Some cracking is normal
Concrete shrinks as it cures, and new houses settle slightly as soil adjusts to the load and framing lumber dries. Hairline shrinkage cracks in a slab or garage floor, small drywall cracks at corners and a nail pop or two in the first year are common and usually cosmetic. Builders often address them in the first-year warranty walk-through.
Signs that point to real movement
- Cracks that keep growing or reopen after repair
- Stair-step cracks in brick veneer or block
- Doors and windows that start sticking and get worse
- Noticeably sloping floors or cracked tile in a line
- Gaps opening between walls and ceilings or floors
- Separation where a garage or porch meets the house
Why new homes move
- Expansive clay. New slabs on Texas, Alabama or Gulf Coast clay move with the seasons just like older ones.
- Cut-and-fill lots. Many subdivisions grade hills into flat pads. Fill that was not compacted properly settles for years, and a house can sit partly on cut ground and partly on fill.
- Drainage. New yards often lack mature grading and landscaping; water can pond against the slab.
- Plumbing leaks under the slab from construction damage.
- Design or construction defects in rare cases.
How builder warranties commonly work
Many new-home builders provide a limited warranty, often structured as “1-2-10”: about one year for workmanship and materials, about two years for systems such as plumbing, electrical and HVAC, and up to ten years for defined structural defects. Some structural warranties are backed by a third-party warranty company or insurer. What counts as a structural defect is defined narrowly in the warranty document, often as damage to load-bearing elements that affects the home’s structural integrity, and cosmetic cracks are often excluded. Read your own warranty booklet; the details, deadlines and claim procedures vary by builder and state.
What to do if you see signs of movement
- Document it. Photograph cracks with a ruler and date, mark crack ends, note doors that stick and when.
- Read your warranty. Note the coverage periods, the definition of structural defect and how and when to file a claim.
- Notify the builder in writing within the warranty period, and keep copies.
- Fix drainage issues you control, such as downspouts and grading, but avoid structural work before the builder or warranty company evaluates the problem.
- Consider an independent engineer if the builder’s response does not match what you see; see foundation engineer reports explained.
When the warranty has expired
If problems appear after the warranty period, the repair usually falls to the owner. The same principles apply as for any house: diagnose the cause, fix water issues, and use piers or other methods where the soil cannot support the house. See the cost guide and how to choose a foundation repair contractor.
Buying a newer resale home
If you are buying a house that is only a few years old, ask whether any builder warranty remains and whether it transfers, whether any foundation claims were made and what was done. A repair performed under a builder warranty should have documentation just like any other repair. See buying a house with foundation problems.
Regional notes
- North Texas and Central Texas: fast-growing suburbs such as Frisco, Prosper, McKinney, Pflugerville and Killeen sit largely on expansive clay; see Dallas and Austin.
- Charlotte and Atlanta: graded lots on Piedmont soils are prone to fill settlement; see Charlotte and Atlanta.
- Florida: slabs on poorly compacted sandy fill can settle, and pool decks often move separately; see Southwest Florida.
Protecting a new home’s foundation
- Keep gutters working and downspouts extended from day one.
- Keep soil sloped away from the house as landscaping settles.
- Plant trees at appropriate distances; see tree roots and foundations.
- On expansive clay, keep soil moisture even in droughts; see foundation watering in Texas.
- Photograph walls, floors and the exterior once a year for comparison.
What “normal” looks like in numbers
Builder warranties and performance standards often use measurable thresholds rather than descriptions. They may address concrete crack width, how much a slab may deviate from level over a given distance or how far doors and windows may be out of alignment. The exact thresholds are in your warranty booklet or in the performance standards it references. When you report a problem, measuring cracks with a crack gauge or ruler and recording door gaps turns a vague complaint into something the builder has to respond to.
Keeping a record from day one
- Take photos of every room, the garage floor and all exterior walls at move-in.
- Keep the closing documents, plans, soil or engineering reports if provided, and the warranty booklet together.
- Write down any cracks you notice at the first-year walk-through, even if the builder calls them cosmetic.
- Repeat the photos once a year at the same spots.
When the builder disagrees
If the builder or warranty company says movement is within tolerance and you disagree, ask for their measurements and the standard they are using in writing. An independent engineer can measure the house and compare the results with the warranty’s definitions. Many warranties include a dispute resolution or arbitration process with deadlines; follow it carefully. For legal questions about your rights under a warranty or state law, talk to a lawyer licensed in your state.
Early maintenance matters
New landscaping settles, mulch beds build up against the slab and downspout extensions go missing. In the first few years, check that soil still slopes away from the house and that no bed or patio sends water back toward the foundation. On expansive clay, sudden changes in watering, such as a new sprinkler system on one side of the house, can cause uneven movement. Good habits early help protect both the house and your warranty.