Blog
New Construction Home Warranties: What Homeowners Should Know
September 28, 2026
Buying a newly built home comes with the benefit of knowing your home, its systems, and its finishes are new. But even with quality construction, homes settle, materials adjust, and an occasional issue may need attention after move-in. That’s where your new construction home warranty comes in.
At BEAR Homes, homeowners receive a one-year limited warranty designed to address eligible workmanship concerns during the first year of homeownership. Other products and systems throughout the home may carry separate manufacturer warranties.
Knowing the difference between builder coverage, manufacturer coverage, and homeowner maintenance can save you time when something comes up. Here’s what BEAR Homes homeowners should know about their warranty, submitting a claim, and preparing for the end of the first year.
What Is a New Construction Home Warranty?
A new construction home warranty is coverage provided by a homebuilder for certain eligible issues that arise after closing. Unlike a third-party home warranty plan that a homeowner may purchase separately, a builder warranty on a new home relates directly to the construction of the home and the builder’s warranty terms.
At BEAR Homes, the one-year limited warranty is included with your new home. Your Homeowner Manual contains the details of the warranty, including information organized by category to help you understand your responsibilities and BEAR Homes’ warranty obligations.
Products within the home can also have warranties of their own. Appliances, equipment, and certain materials may be covered by their respective manufacturers rather than the BEAR Homes warranty.
This distinction is important. Not every issue that occurs during the first year is automatically a builder warranty item, and not every warranty ends when the builder warranty does.
What Does the BEAR Homes Warranty Cover?
BEAR Homes’ warranty addresses eligible workmanship concerns according to the terms outlined in the Homeowner Manual.
Some non-emergency items that homeowners may encounter during their first year include a loose door handle, a door that isn't shutting properly, or cabinet doors that need adjustment. Homeowners should submit these issues as they notice them rather than waiting until the end of the warranty period.
Some repairs are handled differently because they can be associated with the normal settling and adjustment of a newly constructed home. These include:
- Caulking separation or cracks
- Drywall separation and nail pops
- Cracks in wood trim
- Countertop separation from a wall or backsplash
These one-time repairs are generally addressed around the 11- to 12-month mark.
Your Homeowner Manual should always be your first reference when determining whether a specific concern falls under the one-year limited warranty.
What Isn't Covered by the BEAR Homes Warranty?
A new home warranty doesn't mean that everything in or around the home is covered.
BEAR Homes' warranty materials specifically identify several items that are not covered, including:
- Landscaping
- Concrete
- Floor squeaks
- Dings, nicks and scratches in doors, cabinets, countertops, bathtubs, or showers
Appliance issues are also handled separately through the applicable manufacturer rather than as a BEAR Homes warranty claim. Homeowners should register their appliances and retain the relevant warranty information after moving in.
Damage that occurs after closing may also be considered homeowner maintenance rather than a warrantable construction issue. For example, the homeowner materials distinguish post-closing nicks, scratches and gouges in surfaces such as countertops, cabinets, and bathtub surrounds from builder warranty work.
Understanding these distinctions early can make it much easier to determine who to contact when something needs attention.
How Long Does a New Construction Home Warranty Last?
One of the most common questions about a new build home warranty is simple: how long does it last?
For BEAR Homes homeowners, the builder's limited warranty covers the first year according to the specific terms of the Homeowner Manual.
That doesn't necessarily mean every warranty associated with your home expires after one year.
Appliances and other products installed in the home may have their own manufacturer warranties with separate terms and coverage periods. Because those warranties belong to the individual products, homeowners should keep their manuals, registration information, receipts, and other warranty documentation in an accessible place.
Your BEAR Homes warranty materials and Homeowner Manual are available within Buildertrend under Files > Documents > Warranty > BEAR Home Warranty > Homeowner Manual.
How to Submit a Warranty Claim With BEAR Homes
If you find an eligible issue during your warranty period, BEAR Homes uses Buildertrend to manage warranty requests and communication.
Submitting a claim takes just a few steps:
- Open Project Management in Buildertrend and select Warranty.
- Select New Claim.
- Enter the requested information about the issue.
- Add relevant details and attachments.
- Save your claim.
The BEAR Homes warranty instructions walk homeowners through this same Project Management > Warranty > New Claim process.
Once you've submitted the request, continue to watch the claim in Buildertrend. That's also where BEAR Homes can communicate appointment availability or let you know if a subcontractor needs to contact you regarding the repair.
For non-emergency items, submitting concerns as you find them also creates a record of the issue during your warranty period.
Emergency vs. Non-Emergency Warranty Requests
Not every warranty request requires the same response.
What Is Considered an Emergency?
Examples of true emergencies identified in BEAR Homes warranty materials include:
- Total loss of heat
- A plumbing leak that requires the home's entire water supply to be shut off
- Total loss of water
In a true emergency, homeowners should first call the appropriate emergency number provided with their home. After making that initial contact, enter the claim in Buildertrend so BEAR Homes can take over the warranty process.
Emergency contacts may be able to troubleshoot the problem over the phone or arrange an emergency appointment when necessary.
What About Non-Emergency Issues?
A sticking door, loose handle, or cabinet adjustment may be inconvenient, but these types of items generally don't require an emergency response.
Enter non-emergency concerns in Buildertrend as you discover them. Appointments for non-emergency warranty work are conducted Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., according to the warranty recap provided to homeowners.
What Happens Around the 11-Month Mark?
The first year in a newly built home gives its materials time to experience normal seasonal changes and settling. That's one reason certain repairs are addressed closer to the end of the warranty period.
Around month 11, BEAR Homes sends homeowners a reminder to submit their drywall claim along with any other outstanding warranty claims that haven't already been entered. There is not an additional walkthrough at 11 months, so homeowners should make sure any remaining concerns have been submitted.
Drywall is handled a little differently from other warranty concerns. Instead of submitting individual claims throughout the year for nail pops or drywall separation, homeowners are instructed to submit one drywall claim around the 11-month mark.
Keeping track of minor concerns throughout the year can make this process easier when that reminder arrives.
Maintaining Your New Home During the First Year
Your warranty and your home maintenance responsibilities go hand in hand.
A newly built home still needs routine maintenance from the day you move in. Staying on top of seasonal maintenance can also help you distinguish a construction concern from something that simply needs regular homeowner attention.
A few areas worth watching include:
Indoor humidity and window condensation: Wisconsin winters can create a significant temperature difference between the inside and outside of your home. Managing indoor humidity can help reduce condensation on windows. Read our guide to understanding and managing window condensation.
Heating and cooling: Follow the maintenance instructions provided for your HVAC equipment, including regular filter changes.
Appliances: Register new appliances and keep the manufacturer information that came with your home. Appliance concerns are handled through the appropriate manufacturer rather than the BEAR Homes warranty.
Your yard: Landscaping isn't included under the BEAR Homes warranty, which makes proper care especially important as a new lawn becomes established. Our Sod & Seed Lawn Care Guide covers watering and maintenance for new lawns.
Your Homeowner Manual contains additional information about maintaining different parts of your home and understanding the one-year limited warranty.
Build With Confidence With BEAR Homes
The warranty is only one part of owning a newly built home, but understanding it from the beginning makes the first year much easier to navigate.
BEAR Homes homeowners have access to their Homeowner Manual, warranty information, and the Buildertrend claim process to help keep questions and requests organized after closing. Keep your documentation handy, stay current with routine home maintenance, and submit eligible concerns as they arise.
Still searching for your new home? Explore available BEAR Homes communities and move-in-ready homes, or contact BEAR Homes to start planning your new construction home in Southeast Wisconsin.
