What is a structural warranty?
A structural warranty provides performance guidelines and warranty coverage for a home’s workmanship, distribution systems and load-bearing structural components. Structural warranties offer valuable protection for builders and homeowners alike by defining coverage, setting clear expectations and providing support and guidance should a defect occur. Structural warranties are an extremely valuable risk management tool for all parties, where the builder is the insured and the homeowner is the beneficiary.
Learn more on what is covered with the industry-leading structural warranty provider. Download our Defining the Warranty Flyer.
Please refer to the New Home Warranty for specific structural coverage and exclusions.
Overview of items covered:
Roof covering, cabinets, countertops, door panels, exterior siding, hardwood floors, basement floor, ceramic tile, drywall, interior trim, carpet, paint and fireplace
Workmanship
Quality is important, especially in your new home. Your workmanship warranty establishes the standards applicable to the fit, finish and materials used in the construction of your home. Commonly used across industries, fit refers to how well the parts of the finished product come together and finish refers to the completeness of work.
Distribution systems warranty
You will rarely see behind the walls of your new home, but essential functions such as electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems are working behind the walls. Your distribution systems warranty establishes the standards for your home’s electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems. The wiring, piping and ductwork of your new home are addressed under this warranty.
Overview of items covered:
Supply piping, waste piping, ductwork and electrical wiring
Overview of items covered:
Roof framing systems, load-bearing walls and partitions, beams, columns, footings and foundation systems, floor framing systems, girders, lintels and masonry arches
Structural warranty
While your home was carefully constructed and inspected, occasionally unforeseen problems arise, even in the best-built homes. Your structural warranty addresses the designated load-bearing elements of your home.
Structural warranties offer valuable protection for builders and homeowners alike by defining coverage, setting clear expectations and providing support and guidance should a defect occur.
Load-Bearing Elements and Major Structural Components
A structural warranty from 2-10 HBW provides third-party, insurancebacked protection for workmanship, distribution systems and loadbearing structural components of the home. The descriptions below refer to structural components. To learn more about the workmanship and systems component of coverage, visit our interactive house here.
Floor Framing
Coverage is provided for structural supports for load-bearing elements in floor systems, including joists and bridging. Damage to non-load-bearing elements, such as flooring and underlayment material, is not covered.
Columns
A structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements. However, damages caused by additions or alterations to the home are not covered.
Beams / Girders / Lintels
Horizontal structural members of wood, steel, reinforced concrete or stone which support and transfer loads to vertical members such as columns and foundations. Decorative elements without a load-bearing function are not covered.
Footings & Foundation Systems
Often classified as shallow or deep foundations, based on the depth of the load-transfer member below the super-structure and the type of transfer load mechanism. Foundation system requirements depend on strength and compressibility of the site soils, proposed loading conditions and project performance criteria (i.e., total settlement and differential settlement limitations).
Load-Bearing Walls & Partitions
All exterior walls are load-bearing walls and are covered. Interior load-bearing walls that support the floors above and the attic’s weight are also covered. Note that improper loading over the design criteria for which that portion of the house was intended will not be covered.
Roof Framing Systems
A group of studs fitted or joined together to provide support for the roof covering. Non-load-bearing elements, such as shingles, roof tiles, sheathing and underlayment are not eligible for coverage.
