New Build Plumbing: What the Warranty Covers and What to Check
A new house is not a house with no problems. It is a house whose problems have not surfaced yet, and there is a window to have them fixed at no cost.
September 10, 2026 · 5 min read
The North Texas region has a lot of new construction, and new builds come with warranty periods that vary by component. Those periods close, and after they do, everything is yours.
The single most useful thing you can do in year one is look properly.
Know your windows
Builder warranties typically cover different components for different periods — workmanship for a shorter window, systems for longer, structural for longest. Read your specific documents rather than assuming, because they vary.
Put the expiry dates in a calendar. Almost nobody does, and the deadline passes quietly.
What to check before the workmanship window closes
Plumbing
- Under every sink for drips at supply connections and the P-trap.
- Around every toilet base for movement or moisture.
- Water pressure at fixtures — too high is as much a problem as too low, and a failing or missing pressure regulator is a real issue in new construction.
- Whether there is an expansion tank on the water heater, and whether it is charged. Our guide covers why it matters.
- Hose bibs for drips and for whether they are frost-free.
- That every shutoff valve actually turns.
- Drain speed at every fixture — construction debris in lines is common.
HVAC
- Whether every room actually reaches temperature. New builds frequently have rooms that were never balanced.
- Whether the return air is adequate — our guide on undersized returns covers the symptoms.
- The condensate drain and float switch on an attic air handler.
- Whether the ducts in the attic are sealed and properly supported, or crushed and disconnected.
- That the thermostat is not in a bad location.
- That the outdoor unit is level and clear.
How to raise things
- In writing, always. A verbal report to a site manager is not a record.
- With photographs and dates.
- Specific about the symptom rather than the diagnosis. Describe what happens, not what you think is wrong.
- Keep copies of everything, including the responses.
- Follow up if nothing happens. The window closing is your problem, not theirs.
An independent inspection is worth it
Having someone who does not work for the builder look at the house before the workmanship window closes is money well spent. They find things a homeowner does not know to look for, and the report is documentation.
After the warranty
Once it closes, normal maintenance applies — and a new house needs it just like an old one. Flushing the water heater, servicing the HVAC and watching the condensate drain all start now, not in ten years.
If you want a second opinion on something the builder has said, call (469) 338-5533. We will tell you what we see.
Frequently asked
What should I check before my builder warranty expires?
Under every sink, around every toilet, water pressure and the regulator, the water heater expansion tank, drain speed at every fixture, and on the HVAC side whether every room reaches temperature and whether the attic ducts are sealed and supported.
Is a room that never cools a warranty item?
Usually yes. New homeowners often accept a room running several degrees warm as normal, but it is a distribution problem and exactly what a workmanship warranty covers. Raise it in writing while the window is open.
How should I report a warranty issue?
In writing, with photographs and dates, describing the symptom rather than your diagnosis. Keep copies of everything including the responses, and follow up — the window closing is your problem, not the builder's.
Is an independent inspection worth it on a new build?
Yes, before the workmanship window closes. Someone who does not work for the builder finds things a homeowner does not know to look for, and the report itself is useful documentation.