- Nicky Frost
Do I need structural warranty for my new home?
Updated: Jun 14, 2022
You will need a structural warranty insurance policy to gain protection against any fundamental structural problems with a new building, typically for up to 10 years after completion.
Mortgage lenders will insist on a warranty, but even if you are funding your build with cash, it’s still a standard requirement to have one, so any future sales of the property aren’t jeopardised. A structural warranty is there to cover you for any failure in the building structure after it has been completed, protecting the homeowner from any structural damage.

How much does a structural warranty cost?
As a rule of thumb, it’s usually a good idea to budget 1% of your indicative build costs. This will be payable ahead of any work whatsoever occurring on site. A retrospective structural warranty is much harder to get and is often much more expensive, so any decisions around insurance should be made right at the beginning of your project.
What does a Self-Build Zone structural warranty usually cover?
Major damage to the structural elements of your home, including:
Foundations
Load-bearing parts of floors, staircases and associated guard rails, walls and roofs, together with load-bearing retaining walls necessary for providing support to the structure
Roof covering
Any external finishing surface
Waterproof Envelope.
Features of the Self-Build Zone new home structural warranty :
No membership or registration fees
Recognised by lenders and complies with the UK Finance initiative
We can consider covering part-completed or completed projects
Fast quotation turnaround
All policies use ‘A’ rated insurers
Quick response from professional, nationwide technical auditing/survey service
Flexible payment method
10-year structural warranty cover
Full risk transfer in years 3-10 of cover
Cover available for mixed-use developments
Cover as standard for alternative accommodation, additional costs, removal of debris, and professional fees.
Our structural warranties are underwritten by an ‘A’ Rated global insurer and each case is subject to full technical review by Build-Zone Survey Services Limited with the aim of minimising any defects right from the design stage.
For more information on any of our structural warranty insurance policies, explore our products here: https://www.selfbuildzone.com/structural-warranty
The importance of choosing an ‘A’ Rated backed insurer
Self-Build Zone only uses secure, ‘A’ Rated insurers, to provide peace of mind in a market that over the last few years has seen a number of unrated insurers go into liquidation, leaving their customers without cover. This, in turn, has left their policyholders without a valid warranty, breaching their mortgage terms.
Our range of warranties are effective for 10 to 12 years from the date of practical completion, so these are considered long-term policies, so it’s wise to choose an ‘A’ Rated insurer to give you the confidence that your protection is in place for the long-haul.
‘A’ rated insurer-backed structural warranties
Discover more about our ‘A’Rated Insurer backed structural warranties for New Homes, Self-Build, and Custom Build schemes together with our leading technical services company: Build-Zone Survey Services Ltd.