New home warranties may not be mandatory yet in Manitoba but Sterling Homes is committed to providing the best protection for your family and your investment. Every Sterling home comes with 1-2-5-10 warranty to prove we stand behind every home we build. Our warranties are offered through National Home Warranty with coverage beyond the standard.
Here’s what our warranty program covers to give you peace of mind for years to come.
1 Year: Defects in Materials, Labour, and Design
You will have one year of protection against a broad range of defects in your home’s design, materials, and labour.
Your warranty does have some exclusions. For example, defects that aren’t covered include materials and labour that you supply to the home (i.e if you make additions), normal wear and tear, acts of nature, and damage caused by owners.
2 Years: Defects in Plumbing, Electrical, and Heating Systems
Your home will be covered for two years against defects in labour and materials for the heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems. This may include:
- Plumbing
- Hot water tanks
- Thermostat
- Wiring/ electric
5 Years: Defects in the Building Envelope
Your home warranty covers your building envelope for 5 years. This includes all components of the home that separate the indoors from the outdoors:
- Foundation
- Exterior walls/ siding
- Roof
- Doors
- Windows
Your warranty also includes coverage for defects that allow unintended water penetration.
10 Years: Structural Defects
This form of coverage protects you against structural defects in load-bearing parts of your home and defects that cause structural damage that adversely impacts your ability to live in your home. This may include:
- Load bearing walls
- Flooring
- Ceiling
- Roof
- Foundation
- Footings
How to Get the Most Out of Your Home Warranty
Just before closing, you will go on a walk-through of your new home with your builder to inspect the property together. This is your opportunity to make sure all major (visible) items in the home are working.
You will need to fill out an inspection form and note any deficient or incomplete work in writing. You will also give the builder a reasonable amount of time to make any necessary repairs. This inspection form is important because your home warranty provider will use it to decide if they will cover damage to materials or defects.
Once you move in, it’s a good idea to review your policy documents to understand what is and is not covered. You will also have responsibilities as a homeowner. There are some conditions under which you may limit your coverage, such as failing to maintain your home or making additions and changes after you move in. You will receive a maintenance manual when you move in that makes maintaining and caring for your new home easy. Read the manual carefully to understand the maintenance schedule you should follow to protect your home’s major systems and preserve your warranty coverage.
We also recommend making a note of what’s covered and the expiry dates on your coverage. Before you reach the expiry date for the building envelope coverage, for example, inspect everything that’s covered.
What Happens if You Need to Make a Claim?
If you discover a possible defect in your home during your warranty coverage, review your policy to determine if it may be covered. If the defect or damage may harm your home, you must take reasonable steps to mitigate the damage or your warranty coverage may be limited. This means that if your home develops a plumbing leak during the first two years, you should turn off the water supply and notify the builder and warranty provider right away.
If you ever need to make a claim for defects to your home that haven’t been taken care of by your lender, you will need to send the details of the defects to your warranty provider in writing. Claims must be made to the warranty provider and builder before the expiry date. If your builder replaces or repairs any items during your coverage period, keep in mind they will be covered by at least 12 months from the date of repair, even if it extends beyond your warranty’s expiry date.
At Sterling, we strive to deliver superior craftsmanship and materials while avoiding home defects from the very start. Your comprehensive new home warranty gives you peace of mind that your home will be covered against a broad range of defects. If something happens to your home, you can rest easy knowing we stand behind our work.
Photo credit: construction, couple
