New Home Warranties in Cane Bay and Nexton: What the 1-Year, 2-Year, and 10-Year Coverage Means for Your First Year

What does a new home warranty actually cover in Cane Bay or Nexton? The short answer: most production builders deliver a limited warranty spelled out in your purchase agreement, commonly structured as a 1-2-10, meaning one year of workmanship and materials coverage, two years on major systems, and ten years on major structural defects. The longer answer matters more, because the difference between what people assume a new home warranty covers and what the contract actually says is where surprises live. This guide walks through the coverage, the exclusions, and the walkthrough that protects you in year one.

I am Denise Rush, a REALTOR with EXIT Realty Lowcountry Group and a new-construction specialist in the Cane Bay and Nexton market. This is general educational guidance, not legal or warranty advice: always read your builder's warranty document, and ask a real estate attorney anything that involves contract language you do not fully understand.

The 1-2-10 warranty, in plain terms

South Carolina does not hand every builder the same automatic warranty. What the state's Homebuyers Protection and Warranty Act does is require that when a builder limits or disclaims implied warranties, it provides express minimum coverage in writing. That is why the limited warranty you sign at closing usually reads as a 1-2-10:

• Year one, workmanship and materials: the home should be free of defects caused by faulty workmanship, defective materials, or a failure to meet applicable building standards, covering things like paint, drywall, flooring, trim, fixtures, and doors and windows.
• Year two, major systems: plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling, and ventilating systems should be free of defects caused by faulty installation during the first two years.
• Year ten, structure: the long tail covers major structural defects, meaning actual physical damage to load-bearing portions of the home, such as foundations, footings, load-bearing walls, columns, beams, and girders, to the point the home becomes unsafe, unsanitary, or unlivable.

So the practical read is this: coverage is broad in year one, mostly about systems in year two, and in year ten it narrows to structural failure that affects whether you can safely live in the home. Things like a water intrusion finding in year five are generally not covered by the long-tail tier.

When does the warranty clock start?

The warranty commencement date is typically the day legal title is conveyed to you or the day you first occupy the home, whichever comes first. With new construction, that is usually your closing date, and it is the date that matters for every deadline, including the one-year mark for workmanship items. Put that date on your calendar the day you close, because most buyers do not think about it again until the first year has already run.

The 11-month walkthrough: your best tool as a new home buyer

About a month before the one-year workmanship warranty expires, roughly the 11th month after closing, do a deliberate walkthrough and submit a written, itemized list to the builder documenting everything that has appeared since you moved in. Builders know this one is coming, and it is the single most effective moment you have to get finish items fixed while they are still covered.

Walk the house room by room and write down the ordinary things a first year of living surfaces:

• Cracks and nail pops in walls and ceilings, especially over doors and window corners
• Doors and windows that stick, bind, or leak air or water
• Floor squeaks, failed caulk, and gaps where trim meets walls and cabinets
• Finicky fixtures and anything that has slowly gotten worse since closing

Submit the list in writing before the one-year mark. After year one, almost every cosmetic and workmanship item drops out of coverage, and getting those items onto the builder's list while they are still warranty items is far easier than chasing them later.

What a new home warranty does not cover

Limited warranties in South Carolina commonly exclude items like detached garages and carports, driveways, sidewalks, landscaping, and in many cases appliances. They also come with defined claim procedures: written notice within a time window, access for the builder to inspect, and a process for determining the right repair. Read the exclusions and the notice language before closing, not after a problem shows up.

How the walkthrough fits the rest of your first year

A typical first year in a Cane Bay or Nexton home is settling season: walls shift slightly as the slab and framing adjust, seams appear in trim, and the HVAC runs through its first hot and cold cycles. That movement is normal. The warranty question is about defects, not normal settling, and the walkthrough is how you separate the two with the builder while coverage is still active. My new construction timeline walks through every milestone from contract to closing, so you know what to expect before the warranty clock ever starts.

See the whole build in one place: the new construction timeline in Cane Bay and Nexton explains the steps from contract to closing.

Questions to ask before you buy

• Ask for the actual warranty document, not a summary, and read the claims procedure before you sign.
• Ask who administers coverage if the builder transfers it to a third-party warranty company, or if the builder's name changes.
• Ask what the process is for scheduling your 11-month walkthrough and how far in advance you need to book it.
• Ask what is excluded on this specific home, including appliances, driveways, sidewalks, and any finishes installed by trade partners.