🚧 Florida’s New Builder Warranty Law: No More Funny Business in the Sandbox
Starting July 1, 2025, Florida’s new builder warranty law (§ 553.837) officially tells shady builders to zip it, button up, and play by the darn rules. No more half-baked “warranties” written on cocktail napkins or sneaky fine print that disappears faster than your Wi-Fi during a Zoom call.
🧱 1. One Year. No Bullsh*t.
Every builder in Florida now has to give you a real, legal 1-year warranty—not some “trust me, bro” handshake. It covers serious screw-ups: shoddy work, busted materials, and anything that breaks the building code wide open. And guess what? They can’t weasel out of it.
🛠️ 2. Can’t Blame the Subcontractor Anymore
Used to be, if your roof caved in, the builder would shrug and say, “Talk to the roofer.” Not anymore. If it happened on their watch, they’re on the hook. No more finger-pointing, no more dodge-and-duck routine.
🔁 3. You Sell the House? Warranty Still Sticks
That sweet little warranty now follows the home, not just the first sucker who signed the dotted line. So if you buy a house and flip it three months later, the next person is still covered. Builders can’t block it, restrict it, or cry about it.
🕵️♂️ 4. What’s Covered (And What Ain’t)
Covered: legit construction defects tied to the Florida Building Code.
Not covered: your dog chewing drywall, your kid jumping off the countertop, or your fridge leaking from a manufacturer defect. Also not covered: hurricanes, God’s wrath, or whatever curse your neighbor’s ex put on your property.
⚖️ 5. Wanna Sue? Not So Fast
You can’t just throw a lawsuit at the builder because your AC made a weird noise. Chapter 558 says you gotta play nice first—send a written notice, let them take a look, and give them a chance to fix it. If they ghost you or screw around, then you can bring the legal hammer.
Quick and Dirty Summary:
- Mandatory 1-year warranty — no opt-outs, no BS
- Builder owns the problems, even if their cousin’s buddy did the work
- Warranty transfers when you sell
- Only covers real defects, not everyday wear or homeowner whoopsies
- You gotta follow pre-suit rules before going full Karen in court
Bottom line? Florida just cleaned up the construction playground—and if you’re building or buying in South Florida, don’t mess around. Call us. We’ll help you keep the builders honest!
