What is a new build warranty?
A new build warranty is effectively an insurance policy. It gives you peace of mind that your home will be insured for a certain number of years in case you encounter any problems with the property during this period.
New builds come with warranties because they are sold directly by the developer: second-hand homes cannot usually be purchased under the protection of a guarantee.
New build developers will take out these policies to protect the homeowner from having to shell out for repairs or replacements over the first few years of owning the property.
How long is a new build warranty?
New build warranties typically cover the first 10 years of occupation in your new home. You may not have full cover for ten years, however; as full cover will often expire after the first two years of home ownership, which is considered a reasonable amount of time for any problems to manifest.
The benefits of your new build warranty
A new build warranty is perfect for homeowners concerned about purchasing an ‘untested’ home. Warranties are designed to reassure you about the quality of your house, and they’ll protect you from shouldering the costs in the unlikely event that anything goes wrong.
It’s important to remember that a new build warranty is a vote of confidence in the workmanship of your home, and you can rest easily knowing that any problems will be handled by the developer for you.
What does a new build warranty typically cover?
Building defects
Within the first two years of living in your new home, the developer will accept responsibility for defects in the structure of your house. Your warranty will cover issues caused by building mistakes, such as cracks in the concrete, incorrect guttering angles, and leaky pipes. In order to utilise your guarantee, you must contact the warranty provider about these issues – hiring a third-party contractor may void your agreement.
Structural damage
Once the first two years are up, the next eight years will be secured by long-term damage cover. The provider will pay for repairs to structural damage caused by major problems such as leaky roofs, weak foundations, and hidden defects.
What does a new build warranty NOT cover?
Some issues, however, are outside of a developer’s control. It’s important to read your warranty documents thoroughly when you purchase your new home, so that you understand what you can claim for and what you’ll need to cover yourself.
Storm damage
Storm damage isn’t often covered by new build warranties. This includes missing roof tiles, broken windows, or damage from detritus. If your walls are saturated because of incorrect guttering, however, the storm probably won’t be determined as the cause: the guttering mistake will be fixed by the warranty provider.
Complications from extensions
If you make changes to your home, the warranty provider will not cover potential damage caused by the work. This includes extensions, architectural adjustments, and rewiring areas of your home. This is because the insurance was taken out on the original home, and the changes may have had a large impact on the price of the guarantee if carried out beforehand.
Normal wear and tear
All houses experience normal wear and tear. Building components all have limited lifespans and will eventually need to be repaired or replaced. The warranty will not cover issues caused by this and wear and tear-related damage is unlikely to crop up within the first 10 years of your home being built.
Lack of maintenance
When you own a home, you are responsible for its maintenance. That includes annual boiler services, gutter clearing, and keeping your pipes unclogged. If maintenance isn’t carried out regularly, deterioration may occur in your home. Because these problems are caused by a lack of maintenance rather than infrastructural issues, your new build warranty isn’t likely to cover them.
