When you’re looking to build a home, as a rental or to live in, you will get a builder’s warranty. This warranty gives you some protection against specific issues. It’s important to understand your warranty when you build a home.
You might not think anything will go wrong with a newly built home. However, things can still go wrong. With your builder’s warranty, you can get things repaired or even replaced, in some cases. Let’s look at what a builder’s warranty will commonly cover.
Long-term and Short-term Warranties
You will likely have two types of warranties when you build a new home. The builder’s warranty will include a long-term (10 years is common) warranty and a short-term (one or two years) warranty. The short-term will likely cover things, such as drywall or stucco, while the long-term will cover things more like the foundation and structure of the home.
Other Warranties
While you will likely get the two warranties above, you will also likely have a one-year warranty that will cover everything in your home outside of cosmetic things. It’s also common to get separate warranties for the appliances and even a warranty for the electrical, plumbing, and HVAC system, which will likely range from two to five years.
Along with these warranties, you will likely have separate manufacturers’ warranties for things, such as the shingles or windows. These warranties will cover the failure of these products.
A Punch List of Repairs Will Be Covered
You will likely create what is called a punch list during the process of building a home. This list is done after closing, but before the one-year warranty expires. It will allow you to go through the house with the builder and have anything that has failed fixed.
Some builders will do this list twice. It might be done 30 days after closing, and then again at 11 months before the one-year warranty expired.
A List of Common Things Covered by Your Builders Warranty
The builder’s warranty will likely cover many different things. Some things might be covered for a longer amount of time than others. Your warranty will commonly cover all of the following:
- Insulation
- Glass
- Concrete floors and foundations
- Landscaping
- Shingles
- Dry basement
- Thermal and moisture cover
- Carpentry
- Garage doors
- Doors and Windows
- Siding
- Roofing
- Waterproofing
- Electrical
- Plumbing
- Septic System
- Paint
- Heating and Cooling
You will likely gain covered for these, but the builder’s warranty will likely not cover the following:
- Shrinkage or expansion of your home
- Weather-related damage
- Normal fading of the paint
- Appliances
- Insect damage
Any damage caused by the homeowner trying to take on repairs themselves
While these will likely not be covered, you may have a separate manufacturers’ warranty for the appliances.
When you’re building a house, it’s important to understand the warranties you will get with the home. The builder’s warranty will cover many things, but you will likely have several different warranties. Make sure you know what’s covered and the timeframe of the warranty.