no airflow is far easier to fix before you move furniture on top of it.
8. Thermostat and air handler. Confirm the thermostat responds, the filter is installed and accessible, and the condensate line is properly routed with no standing water around the unit.
9. Water heater. Locate it, confirm it is producing hot water, and note the model and serial number for your records.
10. Electrical panel. Open it. Every breaker should be clearly and correctly labeled — this is one of the most common punch-list items and one of the most useful things to get right.
11. Every outlet and switch. Bring a charger or a small nightlight and test them one at a time. Push the test-and-reset button on every GFCI in the kitchen, baths, garage, and lanai.
12. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Confirm each one is installed, powered, and chirping when tested.

Room by room: finishes and fixtures (13–17)

13. Floors. Walk slowly across every room in good light. Look for chips, scratches, lippage between tiles, and any spot that sounds hollow underfoot.
14. Walls and ceilings. Check for even paint coverage, clean corners, and no drywall seams telegraphing through. Look at walls from an angle, not straight on — that is where imperfections show.
15. Interior doors and hardware. Every door should swing freely, latch cleanly, and stay where you put it. Test every knob, lock, and closet slider.
16. Windows and screens. Open, close, and lock each window. Confirm screens are installed and free of tears, and that all manufacturer stickers have been removed cleanly.
17. Trim, baseboards, and caulk. Look at the joints. Miters should be tight, caulk lines clean, and nail holes filled and painted.

Kitchen, baths, laundry, and storage (18–21)

18. Every appliance. Run them. Turn on each burner, start the dishwasher, run the microwave, open the oven, check the refrigerator's ice and water line for leaks. Collect the manuals and warranty cards while you are there.
19. Cabinets and countertops. Open and close every door and drawer, check that soft-close hardware works, and run your hand along counter edges and seams for chips or rough spots.
20. Plumbing, top to bottom. Run every faucet hot and cold, fill and drain every sink and tub, flush every toilet, and run each shower while you look underneath the cabinets for drips. Confirm you know where the main water shutoff is.
21. Garage, attic access, and utility areas. Check the garage floor and walls, confirm attic access is properly framed and insulated around, and verify the washer and dryer connections are in place and dry.

Before you leave the house

Take five more minutes for the handoff itself. Collect every key, garage remote, gate fob, and access code. Gather your appliance manuals and warranty documentation in one folder. Confirm your punch list is written down, that both you and your builder representative have a copy, and that you understand the timeline for each item.

Then take a photo of the empty rooms. In a few weeks, when the furniture is in and the kids have claimed their bedrooms, you will be glad you did.

Building with a team that welcomes the checklist

A good builder does not flinch when you show up with a list. We would rather you find the sticky door in July than live with it until December. That is why every Douglas Brooke home is backed by our standard builder warranty and a licensed, insured team that stays reachable after closing day — whether you are a family moving into your first Florida home or an investor adding another single-family rental to your portfolio.

If you are early in the process and still choosing a plan, take a look at our six floor plans or our available listings. If you want to know exactly what is covered once the keys are in your hand, read through our warranty coverage. And when you are ready to talk through your build, contact our team or call us at 239-224-0371 — we would love to walk you through it.