Who do I call first if my new home leaks?
Stop the water, then call a restoration crew to limit the damage, and notify both your builder and your insurer. Drying cannot wait, but reporting to the builder in writing early protects any warranty claim. Check your own written warranty, because each builder sets its own terms.
Restoration is the one call that cannot wait, since water keeps spreading while people decide who is responsible. The crew's photos and moisture readings can then support whatever claim you make.
The builder and insurer have separate roles. A builder deals with defects covered by its warranty. An insurer deals with covered losses under your policy. Telling both costs nothing, and you can sort out which applies afterward.
What does a Texas builder warranty usually cover?
Texas law describes a statutory minimum a builder must offer to get a shorter suit deadline: 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. Each builder's actual warranty is its own, so read yours.
This is the Residential Construction Liability Act framework, and it also sets pre-suit steps that homeowners need to follow strictly. This is not legal advice, and it does not tell you what your builder promised.
Do not assume the minimum applies to you. Look at the written warranty you were given at closing, note the dates, and ask the builder how to submit a claim.
Should I let the builder see the damage before it is dried?
Take photos and readings first, report in writing and offer a prompt inspection, but do not let water sit while you wait. Drying limits further damage, and photos, readings and any failed parts you keep are the evidence. A builder that cannot come quickly does not make wet materials safe to leave.
If a part has failed, such as a hose, fitting or valve, save it in a bag with a note about where it came from. If the pipe is in a wall, ask the plumber to photograph it before closing it back up.
A well-documented job is easier to resolve, whatever the outcome. The crew can add moisture readings by room and date.
Do HOA rules affect the cleanup?
They can. Many master-planned communities have homeowners' associations with rules for exterior work, contractors or dumpsters. Interior drying is usually private, but equipment staged outside or work visible from the street may need a call to the HOA. Check your own documents.
Communities such as Light Farms, Windsong Ranch, Craig Ranch and Trinity Falls have HOAs. We do not know what any one of them requires, so the safe step is to read your covenants or call the management office.
Repairs that change the exterior, such as a replaced window or door, may need approval before they are done.
