Buying a new construction home in Weston Lakes requires verifying more than the floor plan and finish package. First confirm whether the home is complete or still under construction, which agreement is being proposed, and exactly which plans, specifications, selections, allowances, and change orders are part of that agreement. Then connect the contract calendar to buyer-selected inspection, City permit records, applicable Architectural Control Committee records, completion evidence, title and survey review, and the warranty handoff.
This guide is for a builder-sold home on an identified lot, whether the house is finished or work remains. It does not cover buying a vacant lot, choosing a custom builder, or proving that an unbuilt design can fit a parcel.
Start by Classifying the Home, Not the Marketing Label
“New construction” can describe two materially different transactions. The Texas Real Estate Commission lists Form 23-20 for a new home whose construction has not been completed by the builder and Form 24-20 for a home whose construction has been completed by the builder and in which no one has previously lived. Both forms have an effective date of July 1, 2026.
That distinction should come from the actual condition and transaction—not a listing badge, a model-home tour, or a projected move-in date. Form 24-20 states that it is not for closings before completion. Form 23-20 is built around unfinished work, construction documents, selections, allowances, change orders, and substantial completion.
Before signing, ask your agent to identify the proposed promulgated form and transaction documents. Ask a Texas attorney to interpret seller-drafted or attorney-drafted language, remedies, warranties, disputes, or other legal effects. Confirm:
- The proposed promulgated contract form and the property’s current construction stage.
- The legal seller and the builder or contractor responsible for remaining work.
- The exact lot, block, addition, address, and improvements being conveyed.
- Every exhibit, addendum, construction document, disclosure, and separate warranty referenced by the agreement.
- Any seller-drafted or attorney-drafted agreement that replaces or changes a promulgated form.
For an Incomplete Home, the Construction Documents Are Part of the Product
Under TREC Form 23-20, “Construction Documents” include the plans and specifications, finish-out schedules, change orders, and allowances related to them. The form says those documents are signed by the parties and incorporated into the contract by reference. That makes document control central to the purchase.
Use a simple trace test: take every feature that influenced your decision and locate the signed document that describes it. Trace the elevation, room layout, ceiling details, cabinetry, counters, flooring, appliances, plumbing fixtures, lighting, hardware, exterior materials, landscaping, drainage features, and any other negotiated item. A model home, rendering, sample board, sales email, or verbal statement should not be treated as the final specification unless the governing documents make it part of the deal.
Then reconcile the money and decision process. Form 23-20 addresses buyer selections, allowances, written change orders, cost increases, and unused allowances. For the particular agreement, establish:
- Which selections remain open, who gives notice, and when a selection becomes final.
- What each allowance covers, what is excluded, and how an overage or unused amount is handled.
- Who may authorize a change, the required writing, the price effect, and any effect on completion.
- Whether substitutions are permitted and what written standard applies.
- Which version of each plan, schedule, and change order is current.
Keep a dated copy of the fully signed document set. If the builder portal, sales worksheet, and contract exhibit do not match, resolve the conflict in writing before assuming which one prevails.
Separate City Records From ACC Records
Weston Lakes has two local approval tracks that answer different questions. The City says structures and buildings within the city require a Development Permit/Flood Plain Permit supported by a site plan and a survey plat showing placement. It also says that construction in or near a flood zone may require a pre-construction elevation certificate and, when that elevation-certificate process applies, a post-construction elevation certificate after completion.
For a structure within the gated community, the City also identifies an Architectural Control Committee authority to proceed. The City states that its permit is issued before the ACC authority to proceed and that construction may not begin until the City permit is issued.
For the home you are considering, request the records tied to the exact address, lot, and approved plan. Do not treat a City permit as proof of ACC approval, or an ACC record as a substitute for the City file. Neither should be described as a buyer’s inspection or a warranty of workmanship.
The POA’s public page provides new-construction standards and forms, but a buyer should request the current governing documents and the complete property file rather than relying on an undated download or a rule remembered from another lot. Ask whether approved plans, revisions, exterior selections, drainage materials, variances, and final correspondence match what was actually built.
For the separate address-specific investigations, use our guides to survey and easement checks, flood-risk review, and utility-provider verification. Those questions still matter for a new home, but repeating them here would blur the new-construction decision.
Protect the Buyer-Selected Inspection
New does not mean independently inspected. Both current TREC new-home forms say the buyer may have the property inspected by inspectors selected by the buyer and licensed by TREC or otherwise permitted by law to make the inspection. TREC’s inspector standards apply to a one-to-four-family property once it is substantially complete and describe the standard inspection as a limited visual survey and basic performance evaluation—not a comprehensive engineering or destructive investigation.
Coordinate access and timing before the contract leaves little room to act on findings. For an incomplete home, ask what access is permitted during construction and which specialists, if any, may evaluate work before finishes conceal it. Those rights and logistics depend on the agreement and site rules; do not assume a phased inspection is automatically available.
Near completion, distinguish three events:
- A builder orientation explains the home and may generate a punch list.
- A buyer-selected inspection evaluates visible and accessible systems for the buyer.
- Any governmental, lender, City, or ACC record addresses its own defined purpose.
One does not replace the others. Our Weston Lakes home inspection checklist explains how to match the general inspection with property-specific specialist scopes without duplicating them here.
Compare Weston Lakes Homes Address by Address
Use the same document-and-condition questions for every candidate, whether the home is finished or still under construction.
Compare Weston Lakes Homes Address by Address
Follow the Evidence From Contract to Handoff
Build the review around the signed agreement rather than a generic construction calendar.
At contract: freeze the agreement
Confirm the form, effective date, earnest and option delivery instructions, financing documents, title and survey path, association addendum, closing date, notices, and every attached exhibit. If the house is incomplete, confirm the stated completion framework and any outside date in the actual agreement. If the house is complete, identify any specific repair or treatment written into the agreement rather than relying on a general statement that the builder will “take care of it.”
For the broader offer mechanics, read How to Make an Offer on a Weston Lakes Home, while remembering that its resale framework does not replace the new-home form analysis here.
While work continues: control the revisions and property file
Freeze the signed plans, specifications, finish schedules, allowances, selection records, and change orders in one version-controlled file. Reconcile the total price effect and identify unresolved decisions. Photograph installed items during authorized visits, but use the contract documents—not a photo alone—to establish what was promised. Match the title commitment, survey, restrictions, POA information, City permit file, ACC records, applicable flood and elevation documents, and utility evidence to the same legal property. Review association and club information separately; our Weston Lakes ownership-cost guide shows how to avoid one unverified fee assumption.
When the seller says the home is complete
For an incomplete home, Form 23-20 ties substantial completion to the Construction Documents and final inspection and approval by applicable governmental authorities and any lender. Identify what approvals actually apply to this address; do not invent a certificate or City inspection that Weston Lakes does not issue.
Before closing, compare the finished home with the signed document set, complete the buyer-selected inspection, document remaining items precisely, and determine how the executed agreement treats unfinished or corrected work. A verbal punch-list promise should not be allowed to float outside the contract and closing file.
At closing and possession: receive the operating file
Build a handoff package before possession. Depending on the home and agreement, it may include the separate builder warranty, assignable manufacturer warranties, operating manuals, model and serial information, service contacts, final selection and change-order ledger, approved plans, survey, title documents, permits, elevation records when applicable, inspection reports, repair documentation, keys, remotes, and smart-device credentials.
Read warranty documents for the covered components, exclusions, start dates, claim method, administrator, maintenance requirements, and transfer terms. TREC’s new-home forms state that the seller assigns assignable manufacturer warranties at closing, while other express warranty rights may come from the contract, a separate writing, or law.
Know What the Completed-Home Form Changes
When construction is complete and no one has previously lived in the home, Form 24-20 changes the focus. Instead of controlling future selections and change orders, the buyer evaluates the home that exists. The form addresses buyer access and inspection, acceptance of present condition, specifically written repairs or treatments, completion documentation for agreed work, and assignment of assignable manufacturer warranties.
That is why “we can put it on the punch list later” is not a complete contract strategy. If a visible condition matters to the purchase, identify it, investigate it, and ask your agent to identify how it is documented in the transaction file. Ask a Texas attorney to interpret any legal effect or remedy before the relevant deadline. Also verify that utilities will be available for the inspection and that agreed work can be rechecked before closing when appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Texas form applies to a new home in Weston Lakes?
TREC identifies Form 23-20 for a builder-sold new home with incomplete construction and Form 24-20 for completed construction where no one has previously lived in the home. The property’s actual stage and transaction determine the appropriate agreement. Ask your agent to identify the proposed promulgated form and the property’s stage. Have a Texas attorney interpret any seller-drafted or attorney-drafted contract or changes to a promulgated form.
Can I use my own inspector on a new-construction home?
Both current TREC new-home forms provide for inspections by inspectors selected by the buyer, subject to the agreement’s access and timing. A standard TREC inspection applies once the home is substantially complete. Confirm appointments and any specialist or construction-phase access early; do not assume every type of inspection is included or permitted.
Does a City permit mean the ACC approved the house?
No. The City describes its Development Permit/Flood Plain Permit and the gated community’s ACC authority to proceed as separate steps. It says the City permit is issued first. Request both records when applicable and match them to the exact lot and plan.
Are the model home and sales brochure part of my purchase?
Not automatically. For an incomplete home, trace each important feature to the signed plans, specifications, finish schedules, allowances, selections, and change orders incorporated into the agreement. Resolve inconsistencies in writing before relying on a display, rendering, or verbal description.
What should I do if work is unfinished at the final walkthrough?
Document each item specifically, compare it with the signed construction documents and inspection findings, and review the agreement’s written completion, closing, default, and amendment provisions. Ask your agent to identify the applicable dates and documents, and consult a Texas attorney about legal effects or remedies. Do not assume that closing, delaying, withholding funds, or accepting a separate promise has the same consequence in every contract.
Do survey, flood, and utility checks still matter for a brand-new home?
Yes. New construction does not eliminate title exceptions, easements, drainage or elevation questions, property-specific flood evidence, or utility-service details. Use the linked Weston Lakes guides to investigate those subjects without treating the builder’s construction file as the only source.
What warranty records should I receive?
Request the exact builder warranty and all applicable manufacturer warranties, then record coverage, exclusions, effective dates, claims procedures, maintenance duties, administrators, and transfer terms. Keep those documents with final plans, permits, inspection records, manuals, receipts, and contact information.
Does “new” guarantee a defect-free home?
No. A new-home label, permit, ACC record, builder orientation, inspection, and warranty each serve different purposes. None should be represented as a universal guarantee of condition. Use the contract, buyer-selected inspection, supporting records, and qualified legal or technical advice to evaluate the specific home.
Compare the Complete File, Not Just the Finish Package
The best new-construction comparison is address-specific: the right agreement, a signed and consistent construction file, buyer-selected inspection, matched City and ACC records, a documented completion path, and a usable warranty handoff. We can help organize those questions while you compare Weston Lakes properties.
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Leigh Martin | Martin Collum Real Estate | 713.835.9839 | Texas License #592064
This article provides general real estate information, not legal, contract, construction, architectural, engineering, surveying, inspection, floodplain, environmental, title, lending, insurance, tax, utility, warranty, or code-compliance advice. Forms, rights, deadlines, approvals, property facts, and warranty terms depend on the specific transaction and executed documents. Work with your Texas real estate agent and the appropriate attorney, inspector, engineer, surveyor, architect, lender, title company, insurer, City or association representative, or other qualified professional.
