By Debbie Vallone-Homeier, A Paragon Builders/Vallone Real Estate
Home Warranties are important even on a brand new home. There are 2 basic types of home warranties you can get on a new home. One is through the builder themselves, and the other through a home warranty company. Most contractors will give you a warranty on their work that follows the old TRCC (Texas Residential Construction Commission) guidelines. Some will even give you the new home warranties through a Warranty company. Most contractors will even come back if you call them within 1 year and 3 months if you need a fix on those items covered under a one year warranty. But there are some contractors that will not give you a warranty. OR better yet, will not come back one day past the year you are out of warranty. ASK, those contractors what they cover and how they handle warranties when you interview them.
There are exceptions in the appliances that might be put in. These warranties will need to be addressed with the manufacture. However, if the connections were done by a contractor, you might have some issues here to address.
Once upon a time, there was a protection by the state called TRCC (Texas Residential Construction Commission) and they had some really good guidelines to follow on a new home. However, due to some individuals complaining about fairness, the organization was dissolved. Too bad, because it did help keep some contractors honest and help protect the people. A contractor had to register their jobs. Now without the existence of this organization, everyone is own their own. You should get a written warranty from the contractor you select. Most contractors will still honor the guidelines of the rules defined by the old TRCC commission.
So what are these old guidelines? The commission adopted a set of limited warranties and building and performance standards. The adopted limited warranties included: a one-year workmanship and materials warranty; a two-year mechanical and delivery system warranty; a ten-year structural warranty; and a ten-year warranty of habitability.
Parts covered for one year include exterior concrete, framing, drywall, insulation, exterior siding, trim, Masonry, stucco, roofing, doors, windows and interior flooring.
The two-year warranty covers the delivery systems of the plumbing, electrical, heating, air-conditioning and ventilation systems. Major structural parts are covered for ten years. They include the footings, foundations, beams, columns, load-bearing walls, roof framing systems and other parts that support the home.
The ten-year warranty of habitability addresses hidden defects discovered after the expiration of a given warranty period. For example, after the two-year warranty ends, a nail hammered into a pipe later rusts away and leaks, making the house unfit or unsafe for humans to live in. Although the plumbing warranty ended, the fact that an unseen defect led to an unsafe or unfit condition within ten years of the home’s completion makes the defect subject to the warranty of habitability.
Now saying all this, you need to make sure of what your contractor is covering. Will they guarantee their work? What if the one year is up by 1-3 months? How will the contractor you select handle the warranty? Will they give you an additional warranty through a warranty company also? Be sure to get this in writing and protect your huge investment.
For ALL Your Real Estate and Building needs or questions, call Debbie at (830) 833-4249 / (713)818-6658 or debbie@vallonerealestate.net
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