Stop the water and make the home safe first, photograph everything, then call the restoration crew, your insurer and your builder the same day. Mitigation cannot wait for a warranty decision. Check your own builder's written warranty for notice rules, because Texas law sets only a statutory minimum, not a promise any builder must give.
Key takeaways
- Stopping and drying the water comes first, because delay can turn a manageable loss into a larger one. The builder, the insurer and a crew can all be called on the same day.
- Texas law (the Residential Construction Liability Act) recognises a written builder warranty of at least one year for workmanship and materials, two years for plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling delivery systems, and six years for major structural components. That is the statutory minimum a builder must offer to use a shorter suit cut-off, not a promise any given builder gives.
- Your own builder's written warranty and closing documents control what is covered and how to give notice. Read them before anyone repairs or removes the failed part.
- A builder warranty and a homeowners policy are two separate paths. Coverage under your policy is decided by your insurer, and a warranty is decided by the terms of your contract.
- Photos, moisture readings and the failed part itself are the evidence that matters, so keep the part if it can be kept and document before anything is discarded.
Who do I call first when a one-year-old home leaks?
Call whoever can stop and dry the water first, which is usually a restoration crew and a plumber, and then notify your insurer and your builder the same day. Stop the water at the main valve, photograph the loss, and keep any failed part. A warranty claim does not need to delay emergency drying.
A new-home leak usually raises a tempting question: should you wait for the builder before touching anything? In practice, water keeps spreading while you wait. The EPA advises drying water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to limit mold, a guideline rather than a deadline, and materials that stay wet long enough can grow mold even if they dry later.
So treat the emergency and the paperwork as two tracks. On the emergency track: shut off the main valve, stay away from standing water near outlets, switch off power to the area only if the panel is safely reachable, and call for extraction. On the paperwork track: photograph before anything is moved, keep the failed part, and send a written notice to the builder.
Calls to Celina Water Damage Restoration are answered 24/7, and a crew is dispatched as fast as one is available. The crew can supply moisture readings and photos that you can share with your insurer or your builder.
What does a Texas builder warranty usually cover?
Texas law recognises a written warranty with at least one year for workmanship and materials, two years for plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling delivery systems, and six years for major structural components. A builder who offers it gets a shorter six-year cut-off for suits. These are statutory minimums, not what your builder promised.
The tiers come from the Residential Construction Liability Act, which sits in Texas Property Code Chapter 27. The law does not require a builder to offer a particular warranty. It gives builders who offer one at those minimum levels a benefit in later disputes. Your own builder's written warranty is the document that matters, and the actual lengths and exclusions can differ.
For water damage, the tiers matter in this way. A failed supply line, a bad fitting at the water heater or a poorly connected fixture is a plumbing question, which sits in the two-year tier of the statutory minimum. Window and door leaks, grading and drainage problems and finish defects land in other categories, and some warranties exclude damage from homeowner maintenance or from outside conditions.
A sensible habit is to read the warranty booklet the week you close. If you are in a master-planned community like Light Farms, Craig Ranch or Trinity Falls, your HOA may also have rules about exterior work or contractors, so check those before arranging outside repairs.
| Category | Statutory minimum | Water-damage example |
|---|---|---|
| Workmanship and materials | At least 1 year | Poorly sealed penetration, trim or fixture connection |
| Plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling delivery systems | At least 2 years | Failing supply-line fitting, a bad water-heater connection |
| Major structural components | At least 6 years | Structural movement, not a pipe leak |
How do the builder, the insurer and a restoration crew differ?
The builder answers for defects in the work under the terms of its written warranty, the insurer decides coverage under your homeowners policy, and the crew removes water and dries the structure. They are three separate tracks that can run in parallel. None of them replaces the others, and none can promise the outcome of another.
People often assume one of the three will cover everything. That rarely helps. A restoration company can document and mitigate the loss, but it does not decide whether your policy pays or whether your builder owes a repair. A builder's warranty may cover a defective part but not the stained flooring and cabinets that followed, depending on its wording.
The practical answer is to open all three tracks early. Notify the insurer so the claim date is clear. Notify the builder in writing so the warranty clock is respected. Call the crew so drying starts. If one of them says that another party's decision is needed first, ask for it in writing and keep mitigating anyway.
A standard homeowners policy often covers sudden and accidental water damage, such as a burst pipe, but usually not flood or sewer and drain backup without an added endorsement, and it often excludes long-term leaks. Read your policy or ask your agent.
| Party | What it decides or does | What to give it |
|---|---|---|
| Restoration crew | Extracts water, maps hidden moisture, dries, can supply photos and readings | Access, the cause if known, your insurer's claim number |
| Insurer | Decides coverage under your own policy | Photos, a description of what happened, the crew's readings |
| Builder | Answers for defects under its written warranty | Written notice, photos, the failed part |
| Licensed plumber | Finds and repairs the pipe or fitting | Access and the water meter readings |
How should I document a leak in a new home?
Photograph and video the damage and the source before anything is moved, keep the failed part in a labelled bag, write down the date and time you found the leak, and save every message with the builder, insurer and plumber. Ask the crew for moisture readings. Good records support both a warranty request and an insurance claim.
Evidence disappears quickly in a leak. Wet drywall is cut out, flooring is hauled away and the failed fitting goes into the trash. A builder or an insurer may later want to see the cause, so keep what you can, and ask the plumber to hand you the part.
A written timeline also helps. Note when you last saw the area dry, when you found the water, what you did, who you called and when. If the loss followed a freeze, a heavy rain or an irrigation change, note that too.
If the builder wants to inspect before repairs, say so in your notice and ask for a date. Do not let drying wait for that visit. A crew can remove standing water and set equipment while keeping the affected materials for inspection.
- Photos and video of the source, the water and every wet surface
- The failed pipe, hose or fitting, bagged and labelled
- A dated timeline with the times you called each party
- Copies of your warranty booklet, closing documents and policy declarations page
- Moisture readings and photos from the crew
- Every email, text and written notice you send or receive
Does a builder warranty change how I give notice?
Yes, and the rules can be strict. Many builder warranties set how and when a defect must be reported, and Texas's Residential Construction Liability Act has its own pre-suit steps that must be followed carefully. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Read your own paperwork and ask a lawyer if you are unsure.
The simplest protective step is to send the builder a written notice the day you find the leak. Email works for a first notice if the warranty allows it, but a second copy by the method the contract names is safer. Describe what happened, attach photos and say what you have done to stop further damage.
Texas homeowners who later want to bring a construction-defect claim have to follow the Residential Construction Liability Act's pre-suit steps strictly, and a suit that skips them can be dismissed. The details are for an attorney. For a typical leak, the point is just that early written notice is better than a phone call that nobody wrote down.
Do not agree in writing to waive anything, and do not sign over insurance proceeds, until you have read what you are signing.
What about punch-list plumbing, unfinished lots and HOA rules?
In a newly built community, water problems can come from punch-list plumbing that was never closed out, drainage on young landscaping, or construction on neighbouring lots. Document where the water entered, check your HOA's rules before outside work, and tell the builder in writing. Cause matters because it decides who is responsible.
Celina is one of the fastest-growing cities in the DFW area, so active construction sits beside many finished homes. Young yards, graded lots and irrigation systems that were installed quickly mean drainage and irrigation problems are likelier than in a mature neighbourhood. That is a general pattern for new construction, not a measured statistic.
A leak in the first year may be a defect the builder should correct, or it may be damage from something outside the warranty, such as a hose left running. Cause is a question for the plumber and the builder, not for the restoration crew. Our page on new construction water damage explains how the crew handles the water while that question is settled.
Keep your HOA in mind if the repair touches the exterior. Many master-planned communities set rules about exterior work and contractors, and checking them first avoids a second problem.
What happens after the water is dry?
Once readings show materials have reached their dry goal, repairs are quoted separately from the emergency work. If the builder accepts the warranty claim, it may do or pay for part of the repair; if you claim through your insurer, the insurer decides what is covered. Keep invoices and readings from the crew for both.
The drying stage ends when moisture readings, not the calendar, say it is finished. The crew then removes equipment, and any drywall, flooring, cabinetry or paint repair is priced as a rebuild. In the Celina area, a typical rebuild estimate can differ a lot from the emergency stage, and our cost guide shows why.
Ask the builder whether it prefers to do the repair itself. Some warranties give the builder the right to fix a defect, and hiring your own contractor first could affect the claim. Ask in writing before you hire.
If mold is a worry, remember that Texas licenses mold assessors and remediators through TDLR, and the licensing threshold is 25 contiguous square feet. The mold inspection page explains the steps.
Frequently asked questions
Should I wait for the builder before the crew starts drying?
No. Water keeps spreading, and delay raises the risk of mold. Photograph the damage, keep the failed part, tell the builder in writing and let drying start. If the builder wants to inspect, ask the crew to preserve the affected materials until the visit.
How long is a Texas new-home warranty?
Texas law sets statutory minimums for a written warranty of one year for workmanship and materials, two years for plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling delivery systems, and six years for major structural components. Your builder's actual warranty may differ, so read your own contract.
Will my homeowners policy cover water damage in a new house?
A standard policy often covers sudden and accidental water damage, such as a burst pipe, but usually not flood or sewer backup without an endorsement. Coverage is decided by your insurer under your own policy, so report the loss early and ask your agent.
Can the restoration crew say who is at fault?
No. A crew documents the water and the damage and can supply photos and moisture readings. Cause and responsibility are for the plumber, the builder and the insurer to decide.
Do I have to use the builder's repair crew?
Check your warranty. Some warranties give the builder the right to make the repair, and hiring another contractor first could affect a claim. Ask the builder in writing, and keep drying the structure meanwhile.
Sources
- Texas Property Code Chapter 27 – Residential Construction Liability Act
- Texas Department of Insurance – Consumer Help
- U.S. EPA – Mold Cleanup in Your Home
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation – Mold Assessors and Remediators
This guide is general information for Collin County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.