by Corinne Hale, New Construction Lead
What a ten-year structural warranty covers on a new Texas home
A structural warranty covers the parts of a home that hold it up: the foundation, load-bearing walls, beams, columns and roof framing. It does not cover cosmetic cracks, normal settling or items like paint and appliances, which fall under shorter workmanship and systems warranties.
Most new homes in Texas come with layered coverage. The first year usually covers workmanship, the second covers mechanical systems such as plumbing and electrical, and the structural layer runs for ten years. The details live in the warranty document, so it is worth reading before you sign.
On our homes, an outside company administers the structural layer. That means a claim does not depend on the builder still being in business, which is the main thing buyers ask about.
Read the definitions page first. Whether a crack counts as structural depends on how the document defines it, not on how it looks.
Corinne Hale, New Construction Lead
How to file a claim
- Document itPhotograph the issue with a tape measure for scale and note the date you first saw it.
- Send a written noticeUse the address in the warranty booklet; a phone call alone does not start the clock.
- Allow an inspectionAn engineer visits, measures and reports back with a decision in writing.
Common questions
Yes. Structural coverage follows the house, so a buyer inherits the remaining term.
Hairline cracks from curing are normal. Movement past the tolerance in the document is covered.
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