Llano Home Warranty — Homeowner FAQ

These answers follow Llano’s written Warranty and Texas Property Code Chapter 27. Day-to-day service requests go through the process below. Unresolved construction-defect disputes follow Chapter 27 — a Buildertrend warranty request is not the same as formal RCLA notice.

The preferred way to request warranty service is through the Buildertrend homeowner portal. Each request should include your name, the home address, a phone and email, a description and location of each condition, the date you discovered it, and photographs when available. For questions or emergencies, call 806-392-9912 (in an emergency, call the subcontractor first using the contact list provided with your home, then Llano).

If you cannot use Buildertrend, you may deliver a written Warranty Claim by hand delivery, certified mail (return receipt requested), or overnight courier to:

Llano Construction Company LLC, Attn: Warranty Admin, 402 SE 6th Street, Amarillo, TX 79101.

Important — service request vs. formal defect notice: A Warranty Claim (including one submitted in Buildertrend) is a request for warranty service. It is not the construction-defect notice required by Texas Property Code Chapter 27. Formal Chapter 27 notice must be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the Notice Address, must refer to Chapter 27, and must include the detail and evidence the statute requires. See FAQ 10.

Coverage is stated only in the Llano Express Limited Home Warranty (2027 Edition). Each period begins on the Warranty Commencement Date (Closing). This warranty is personal to the original purchaser named in the Contract and is not transferable.

Exterior site improvements outside the home’s exterior walls and foundation perimeter — including driveways, sidewalks, porches, patios, landscaping, sprinklers, septic systems, wells, and fences — are excluded. Roof coverings, flashing, and gutters are not covered except through any assigned manufacturer warranty. Unresolved construction-defect claims are governed by Texas Property Code Chapter 27 and Section 5 of the Warranty; if any warranty term conflicts with Chapter 27, the statute controls.

The Warranty Commencement Date is the Closing Date — the date title transfers from Builder to you. Early occupancy, Substantial Completion, and finishing the final punch list do not change that date. Manufacturer warranties run on their own terms.

Around the eleventh month after Closing, Llano will contact you to schedule one year-end warranty walk-through. That is the only walk-through provided under the Warranty. Open claims may be consolidated for repair near the end of the one-year workmanship period, including at that walk.

Do not wait for the walk to report problems. Submit each condition when you discover it, and take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. The walk-through does not extend any Warranty Period or the claim-notice deadline in the Warranty.

Minor drywall cracks, nail pops, and similar shrinkage are normal in a new home. During the one-year workmanship period, Llano will repair those conditions one time, at or near the end of that period, if they are included in a timely Warranty Claim. Interior door adjustments are addressed at the same time, unless a door is damaged from excessive sticking or an exterior door cannot be locked — those are handled promptly after a claim.

Paint touch-ups that result from these covered repairs are finished to match as closely as practical. Paint after Closing and cosmetics not on the final punch list are otherwise homeowner maintenance.

No. Llano provides no warranty for exterior flatwork outside the habitable foundation area, including driveways, sidewalks, walkways, porches, patios, steps, and similar concrete. Cracking from moisture and seasonal soil movement is expected and is not a covered warranty item. This does not change coverage for a Major Structural Component failure of the foundation under the habitable areas of the home that fails the Warranty’s performance standards.

These items are outside the home’s exterior walls and foundation perimeter and are excluded from the Warranty, including lawn and sod, trees and plants, sprinkler and irrigation systems, septic systems and exterior sewer connections, water wells and exterior water lines, and fences or retaining walls. Homeowners remain responsible for routine maintenance, drainage, and manufacturer or service-provider care for those systems.

Settling of soil over a septic system or around a well after Llano’s initial backfill and grading is expected as the ground compacts. Adding soil and seed to those settled areas, and routine septic maintenance and waste removal, are the homeowner’s responsibility.

Manufactured products (appliances, windows, doors, fixtures, and similar items) are covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, which Llano assigns to you. Llano does not assume the manufacturer’s obligations, but will provide reasonable help presenting a manufacturer claim. For exterior windows, exterior doors, and exterior wall cladding, Llano’s one-year coverage is limited to installation workmanship — not the products themselves.

Roof coverings (including shingles), roof flashing, and gutters are not covered by the Llano Warranty except through any assigned manufacturer warranty. Roof framing and other load-bearing elements may be covered only as Major Structural Components during the six-year structural period, if they fail the Warranty’s performance standards. Exterior caulking and sealants are homeowner maintenance. Damage from hail, high winds, and other Acts of God is excluded. Alleged structural or construction-defect disputes that are not resolved through ordinary warranty service proceed under Texas Property Code Chapter 27 (see FAQ 10). Installing solar panels on any part of the roof voids the Warranty as to the roof, including the roof framing system, and Llano is not responsible for roof leaks or other damage resulting from the installation or the panels.

For a mechanical, plumbing, or electrical emergency, call the subcontractor first using the complete contact list provided with your home, then notify Llano at 806-392-9912. Take reasonable action to prevent further damage, then follow up with a Warranty Claim through Buildertrend or the written alternatives in FAQ 1.

If a construction-defect claim is not resolved through warranty service, Texas Property Code Chapter 27 (the Residential Construction Liability Act) controls the next steps. Nothing in the Warranty waives Chapter 27. In outline:

1. Certified-mail notice — At least 60 days before filing suit, send written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the Notice Address. The notice must refer to Chapter 27, describe the defects in reasonable detail, and include required evidence (such as expert reports, photographs, or recordings). A Buildertrend submission or ordinary Warranty Claim does not satisfy this requirement.

2. Opportunity to inspect — During the 35 days after Builder receives the notice, and on written request, you must allow a reasonable opportunity to inspect (up to three inspections) so Builder can determine cause and needed repairs.

3. Offer to repair or settle — Not later than 60 days after receiving the notice, Builder may make a written settlement offer by certified mail. Timelines for response, supplemental offers, and completing accepted repairs are set by Chapter 27 and Section 5 of the Warranty.

4. Further dispute resolution — If the claim remains unresolved after the Chapter 27 process, the Contract requires good-faith negotiation, then mandatory mediation, then litigation in the Texas county stated in the Contract. Those steps run with — and do not shorten — the Chapter 27 periods.

Tough warranty situations: Texas Property Code Chapter 27 is the ultimate authority for hard construction-defect situations. Do not treat Buildertrend, email, or informal photos as Chapter 27 notice. Llano’s structural coverage period under the Warranty is six years for Major Structural Components — not a transferable “10-year structural warranty.”

Hairline cracks in grout, and sometimes in tile, are one of the most common homeowner requests we receive, especially in the first few years. In almost every case they are a normal part of a home settling into its site and its climate, and they are handled as routine homeowner maintenance rather than a warranty repair. Here is why they happen.

• Concrete slab curing and shrinkage: A concrete foundation keeps drying and shrinking slightly for months after it is poured. Tile and grout are rigid and sit right on top of the slab, so small slab shrinkage cracks can show through as a crack in the grout line or tile above.

• Seasonal soil moisture swings: Much of the Texas Panhandle sits on clay soils that swell when wet and shrink when dry. As the ground moves with wet and dry seasons, the slab moves very slightly with it, and the hardest, least flexible surfaces — tile and grout — show it first.

• Temperature expansion and contraction: Floors, walls, tubs, and framing all grow and shrink with heat and cold. Different materials move by different amounts, which stresses grout joints, especially near exterior doors, windows, and sunny areas.

• Normal house settling: Lumber dries out and framing settles during the first years. Wall tile, tub surrounds, and backsplashes can develop small cracks where walls and floors move slightly against each other.

• Grout shrinkage: Cement-based grout shrinks a little as it cures, and fine hairline cracks can appear in the joints even when the floor below is sound.

• Heavy point loads and impacts: Dropped pans, tools, or other heavy objects, and furniture or appliances resting on a small area, can crack a tile or its grout. Impact and point-load damage is not a construction defect.

• Where different materials meet: Different materials expand, shrink, and shift by different amounts, so wherever they meet the joint moves. Common spots are tile meeting a tub or shower pan, a countertop meeting its backsplash, inside corners and other changes of plane, tile meeting trim or cabinets, floor tile meeting walls or thresholds, and exterior joints. Rigid grout cannot flex and will crack at these spots, so they should be filled with flexible, color-matched caulk — and that caulk needs to be renewed periodically as normal homeowner maintenance.

Maintenance, not a warranty event: Cracked grout, cracked or separated caulk at corners and tub/tile joints, and worn sealer are homeowner maintenance. The fix is to regrout, reseal, and recaulk as needed.

Practical maintenance tips:

• Inspect grout and caulk in showers, tubs, and wet areas regularly, and fix gaps promptly so water does not get behind the tile.

• Recaulk tub-to-tile joints, shower corners, and countertop-to-backsplash joints with a flexible, mildew-resistant caulk (silicone or a siliconized sealant rated for kitchens and baths) when it cracks, shrinks, or pulls away.

• Reseal cement-based grout periodically with a penetrating grout sealer, following the product directions; sealing slows staining and water absorption.

• Rake out and replace small sections of cracked grout with matching grout; replace a cracked tile with a spare from the same lot when possible.

• Clean with pH-neutral cleaners; harsh acids and bleach can break down grout and sealer over time.

• Use felt pads or wide bases under heavy furniture and take care with heavy objects on tile floors.

• Keep yard drainage flowing away from the foundation and water the soil around the house evenly in dry seasons; that helps limit the soil swings that move the slab.

The one exception: Under Warranty §2(b)(U), cracks in or damage to ceramic, porcelain, or stone tile, grout, or setting materials are excluded unless an evaluation determines the cracking is a direct result of structural settling of the foundation that does not meet the Warranty’s Performance Standards for Major Structural Components. If you see wide or growing cracks that run across several tiles in a line, along with other signs such as sticking doors, new drywall cracks, or uneven floors, submit a Warranty Claim so the condition can be evaluated.

• Preferred request path: Buildertrend homeowner portal

• Questions and emergencies: Llano at 806-392-9912

• Notice Address: Llano Construction Company LLC, Attn: Warranty Admin, 402 SE 6th Street, Amarillo, TX 79101

• Emergencies: Subcontractor first (home contact list), then notify Llano at 806-392-9912

• Coverage periods: 1 year workmanship · 2 years delivery systems · 6 years major structural

• Transferable?: No — original purchaser only

• Unresolved defect claims: Texas Property Code Chapter 27 + Warranty §5

• Punch list vs. warranty: Final walk-through cosmetics go on the written punch list before Closing. After Closing, covered conditions are Warranty Claims under the Warranty — not a second punch list.

• Homeowner maintenance: Filters, interior caulk, drainage and grading, landscaping clear of the foundation, humidity control, and manufacturer care are your ongoing responsibilities and can affect coverage.

• Unauthorized repairs: Changes or repairs by others without Llano’s prior written authorization can void coverage for the affected system and related damage; Llano will not reimburse unauthorized contractor charges.

• This FAQ summarizes the Warranty for convenience. The signed Contract Documents control; read the full Llano Express Limited Home Warranty (2027 Edition) for performance standards, exclusions, and procedures.