New build house warranties
10 and 12 year structural warranty cover for new build houses - detached homes, semis, terraces and bungalows - with a certificate for every plot that your buyers' lenders and conveyancers will ask to see.
- Instant response
- Insurer quotes usually within one working day of your proposal
- UK FCA Regulated Broker
- No broker fee to pay
- Single plots to full estates
New build houses
What a new build house warranty covers
A new build house warranty protects the first buyer, and everyone who owns the house after them, against the cost of putting right defects in the structure for 10 or 12 years from completion. It stays with the property, so later owners benefit for whatever is left of the policy period.
Most policies are split into two parts:
- The builder's defects period - usually the first two years, when the builder is expected to put right defects that break the provider's technical standards, with the provider stepping in if the builder does not.
- The structural insurance period - the remaining years, covering damage caused by defects in the structure such as the foundations, load-bearing walls, floors and roof structure.
- The weather envelope - on many policies roof coverings, render, cladding, windows and doors are covered too.
Wear and tear, maintenance and finishes are usually excluded. The policy wording from the provider named in your quotation sets out exactly what is covered.
How the houses are built
Warranties for a wide range of construction methods
Providers look closely at how a house is built, and some are more comfortable with certain methods than others. Telling us early means we approach the right ones first.
Traditional masonry
Brick and block cavity walls on strip or trench fill foundations. The most familiar method for providers, with inspections at foundations, walls, roof and completion.
Timber frame
Open and closed panel timber frame is widely accepted. Providers will want the frame supplier's design and details of how the frame is protected from moisture during and after the build.
Modern methods of construction
Structural insulated panels, light gauge steel and factory-built modules. Some providers ask for evidence that the system has been independently assessed before they will quote.
Plot by plot
A certificate for every new house
When the site is registered each house is recorded as a separate plot. As each one is finished and passes the provider's final inspection, the provider issues a final certificate for that plot - so houses can be sold as they complete, without waiting for the rest of the site.
- Register the site before any work starts on the plots
- Inspections at key stages as each house goes up
- Evidence of registration for buyers' conveyancers before exchange, often an initial certificate or cover note
- A final certificate for each house at completion
Building a single house for yourself? See self-build warranties. Building a larger site? See estates and phased sites.
New build house warranty questions
Can I sell a new build house without a structural warranty?
You can, but it is much harder. Most buyers need a mortgage, and most lenders expect a new house to come with a warranty from a provider they accept, or in some cases a professional consultant's certificate. Without either, the buyers who can proceed are mainly cash buyers.
Can I sell some houses before the rest of the site is finished?
Yes. Each house is a separate plot with its own final certificate, issued once that house has passed the provider's final inspection. The rest of the site can still be under construction.
Should I choose 10 or 12 years of cover?
10 years is the most common term and meets most lenders' requirements. Some providers offer 12 years, which usually costs more. We can tell you which your buyers' lenders are likely to expect.
Are timber frame houses harder to cover?
Not usually. Timber frame is widely accepted, although providers will want the frame design and details of how it is kept dry. Newer systems may need evidence of independent assessment before a provider will quote.
Get a new build house warranty quote
Tell us how many houses you are building, where and how. We will come back with the providers likely to cover them and what they will need.
- Takes under a minute
- Instant reply by email with your reference
- Insurer quotes usually within one working day of your completed proposal
- Sites anywhere in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Free and no obligation
Already filled in a proposal form? Email it to us or send it on WhatsApp with any drawings you have and we will take it from there.
