Does a Brand-New Home Need a Home Inspection in Naples? 13 Findings on a Luxury New Build

October 14, 2026 · By Nick Brugal, Owner of Patriot Home Inspections · Florida Licensed Home Inspector, General Contractor, Roofing Contractor, Mold Assessor (MRSA3761) and Mold Remediator (MRSR3914)

Yes. A new home can have problems a buyer won't see on a walkthrough. We recently inspected a multi-million-dollar new-construction home in Naples that had never been lived in, and found 13 issues: termites, mold from leaking attic ductwork, cracked roof tiles, water hammer in the plumbing, a loose toilet, an uneven pool deck, a pool heater throwing an error code and an outdoor fireplace that wouldn't stay lit.

"New construction" describes when a house was built, not what shape it's in. This one had been finished and sitting unsold for a long stretch. For a buyer, that means time in Florida weather on the roof and gutters, time for termites to move in, and builder warranties that may have started running before you ever get the keys.

What we found on a luxury new build

1. Termites

We found termite swarmers in the track of the sliding glass doors. Swarmers are the winged termites that leave a colony to start a new one. On a house nobody has lived in, they are the finding that changes the conversation.

What to do: have a licensed pest control company evaluate and treat before closing. Then ask the builder for the termite paperwork (more on that below).

Termite swarmer found in a sliding door track on a Naples new-construction home — One swarmer, close up, in the sliding door track.

Three more in the same track. Nobody had lived here yet.

2. Mold from leaking HVAC ducts in the attic

Several HVAC ducts in the attic were leaking or had leaked, and there was mold growth on the surfaces below them. This is the kind of problem that grows quietly above a finished ceiling until it shows up as a stain, an odor or an air-quality complaint.

What to do: have a licensed HVAC contractor repair the duct leaks, then have the affected areas properly assessed and remediated. Patriot's owner holds Florida mold assessor and mold remediator licenses, which is why the attic gets more than a glance.

Attic HVAC ductwork with mold growth on the surfaces below it in a new-construction home — Leaking duct above, growth below.

Close-up of mold growth in an attic beneath leaking HVAC ductwork — Close up. This was above a finished ceiling in a house with zero occupants.

3. Cracked roof tiles and paint on the roof

Several flat concrete roof tiles were cracked through but not yet separated. Tiles were also stained with paint, left over from construction. Cracked tiles let water reach the underlayment, and in a hurricane a cracked tile is a loose tile. We see the same horizontal tile cracking on new builds across Naples, including in Valencia Sky.

What to do: have a licensed roofer replace the cracked tiles, and have the builder clean the paint.

Cracked straight across, still in place. For now.

Paint stains on concrete roof tiles left from construction — Construction paint on the tiles. Cosmetic, and the builder's to clean.

4. Water hammer at the shower

When the shower valve shut off, the pipes banged. That bang is a pressure spike traveling through the plumbing inside finished tile walls. It won't leak on day one, which is why nobody notices it until a fitting lets go behind the tile.

What to do: have a licensed plumber check the water pressure and install water hammer arrestors as needed. Florida's plumbing code calls for a pressure-reducing valve when static pressure runs above 80 psi.

Sound on. That bang is the pipe inside the wall.

5. A toilet not secured to the floor

The toilet rocked when pushed at the base. A loose toilet can break the wax seal underneath and leak where you can't see it, into the subfloor or the slab.

What to do: have a plumber secure it and reset the seal if needed.

A toilet should not do this.

6. Uneven pool-deck pavers

Pavers on the pool deck were uneven enough to be a trip hazard, and the pattern suggests possible soil settlement underneath.

What to do: have a hardscape contractor reset the pavers and evaluate the base before it gets worse.

Uneven travertine pavers on a pool deck, a trip hazard on a new Naples home — Lifted edges on a deck that is supposed to be new.

The outdoor living area: three features that didn't work

Buyers pay for the lanai and the outdoor kitchen, so we test them like the indoor kitchen.

Pool heater: it wasn't heating and showed an "ERR PS" fault code on the control panel. A licensed pool contractor should diagnose and repair it.
Outdoor gas fireplace: the burner stayed lit only while the ignition button was held down. It needs adjustment by a qualified gas appliance technician.
Summer kitchen hood: one of the lights didn't work.

Pool equipment is a paid add-on to the Patriot home inspection. We check the heater, valves, control panels, lighting and return system, not just the water.

Pool heater control panel showing an ERR PS fault code — ERR PS on a heater that has never heated a pool.

Outdoor gas fireplace that stayed lit only while the ignition button was held — Lit while the button is held; out the moment it's released.

The small stuff that adds up

On a resale home, we let cosmetic items slide. On a new build, we call them out, because the builder should fix them before you pay for the house.

Gutters clogged with leaves
Scratches, paint and sealant smears on the door frames, needing final touch-up and cleaning
An electrical outlet with no power

Sealant and paint smears at the corner of a sliding door frame on a new home — Sealant and paint at the door frame. Builder's punch list, buyer's leverage.

Gutter clogged with leaves on a new-construction home that sat unsold — A gutter full of leaves tells you how long the house sat.

Before you close on a new build, ask for these

The termite Certificate of Compliance. The Florida Building Code requires termite protection on new homes, and the licensed pest control company has to certify the treatment before the building department issues a certificate of occupancy. Ask for a copy, and ask whether a termite warranty came with it and when it started. A warranty can run from the treatment date, not from your closing.
Every warranty, with its start date. That includes the builder, the roof, windows and doors, HVAC, the pool equipment and appliances. On a home that has sat unsold, some may already be ticking or expired.
A written repair list. Give the builder the inspection report, and get the fixes done and re-checked before closing, not promised for later.
An 11-month warranty inspection if you're still inside the builder's first year. What that is and when to book it.

How we inspect a home like this

We run the systems instead of just looking at them: every valve, every outlet, the fireplace, the pool heater. We go into the attic. When a finding is hard to explain in words, like a toilet that rocks or a pipe that bangs, it goes in the report as a video.

Your report arrives the next morning before 9 a.m., written in full sentences with photos, so an out-of-town buyer can act on it without being on site.

Buying new construction in Naples? Book your new-construction inspection online or call (239) 826-5866. Houses from $450, priced by square footage. It costs a fraction of what any one of these findings would cost to fix after closing.

Questions people ask about this

Does a brand-new home need a home inspection?

Yes. New homes are built by many different trades on a schedule, and nobody checks the whole house as a system before you buy. On a luxury Naples new build that had never been lived in, Patriot Home Inspections found 13 issues, including termite swarmers in a door track and mold under leaking attic ductwork.

Can a new-construction home have termites?

Yes. Florida requires a termite pre-treatment on new construction, but treatment is not a guarantee, and a house that sits unsold has time for a colony to arrive. We found termite swarmers inside a Naples new build that nobody had lived in.

Is a home that has sat unsold still new?

It is unlived-in, but not unaged. A home that has sat for a year or two has had that long in Florida weather, and the builder, roof, appliance and termite warranties may have started at completion rather than at your closing. Ask for every warranty with its start date.

What should I ask a Florida builder before closing?

The termite Certificate of Compliance and any termite warranty; every warranty with its start date (builder, roof, windows and doors, HVAC, pool equipment, appliances); and a written list of repairs completed and re-checked before closing, not promised for later.

What does a new-construction inspection cost in Naples?

Patriot's home inspections start at $450 for houses, priced by square footage. Pool equipment is a paid add-on. On this house, any one of the 13 findings would have cost more to fix after closing than the inspection cost.