Home Warranty - 6 Month Follow up (Houston, Spring: appliances, new home, water heater)

[SuperPollito]

My builder is coming by tomorrow for the 6 month checkup to see if there are any warranty items. So far, the only things I can identify are a few cracks in drywall, a light fixture pulling away from the wall, and one sink that often drips water off the side.

I suppose it's good that I haven't noticed a lot of problems, but I also worry that I have no idea what to look for since it's my first house. Do most people have these type of minor issues or is there frequently at least one "major" issue? Any standard things that typically come up I should check?

Thanks for any input!

[aba030]

You may want to consider a one year warranty inspection with an official home inspector. Did you have your home inspected during the build process?

I believe most of the issues people face with a new home are minor/cosmetic, but it's probably a good idea to have major items (AC units, water heaters, foundation movement, etc.) inspected before your warranty expires.

[NYC_transplant_in_Houston]

Some easy things I usually look for when I buy a house and this applies to your warranty:
- Check window and door frames for any damage. Many first indications of structural shifts will manifest around these areas besides cracks on the walls.
- Water damage in attic.
- Turn hot water heater off and make sure you can turn it back on and the pilot turns back on. Check for faint gas smells. I've had a lot of problems with hot water heaters after power is turned off where pilot won't turn back on.
- Turn on heater and A/C to make sure they're fully functional given we're in Spring and these systems are typically off. Check for faint gas smells near the air handler.
- Foundation integrity - hairline cracks
- Most importantly, make sure all ceilings are level and there are no early signs of sagging.
- Check all drains and faucets for leaks (sounds like you already did)
- Faint discoloring on walls and ceiling which are indications of small water or gas leaks.
- Stair railing integrity - make sure they're not loose.
- Turn off all circuits at the breaker and turn on and make sure all appliances turn back on.

I'm sure there's more but these are the easy ones I usually look for.

[SuperPollito]

Thanks everyone! We did an inspection prior to purchase and will probably do one before the 1 year as well but wasn't sure what I myself should be checking. NYC's list is exactly what I needed.

[Clever nickname here]

Originally Posted by NYC_transplant_in_Houston

Some easy things I usually look for when I buy a house and this applies to your warranty:
- Check window and door frames for any damage. Many first indications of structural shifts will manifest around these areas besides cracks on the walls.
- Water damage in attic.
- Turn hot water heater off and make sure you can turn it back on and the pilot turns back on. Check for faint gas smells. I've had a lot of problems with hot water heaters after power is turned off where pilot won't turn back on.
- Turn on heater and A/C to make sure they're fully functional given we're in Spring and these systems are typically off. Check for faint gas smells near the air handler.
- Foundation integrity - hairline cracks
- Most importantly, make sure all ceilings are level and there are no early signs of sagging.
- Check all drains and faucets for leaks (sounds like you already did)
- Faint discoloring on walls and ceiling which are indications of small water or gas leaks.
- Stair railing integrity - make sure they're not loose.
- Turn off all circuits at the breaker and turn on and make sure all appliances turn back on.

I'm sure there's more but these are the easy ones I usually look for.

You're new to Houston too?

But for a serious answer, I agree with having a home inspector come out before the one year inspection especially if you didn't do it at purchase. I've found they pay for themselves in what they find that needs correcting. Beyond mechanical and structural issues there are code issues. If you don't catch things out of code now and a buyer's inspector does when you sell you'll be the one footing the bill for bringing it up to code.