New Home Warranty & First-Year Tracker

First-year milestone calendar

Suggested planning checkpoints — not guaranteed warranty deadlines. Use the actual entered warranty dates for reminders.

1. Move-in / first 30 days · First month

   • Organize warranty documents
   • Record unresolved closing issues
   • Confirm builder service contacts
   • Learn home system operation
   • Document early concerns
   • Review maintenance instructions

2. Around 90 days · About three months

   • Review open warranty requests
   • Check maintenance records
   • Document recurring concerns
   • Confirm repair appointments

3. Around 6 months · About six months

   • Review open issues and prior repairs
   • Evaluate seasonal performance observations
   • Review maintenance responsibilities
   • Confirm upcoming warranty deadlines

4. Around 9 months · About nine months

   • Review warranty coverage end dates
   • Organize unresolved concerns
   • Consider whether an independent warranty-focused inspection is appropriate
   • Confirm any inspection access or submission requirements

5. Before applicable warranty deadlines · Before each coverage end date

   • Review the written warranty
   • Complete any desired independent inspections early enough to evaluate findings
   • Document unresolved concerns
   • Submit claims according to the actual required procedure
   • Preserve submission confirmations
   • Follow up on unanswered claims

6. First-year anniversary · About one year

   • Review outstanding issues
   • Verify submitted claims and repair status
   • Preserve warranty records
   • Continue maintenance tracking

Who should evaluate or resolve each concern

• Independent home inspector. Documents accessible conditions within the inspection scope and recommends further evaluation when warranted.
• Licensed trade specialist. Evaluates specialized electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, or other technical concerns within their professional scope.
• Structural engineer. Evaluates structural or foundation concerns requiring engineering judgment.
• Builder / contractor. Responds to submitted concerns and performs or arranges agreed corrective work.
• Warranty administrator / provider. Administers written warranty coverage, claim submissions, and applicable remedies within the stated terms.
• Municipal or applicable building authority. Performs required governmental inspections and approvals within its jurisdiction.
• Licensed real estate professional. Helps the buyer navigate transaction-related communication and contractual processes within their authorized role.
• Attorney. Advises on contractual rights, obligations, disputes, remedies, and closing or warranty decisions.

Related resources

• New Construction Inspection & Walkthrough TrackerPlan independent inspections, document construction concerns, track builder responses, and carry unresolved items through closing.
• Builder Contract Questions ChecklistReview the contract provisions that govern warranty coverage, notice, and remedies before closing.
• Construction-to-Move Timeline PlannerOrganize construction, financing, closing, and moving milestones and see which dependencies shift when a date moves.
• Construction Delay & Contingency PlannerEstimate the financial impact of construction delays and build a practical backup plan before a delay becomes a crisis.
• New Construction Total Cost PlannerEstimate the all-in cost of a new-construction purchase beyond the base price.

Frequently asked questions

What should I document after moving into a new construction home?

Record each concern with a description, the location, the date first observed, and the date you documented it. Then track what you submitted to the builder or warranty provider, their response, any promised repair, and — separately — independent verification. The distinction that matters most: a builder reporting a repair complete is not the same as that repair being verified resolved. Keep photos, inspector reports, emails, and service tickets referenced here rather than relying on memory.

What does a builder warranty usually cover?

Coverage varies by builder, contract, component, and jurisdiction — there is no universal term. A written warranty may cover workmanship, materials, and specific systems for different periods, and may exclude items the builder attributes to owner maintenance, settling, or normal wear. This tracker lets you enter the actual coverage terms from your written warranty; it never assumes a component is covered merely because it belongs to a suggested category.

When does a new construction warranty begin?

Warranty start dates are not always the same as the closing or possession date, and different components may start on different dates. Enter the start date stated in your written warranty. If it is unknown, the tracker asks you to confirm it rather than inferring it from closing. Coverage calculations use the date you enter.

How do I submit and track builder warranty claims?

Use the issue register: record the submission date, the claim or service request number, the submission method, and the builder or provider response. A claim submitted is not a claim accepted — track acknowledgment, the scheduled repair, and the reported completion separately. Only mark an issue Verified resolved when you record independent verification. The tracker does not send reminders or contact the builder for you.

What maintenance should I monitor during the first year?

Common first-year monitoring includes HVAC filter service, visible plumbing leaks, exterior drainage after rain, door and window operation, safety alarm tests, and appliance warranty registration. This tracker provides suggested tasks grouped by system, but the recommended frequency must be entered or confirmed from your builder's and manufacturers' instructions — it does not invent a maintenance schedule.

Should I schedule an 11-month home inspection?

Some homeowners arrange an independent inspection before an important warranty deadline to catch concerns that were not apparent at move-in. Whether and when that is useful depends on the written warranty, the home's condition, and the availability of qualified inspectors. The tracker includes a planning checklist — it does not assume every builder offers a formal 11-month inspection process or guarantee one will find all defects.

What happens if the builder doesn't complete a warranty repair?

Keep the issue open in this tracker, record the builder's response, and note the applicable warranty or repair reference and any follow-up deadline. A recorded issue does not establish that the builder must repair it or that the claim is legally valid. For unresolved or disputed concerns, review the written warranty, the contract's notice and dispute provisions, and available remedies with a qualified professional and, where appropriate, an attorney.

What should I do before a warranty deadline expires?

Review the written warranty, complete any desired independent inspection early enough to evaluate findings, document unresolved concerns, and submit claims through the actual required procedure — preserving submission confirmations. The tracker computes days remaining on a deadline you enter and flags ones approaching within your chosen alert window. It does not imply that submitting a claim automatically preserves all legal rights or invent coverage periods.