Most licensed builders are competent, experienced and honest. The scarcity of competent construction labor means some projects are being built by less experienced workers. In some cases, builders are trying their hand at constructing condominiums and other larger structures, in response to high-density land use laws. These factors are causing construction defects to become more common.
Most builders sell homes with fairly short express warranties, often no more than a year.
After the warranty expires, some builders deny responsibility for repairing problems. But even when a builder's warranty has expired, state law gives homeowners and homeowners associations certain rights. New home construction carries implied warranties which may exist even after the express warranty has expired. Homeowners normally have between one and six years to file suit after a problem is discovered. A contractor's negligent repair attempts may themselves give rise to a claim.