Warranties on New Homes

New homes typically come with a warranty.  When you build a new home, you expect the construction work to be of good quality.  A new home warranty helps ensure that.

What’s covered
You may be surprised that everything in the home is not covered with a new home warranty.  Most warranties for a new home cover any defects with the materials or workmanship for a period of one year.  Some new homes offer warranties that cover the plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling, ventilating, and mechanical systems for a two-year period.  This is usually known as an insured warranty.  Although the builder offers the warranty, the coverage is actually through an insurance company.  This provides more security for the new home owner.  If for some reason the builder goes out of business, the warranty is still good because the insurance company is providing the warranty.

When purchasing a new home, keep in mind that the roof and appliances are not covered by the new home warranty offered by the builder.  However, some builders do offer separate warranties on the roof, in some cases even a 30-year warranty, to make their homes more competitive.

What to do in case of problems
If something breaks or there is some problem with your new home, it is time to put the warranty to work.  Typically, the homeowner has to contact the builder in writing regarding the specific repairs that need to be made.  Some builders even have specific times to do this.  While it is common to have a 1-year review of the home to be sure everything is working, the nail pops in the walls have been repaired, etc., some builders will do this at a 30-day review, 6-month review, and a 1-year review.  Other builders will perform this at anytime throughout the first year.  Know the procedures used by your particular builder for your new home.

Before building a new home, it is wise to ask your builder questions about the home warranty available to you.  Be sure to find out how the builder expects you to contact them to have any repairs done, and don’t be afraid to use your warranty.  You have spent a lot of money building a home – use the warranty to make sure that it maintains its quality.