Yes. Your own inspector is some of the best money you will spend in the whole transaction. Builders run their own inspections and the city signs off on code, but every one of those checks serves the builder's timeline. Crews are moving fast to finish and hand off homes, and things get missed. An independent home inspector works for you. Two points in the build are worth inspecting: - A pre-drywall walk, while framing, wiring, and plumbing are still exposed. - A final inspection once the home is finished and you are under contract, which catches the electrical, plumbing, and finish issues that are easy to bury once the walls close up. Timing matters because of leverage. Builder contracts are written heavily in the builder's favor, and the incentive is to close on schedule. If your inspector flags a defect before closing, you can push to have it fixed as a condition of closing. Wait until after you own the home and the same repair becomes a warranty claim that can drag on for weeks or months. Whether you can delay a closing to resolve items depends on cooperation from all sides, but having your own agent advocating for you helps. One thing you generally do not need is a structural engineer during the build itself, since the engineering is already governed by the approved plans and city code. A qualified independent inspector covers what actually protects you, and a few hundred dollars up front beats chasing repairs after you have moved in.