What Does a New Construction Home Warranty Cover? Rivendale Homes Warranty Explained

TL;DR

• What it is: A new-home warranty sets measurable performance standards, coverage periods, and responsibilities for both the homeowner and the builder.

• Rivendale's coverage: Rivendale Homes, an Austin custom homebuilder, provides a 1-2-10 warranty: 1 year on workmanship and materials, 2 years on plumbing, electrical, and HVAC delivery systems, and 10 years of insurance-backed structural coverage through StrucSure.

• Beyond the Texas benchmark: Texas law encourages builders to offer at least 1-2-6 coverage. Rivendale's structural coverage runs 10 years instead of 6.

• Pools: Pools built by Clear Springs Pools carry a separate insurance-backed StrucSure 1-2-5-10 warranty covering workmanship, systems, plaster, and the pool shell.

• Warranty service: Rivendale's in-house construction team handles 1- and 2-year home warranty requests. Homeowners submit requests in writing through Rivendale's website, and the team aims to respond within 24 hours during normal business operations.  

• Emergencies: After-hours plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and gas emergencies go directly to the contact listed in your warranty book. Structural emergencies go to StrucSure at 1-877-806-8777.

• Transferability: Rivendale's 10-year StrucSure structural coverage and the StrucSure pool warranty transfer automatically to later owners, with no fee and no limit on the number of transfers.  

• Maintenance: The warranty covers construction defects, not routine maintenance. Damage caused by improper maintenance may not be covered.

Rivendale Homes' relationship with a homeowner doesn't end at closing. This guide explains how new-home warranties work, what Rivendale's warranty covers and for how long, what it excludes, how to protect your home and your coverage in Austin's climate, and how to submit a warranty request.

Important note: This article is educational and is not legal advice. The coverage, standards, and exclusions described here are highlights and do not include every term of your warranties. Your warranty documents contain the complete coverage, conditions, limitations, and exclusions.

How Do New-Home Warranties Work in Texas?

Texas doesn't require homebuilders to provide a written warranty. Since 2023, though, state law has given builders a reason to offer one. Under House Bill 2024, which amended Section 16.009 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, a builder who provides a written warranty covering workmanship and materials for at least 1 year, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC delivery systems for at least 2 years, and major structural components for at least 6 years gets a shorter window, six years instead of ten, in which homeowners can pursue construction defect claims (Texas Legislature, 2023). Many warranty programs are now built around that 1-2-6 minimum.

Rivendale Homes goes further. Our structural coverage runs 10 years, not 6, and it's insurance-backed through StrucSure, which means an insurer has committed to performing the structural warranty for the full term. That coverage also transfers to the next owner at no cost, which matters when you sell.

Performance Standards: How Rivendale's Warranty Is Measured

Rivendale's builder warranty is based on the Texas Association of Builders (TAB) Express Limited Home Warranty and Performance Standards, Form A-14. Instead of general promises, it sets measurable standards that each part of the home must meet. A drywall crack, for example, falls outside the standard once it reaches 1/32 of an inch wide. When an item doesn't meet its standard during the applicable warranty period, Rivendale repairs it, replaces it, or pays the reasonable cost of repair.

What Does Rivendale's Warranty Cover?

Each coverage period protects different parts of the home. For example, a leaking water supply pipe in month 18 falls under the 2-year delivery-systems coverage. A sticking interior door in month 18 falls outside the 1-year workmanship period. Pool coverage is separate and is explained below.

Year 1: Workmanship and Materials

Rivendale's 1-year warranty sets standards for many of the surfaces, finishes, and components you see and use throughout the home. If an item falls short of its standard during the first year, it qualifies for repair.

The 1-year standards also cover paint, plumbing and light fixtures, insulation, fireplaces, grading, irrigation, and fencing.

Year 2: Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Delivery Systems

Delivery systems are the pipes, lines, wiring, and ducts that carry water, gas, electricity, and heated and cooled air through the home. If a system falls short of its standard during the first two years, it qualifies for repair under Rivendale's builder warranty.

Many manufactured products installed in the home, including AC equipment, water heaters, windows, and appliances, carry separate manufacturer warranties. Rivendale assigns applicable manufacturer warranties to the homeowner and coordinates with the manufacturer as outlined in the builder warranty.

Year 10: Structural Coverage Through StrucSure

Rivendale is the warrantor of its 10-year structural coverage. StrucSure Home Warranty administers the program, and Golden Insurance Company, a risk retention group, has agreed to perform Rivendale's structural obligation for the full 10 years. The coverage applies to specified load-bearing components of the home. A condition qualifies when a covered component falls short of its standard and causes actual physical damage to the home.

A qualifying repair restores the component's load-bearing function and repairs the parts of the home the defect damaged, including original finishes. The insurer chooses the repair method and may repair, replace, or pay the reasonable cost.

Why the 10-year coverage matters:

• A full decade of structural protection. Qualifying structural defects are covered for 10 years from the effective date on your Certificate of Warranty.

• Insurance-backed protection. An insurer has agreed to perform the builder's structural obligation for all 10 years.

• Substantial coverage limits. Total coverage over the life of the warranty equals the lower of the home's original sales price or $3 million. Every payment, including the cost of investigating a claim, counts toward that limit.

• Value at resale. Coverage transfers automatically to later owners for the rest of the 10-year term, with no fee and no limit on the number of transfers.

Pool Coverage

Pools built by Clear Springs Pools, Rivendale's in-house pool company, carry a separate StrucSure 1-2-5-10 warranty. For the 1- and 2-year pool coverage, Clear Springs Pools is the warrantor, and if it can't perform, the insurer steps in through StrucSure. The 5-year plaster and 10-year structural coverage is insurance-backed from the start.

Pumps, filters, and heaters fall under their manufacturer warranties. Evaporation is not a structural leak, and maintenance records are required for pool warranty claims. Total pool coverage is limited to the pool's original contract price. Like the home's structural coverage, the pool warranty transfers automatically to later owners at no cost.

What Doesn't Rivendale's Warranty Cover?

Every warranty has exclusions, and knowing them up front prevents surprises later. These are the most common ones.

How Can You Protect Your Home and Your Warranty?

A Rivendale warranty protects against covered construction defects. It is not a substitute for routine maintenance, and damage caused by improper maintenance or homeowner changes may not be covered. Regular care is also one of the best ways to protect the investment you've made in your home and to catch potential warranty issues early, while they're still small and still within their coverage period.

Why Austin's Climate Makes Maintenance Especially Important

Austin is demanding on homes. Intense summer heat, heavy downpours, long stretches of direct sun, occasional hard freezes, and shifting soils all affect a home's materials and systems over time.

Soil movement and drainage. Much of the Austin area sits on expansive clay that swells after heavy rain and shrinks during hot, dry summers, which can move a foundation (Noble Property Inspections, 2026). Some movement and normal settlement occur in any home. The most important thing homeowners can do is keep the original grading intact so water drains away from the foundation. Rivendale's StrucSure structural warranty specifically requires homeowners not to alter drainage or grading within 10 feet of the foundation. Don't pile soil or mulch against the foundation, keep gutters and downspouts clear and directing water away from the home, avoid overwatering near the foundation, and check after heavy rain that water isn't pooling next to the house.

Irrigation and landscaping. Adjust irrigation for the season, fix leaking lines promptly, and make sure sprinkler heads aren't spraying the house. New planting beds, retaining walls, patios, or pools can change how water moves across the property, so plan them with drainage in mind.

Heating and cooling. Austin's long, hot summers put heavy demands on HVAC systems. Replace filters regularly, keep equipment clear, maintain the condensate drain, and schedule professional service as recommended.

Freeze protection. Insulate exterior pipes and hose bibs before a freeze, and keep a reasonable indoor temperature during extreme cold, including when the home is unoccupied.

Sun, heat, and exterior finishes. Sun and temperature swings accelerate normal wear on paint, stain, wood, caulk, and sealants. Inspect them regularly and renew them before water can get behind them. Fading and weathering are part of ownership, not construction defects.

Natural stone, specialty finishes, and pools. Premium materials often need specific care, such as periodic sealing of natural stone. Follow the manufacturer's or supplier's recommendations. Pools and spas need consistent water chemistry and equipment maintenance; damage from inadequate maintenance may not be a warranty issue.

Homeowner Actions That Can Create Warranty Problems

Routine Maintenance Checklist

Pro tip: Keep a digital home file with your warranty documents, product manuals, model and serial numbers, maintenance records, and completed repairs. Records help show whether a condition comes from construction, wear, a product issue, or an insured event.

For more details, StrucSure publishes a Homeowner Maintenance Manual with recommended maintenance guidelines.

How Does Rivendale Handle Warranty Service?

A warranty document defines your coverage. The team behind it determines how that coverage works day to day. Here's what Rivendale homeowners can count on:

• A team that already knows your home. After spending months overseeing its construction, Rivendale's team knows the materials and systems used, the trades involved, and how each part of the home was designed to perform. That familiarity helps the team evaluate a request and determine the right next step.

• A direct line to your builder. Your 1- and 2-year requests go to Rivendale's in-house construction team, the same team that builds our homes, assigned based on your home's location.

• A fast first response. Rivendale aims to respond to every warranty request within 24 hours during normal business operations.

• Repairs scheduled around you. Rivendale's policy is for a homeowner to be present during warranty work, so repairs are planned around your availability.

• Follow-through to the standard. The team checks in after every repair and returns if an item still needs attention.

• Clear standards from day one. Measurable performance standards show what qualifies for repair before you ever submit a request.

A Builder That Will Be There to Honor It

A warranty is only as strong as the company behind it. When a builder closes its doors or reorganizes under a new name, its warranty often goes with it, leaving homeowners with a document and no one to call. Rivendale Homes has been building homes since 1994 and has built in Austin since 2011, and the team that answers your warranty request is the same in-house team that built your home. Your 10-year structural coverage adds another layer of protection: because it's insurance-backed through StrucSure, an insurer has committed to performing that obligation for the full term.

How Do You Submit a Warranty Request?

Where a request goes depends on what's covered and when.

Emergencies

Plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and gas emergencies. An emergency is a situation that needs immediate attention to protect your family or avoid damage to your home. Examples include a total electrical failure in your home, a water leak that requires shutting off the water supply, a fully blocked drain system, and a complete heating or cooling failure during extreme weather. Get everyone to safety first, then limit damage where you can, such as by shutting off the main water valve. Next, call the contractor or utility listed in your warranty book, and let Rivendale know so we can track the request.

Structural emergencies. StrucSure defines an emergency as a condition that, if not repaired immediately, will damage the home, endanger its occupants, or make it uninhabitable. For a structural emergency, call StrucSure at 1-877-806-8777 for authorization before any emergency repairs. If you can't reach StrucSure, make only the minimal repairs needed to prevent further damage until StrucSure approves more extensive work.

1- and 2-Year Home Warranty Requests

Rivendale's in-house construction team handles home requests in the first two years, assigned based on the location of your home.

1. Submit your request online. Complete the form at rivendalehomestexas.com/warranty-request with your address, a description of the item, and a photo when possible.

2. The team follows up. Rivendale aims to respond within 24 hours during normal business operations and may ask when you first noticed the issue, whether anything has changed, or for details a photo doesn't show.

3. A closer look when needed. Some items can be assessed from the information you provide. When a closer look helps, the team schedules a visit to evaluate the item against the warranty's performance standards.

4. Repairs on your schedule. A homeowner is present during warranty work, so the team finds a time that works for you.

5. Follow-through after the repair. The team checks in to make sure the item meets the standard and returns if it needs more attention. Repaired surfaces are matched to the surrounding area as closely as practical, and repairs do not extend the warranty period.

If you're considering hiring someone for a repair, contact Rivendale first. Work completed outside the warranty process may affect coverage for that item.

10-Year Structural Requests (StrucSure)

Structural claims go directly to StrucSure:

1. Send written notice to StrucSure. Submit the Notice of Major Structural Defect form online at strucsure.com/homeowners/file-a-claim, by email, or by certified mail with return receipt, along with the $300 processing fee. StrucSure must receive the notice within the 10-year term; there is no grace period. Phone calls and texts do not count, and notice to Rivendale does not count as notice to StrucSure.

2. Support the investigation. Share photos, videos, and any inspector or engineer reports. Allow inspection during normal business hours, and respond to StrucSure's requests within 30 days.

3. StrucSure reviews the claim. StrucSure decides whether the condition is a qualifying major structural defect and may send recommendations. Implement any recommendations; failing to do so can lead to denial of future claims.

4. Repair. For a qualifying defect, the insurer chooses the repair plan and may repair, replace, or pay the reasonable cost. StrucSure's claim form notes that the full claim and repair process may take about 60 days.

Pool Warranty Requests

• 1-year workmanship and 2-year systems: Send written notice by email or certified mail with return receipt to both the builder and StrucSure; notice to one is not notice to the other. The pool warranty requires the builder to investigate and respond within 30 days. If the builder doesn't respond within 30 days, the homeowner can send the Notice of Pool Defect Claim form to StrucSure, which may try to mediate before an unresolved issue proceeds to arbitration.

• 5-year plaster and 10-year structural: Send the Notice of Pool Defect Claim form directly to StrucSure in writing with the processing fee.

How Does Rivendale's Warranty Compare?

Warranties vary more than most buyers realize, and the differences usually show up years after closing. These are the questions worth asking any builder.

Builder Warranty vs. Home Warranty Plan

A builder warranty and a home warranty plan are often confused, but they cover different things. A builder warranty, like Rivendale's, covers construction defects in a new home for defined periods and is included in the purchase. A home warranty plan is a separate service contract, usually purchased annually with a service fee per call, that pays to repair or replace covered systems and appliances when they break down from normal wear. It doesn't cover construction defects. Some homeowners add a home warranty plan after their builder's systems coverage ends.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Rivendale's warranty coverage begin?

Rivendale's builder warranty begins when you move into the home or take ownership, whichever happens first, unless your written agreement states otherwise. StrucSure home and pool coverage begin on the effective date listed on each Certificate of Warranty, which you can download at warranty.strucsure.com.

Does the warranty transfer if I sell my home?

Yes. Rivendale's 1- and 2-year builder warranty transfers to later owners for the remainder of each warranty period, with no additional paperwork, once the new owner's name appears on the recorded deed. The 10-year StrucSure structural coverage and the StrucSure pool warranty transfer automatically for the rest of their terms, with no fee and no limit on the number of transfers. Each new owner is bound by the warranty's terms.

What should I do in an after-hours emergency?

For a structural emergency, call StrucSure at 1-877-806-8777 for authorization before emergency repairs. If you can't reach them, make only minimal repairs to prevent further damage. For plumbing, electrical, gas, or HVAC emergencies, call the contractor or utility for that trade using the emergency contacts in your warranty book. Please let Rivendale know you reached out so we can track the request.

Does Rivendale's warranty cost anything?

No. Rivendale's 1- and 2-year builder warranty is included with the home, and there is no fee for requests. StrucSure charges a $300 processing fee for a 10-year structural home claim and a $400 fee for pool claims that go to StrucSure.

Are appliances covered?

Appliances, AC equipment, water heaters, and other manufactured products are covered by their manufacturers' warranties. Rivendale assigns those warranties to the homeowner and coordinates with manufacturers as outlined in the builder warranty.

What happens if Rivendale and I disagree about whether something is covered?

Rivendale evaluates every request against the written performance standards, which is why measurable standards matter: they make most coverage questions straightforward. If we still disagree, the 1- and 2-year builder warranty calls for mediation first, then binding arbitration. For 10-year structural claims, StrucSure determines whether a condition is a qualifying defect. Disputes under the StrucSure structural and pool warranties are resolved through binding arbitration. For pool workmanship and systems requests, StrucSure may first try to mediate.

What if I'm not satisfied with a warranty repair?

Rivendale follows up with homeowners after repairs are completed to make sure the work meets the applicable performance standard. If an item still needs attention, the team returns to address it.

What if a problem appears after my warranty period ends?

Check whether a manufacturer's warranty covers the product, whether your homeowners insurance covers sudden damage, and, for structural issues, whether you're still within the 10-year StrucSure term. If you're unsure which coverage applies, contact Rivendale.

Planning a Custom Home in Austin?

Curious about building custom with Rivendale Homes? Schedule a consultation through Rivendale’s website or call (512) 865-5369 to discuss the full building experience, including design, budgeting, construction, quality control, move-in, and post-closing warranty service.

Important Note: Terms and conditions are subject to change. Check with sales agent prior to purchase.

More to Explore

• How to Ensure Quality in Your Custom Home Build

• 20 Key Items Every Custom Home Building Contract Should Include

• Rivendale's Custom Home Building Process From First Contact to Move-In

• How the Custom Home Building Process Really Works and How to Stay on Budget

Sources

• Noble Property Inspections. (2026, April 27). Foundation problems in Austin: What home buyers need to know. https://www.noble-pi.com/blogs/foundation-austin-2026

• Texas Legislature. (2023). H.B. 2024, 88th Legislature, Regular Session (enrolled version). https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/HB02024F.htm

• StrucSure Home Warranty. (n.d.). Homeowners. https://www.strucsure.com/homeowners

• StrucSure Home Warranty. (n.d.). Homeowner maintenance manual. https://www.strucsure.com/SHW-HOMM.pdf

About the Author

Chris Peterson is the owner of Rivendale Homes and has overseen the construction of more than 1,000 homes since founding the company in 1994. He is passionate about fostering a culture of exceptional customer service through comprehensive employee training and ongoing mentorship.

A dedicated father of five, Chris enjoys spending time with his family in Austin and on their annual trips, as well as staying active with water skiing and regular workouts.

He is also committed to strengthening the homebuilding industry, having served on the boards of his local homebuilders’ association and the Austin Infill Builders Association for a combined 28 years.