Move back in and conduct the warranty walk

Move-back logistics

Most owners do the reverse of the move-out: contents come back from storage, the family settles in, mail forwarding ends.

Two specifics for after a major remodel:

• Air out the house. New construction off-gasses for weeks (paint, sealants, finishes). Run the bath fans and open windows for 2–4 weeks before sleeping with HVAC closed.
• Check every room slowly. Run every faucet. Test every switch. Open every window. Run the dryer for a full cycle. Most warranty items surface in the first 30 days of normal use.

The warranty walk

Typically scheduled at 30 days and again at 11 months post-final. The 30-day walk catches the obvious things; the 11-month walk catches seasonal items that only show up after the house has been through a Seattle winter.

What to look for:

• Drywall cracks at corners and joints — common from initial wood movement, fixable.
• Paint touch-ups at trim/wall transitions.
• Door alignment — interior doors that don't close cleanly after the framing has settled.
• Cabinet alignment — door reveals that drift over the first season.
• Caulk separation at exterior trim and around tubs.
• Mechanical issues — uneven heating, an HVAC zone that isn't reaching set point, a bath fan quieter than expected.

What a workmanship warranty covers

A typical Seattle GC contract covers one year of workmanship. Some specific systems carry longer warranties (roofing 10–25 years, windows 10–20 years, manufacturer warranties on appliances and HVAC).

What's not warranty (it's just settling)

Some things look like defects but are actually normal:

• A few hairline drywall cracks at corners after the first heating season.
• Floors that creak slightly in cold weather.
• Doors that swell and stick in February. (Or shrink and rattle in August.)

A good GC will explain which is which.

When this is done

When the 30-day punch list is complete. The 11-month walk is its own future event; calendar it now.