Custom Home Builder Warranty: What Should It Cover?
In this article
Washington State requires a one year base warranty on new construction, and that is the floor rather than the offer. A good builder adds a scheduled follow up for small items, a direct route for genuine emergencies, and clarity about what an extended warranty is and is not.
The short version
- One year base warranty is a legal minimum in Washington, not a selling point.
- Ask what happens at six months, and again at twelve.
- Emergencies should reach the trade directly rather than routing through the builder.
- Extended two to five year warranties are third party products you choose to buy.
- Ask who answers the phone in year two.
What does a home builder warranty cover in Washington?
Washington requires a one year base warranty on new residential construction. It covers defects in the work rather than normal wear, homeowner damage or items outside the builder’s scope. What varies between builders is everything layered on top of that minimum, which is where the real difference sits.
Anasazi honors the state base warranty in full and adds a six month follow up schedule for non emergency items.
Ask any builder to describe the structure rather than the term length. A one year warranty with no follow up process is weaker than a one year warranty with a scheduled visit built into it.
| Tier | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Base, 1 year | Required by Washington State on new construction |
| Follow up visits | Non emergency items collected and resolved on a schedule |
| Emergency response | Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, water, handled immediately |
| Extended, 2 to 5 years | Third party program, purchased separately |
How should emergencies be handled?
By calling the trade directly. At delivery, Anasazi hands over contact numbers for every subcontractor on the build, so a burst pipe or a failed breaker reaches the person who can fix it without waiting for a builder to relay a message.
"They don’t call me and then I call the trade," John Worlund says. "They have the trade’s phone number for immediate access."
John also walks homeowners through the practical knowledge at handover, including where the shut off valves are. That sounds minor until the moment it is not.
Ask any builder what the emergency path looks like on a Saturday night. The answer tells you whether the system was designed or improvised.
What happens with small items after you move in?
Anything found while they are on site gets handled during the same visit.
What is an extended warranty, exactly?
A third party product, not an extension of the builder’s own obligation. Extended two to five year programs are sold by outside companies, and a builder can arrange one for you to purchase. It is worth understanding that distinction before treating it as included.
"There’s just many different companies that sell those," John says. "The client can choose to do that or not do that."
Most Anasazi clients do not feel the need, which John attributes to the relationship rather than the paperwork. By the end of the warranty year you have known each other for two years, and a phone call handles most things.
That is a real answer and also an unverifiable one, which is why the extended program exists as an option for people who want a document instead.
Common questions about builder warranties
Is a one year warranty enough?
It is the legal minimum in Washington. What matters more is the follow up structure attached to it and whether the builder is still answering the phone in year two.
What is not covered?
Normal wear, homeowner damage, and items outside the builder’s scope such as owner supplied fixtures. Ask for the specifics in writing.
Do appliances have their own warranty?
Yes, through their manufacturers. Keep that paperwork separately from your builder warranty.
Does the warranty transfer if I sell?
Ask your builder and, if applicable, the extended warranty provider. Terms vary.
What if a warranty item is disputed?
This is where the ten page specification earns its keep, because it establishes what was agreed rather than what was assumed.
Warranty structure is easy to skim past and hard to fix later. Ask about it before you sign, not after. The first conversation with Anasazi is free, and the full build process is documented here through delivery and follow up. You can also read about John and Stephen or what a fully custom home includes.
Related: How to hire a custom home builder · Custom home builder contract: what should be included?
Written by John Worlund
CEO & Founder, Anasazi Builders
John began building at 17 and has spent more than five decades learning the trade from the ground up. He remains directly involved from the first conversation to the final walkthrough.
Washington requires a one year base warranty. What a good builder adds beyond it, how emergencies should be handled, and what an extended warranty actually is.
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Family-owned custom home builder serving the Tri-Cities, WA since 2014. Father and son. 80 years experience. 250+ homes built.
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