Warranty on the work
3 years
- Who stands behind it
- The general contractor on your contract
- Where it is written
- Your contract, with the exclusions listed beside the term
Get a Free Project Estimate
Tell us about your project, and our experts will contact you to discuss the details and provide a preliminary quote
Warranty · Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach
A 3-year warranty on the work, with the exclusions written in your contract
Who stands behind a Florida general contractor's warranty, what is written in the contract and what Florida law says about defect claims.
Warranty
A 3-year Florida general contractor warranty that you can read before you sign
Florida Home Build gives a 3-year warranty on its work. The term is a number in your contract, and the list of exclusions sits next to it, so you read both before you sign. You sign one contract with one general contractor and work with a permanent group of subcontractors.
What your contract spells out:
The term as a number. Three years, not a promise to “stand behind” the work.
The limits in writing. A list of exclusions beside the term, so you see the limits before you sign.
One contract, one general contractor. The warranty comes from the contractor you sign with, so you know whom you are dealing with.
At handover we walk the house with you and show how each system works. You also receive manuals, a maintenance schedule and manufacturer warranties registered in your name. The warranty is judged by its limits as much as by its term, which is why both are in the contract and not in a brochure or an email.
Below we separate three things that matter after the keys change hands: a contractor's warranty, a manufacturer's warranty and the time limit Florida law sets for defect claims.
Your money
How a Miami home build works when you're not paying ahead
4 payments, not a big deposit
At signing, at the start of work, at the midpoint and at about 99% completion. Each payment is for a stage you have approved.
A price cap in the contract
Cost plus a fixed fee, with a maximum price. Savings stay with you. Anything above the cap is paid by the builder.
Every bid and invoice in view
A shared budget tracker shows each subcontractor bid, each change and each invoice.
One contractor, one contract
The same permanent subcontractors on every job, and one company answering for all of them.
3-year warranty, exclusions in writing
The warranty term is a number in your contract, and so is the list of what it does not cover.
An answer in under 24 hours
By phone, WhatsApp, text or email, in English, Spanish or Russian.
After handover
Four sources of protection after handover, and who stands behind each
Four different things sit behind a finished Florida house, and each runs on its own clock. Your contractor's warranty covers the work. Manufacturers stand behind their products. Florida law sets a time limit for defect claims and requires a notice about a state recovery fund. The last two are not warranties.
Manufacturer warranties
The term each maker sets
- Who stands behind it
- Each product maker
- Where it is written
- Each maker's warranty document, registered in your name at handover
Florida law on defect claims
Generally 4 years, counted from the certificate of occupancy, completion or abandonment of the work, and in any event no more than 7; for a hidden defect, 4 years from discovery inside the same 7
- Who stands behind it
- Florida Statutes, section 95.11
- Where it is written
- Florida Statutes 95.11(3)(b)
Recovery Fund notice
No term: a residential construction or remodeling contract above $2,500 must carry a written notice about the fund
- Who stands behind it
- The state's Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund
- Where it is written
- Your contract, under section 489.1425
Section 95.11 is a legal deadline, not a promise by any contractor, and it doesn't replace a written warranty. For a specific case, ask a Florida construction attorney.
One contractor
What your general contractor handles on a Miami build
A general contractor runs the build so you don't have to hire and coordinate every trade yourself. On our projects the permits, the subcontractors, the inspections and the budget sit with one company, and you talk to one project manager. Here is what that covers.
One project manager, one contractPermits, trades, inspections and the budget sit with one company.
- 01
Permits and inspections
City and county permits and local inspections are part of our work. Permitting usually takes 3–6 months on a new home.
- 02
Condo and association approvals
In a condo we prepare the association submissions and plan the work around the elevator and the building's work hours.
- 03
Subcontractors and bids
We work with a permanent group of subcontractors. A line-by-line estimate comes before the contract. After you sign, each subcontractor bid and each change shows up in the shared budget tracker.
- 04
Hurricane-zone rules
Miami-Dade and Broward are generally treated as the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone of the Florida Building Code. Homes in these two counties are designed and built to the HVHZ requirements, and permits and inspections follow them. Read about hurricane-resistant homes
- 05
Design and interior
Design usually takes 6–9 months on a new home, and plans and material selections stay tied to the budget and the price cap. Architect and designer fees sit outside the construction price. If we lead your interior design, the number of revision rounds and the procurement fee are written into the contract up front.
Before you sign
Questions to ask any Florida contractor about a warranty
Terms differ: one Miami remodeler states on its own site a written warranty on its work of 1 to 2 years. Whoever you hire, put these four questions to them and get the answers in writing before you sign.
01What is the term, in years?
Words like “extended” or “long-term” give you no length. Ask for the term in years.
02What is not covered?
A good warranty lists its exclusions in the contract next to the term, so you can read them while you can still change your mind.
03Whom do I call if something fails?
With one general contractor on your contract, you know whom to call. Ask whether the same is true for the contractor you are considering, or whether you would have to find the right trade yourself.
04Which manufacturer warranties come with the house, and in whose name?
Ask whether the warranties are registered in your name at handover, together with the manuals and a maintenance schedule.
Bring these four questions to your first meeting with us. The pricing and terms page shows how the rest of the contract works, and how we build shows where handover sits in the process.
Get my free estimateAfter the keys
A 3-year home builder warranty and a full handover
- 01
3-year warranty on the work
The term and the list of exclusions are written in your contract, not explained later.
- 02
Handover package
As-built drawings, manuals, a maintenance schedule and manufacturer warranties registered in your name.
- 03
A walkthrough of every system
We walk the house with you and show how each system works before you move in.
- 04
Care after move-in
Home maintenance by arrangement, with the same team that built it.
FAQ
Questions about a Florida general contractor warranty
How long is the warranty from Florida Home Build?
Three years on the work. The term and the list of exclusions are both written in your contract, so you can read them before you sign.
How do I find out what a contractor's warranty covers?
Ask for the term in years and the list of exclusions in writing. Ours are both in your contract, so you can read them before you sign, and compare them with any other contractor's.
Is there a Florida law that limits how long a contractor is liable for defects?
Yes. Section 95.11 of the Florida Statutes sets time limits for construction defect claims: generally 4 years, and in any event no more than 7. It is a legal deadline, not a warranty. For your case, talk to a Florida attorney.
What is the difference between a contractor warranty and a manufacturer warranty?
A contractor warranty covers the work done on your house. A manufacturer warranty covers a product for the term its maker sets. At handover we register manufacturer warranties in your name.
What is the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund?
Florida requires a residential construction or remodeling contract above $2,500 to carry a written statement about this fund, noting that payment up to a limited amount may be available from it. It is a state program, separate from any contractor's warranty.
Who do I deal with under the general contractor warranty?
Your contract is with a single general contractor, and a permanent group of subcontractors works under it, so your warranty conversation is with one company, not with each trade.