Florida's construction defect statutes give homeowners up to seven years of legal exposure against your business. The builders who survive that window are the ones who documented everything. We help you do that.
Most builders believe their exposure ends when the one-year warranty expires. It does not. Florida law creates multiple overlapping windows of liability — and most builders are not adequately protected against any of them.
From the date of substantial completion, builders are exposed to latent defect claims for up to 7 years — regardless of whether the one-year warranty has expired.
Once a defect is discovered, the homeowner has 4 years to file a claim. The clock starts at discovery — not at construction.
Before filing a construction defect lawsuit, the homeowner must provide written notice. Builders have the right to inspect and offer a remedy — but only if they have documentation.
Any violation of the Florida Building Code that causes damage creates strict liability for the builder. No negligence needs to be proven.
The most common reason builders lose warranty disputes is not the defect itself — it is the absence of documentation. Without a paper trail, even a legitimate defense becomes difficult to sustain.
HIRAM AI is the patent-pending warranty management platform built specifically for the residential construction industry. It automates the documentation, tracking, and resolution of warranty claims — and creates the immutable audit trail that protects builders when claims arrive.
Every inspection, claim, photo, and communication is recorded on a blockchain-backed ledger. Time-stamped. Tamper-proof. Defensible in court.
HIRAM AI guides homeowners through structured claim submission — capturing the right information, in the right format, from the first contact.
11-month inspections, 2-year systems checks, and annual asset protect inspections are tracked and triggered automatically — no manual follow-up required.
Pre-drywall, pre-pour, pre-roof, and pre-closing inspection records are stored and retrievable at any point during the 7-year exposure window.
Builders, inspectors, subcontractors, and homeowners each have a role-specific view of the warranty record — with appropriate access controls.
When a claim arrives, your HIRAM record is your first line of defense. Documented work, documented inspections, documented responses — all timestamped.
The Residential Construction Performance Guidelines (RCPG) published by the National Association of Home Builders establish the nationally recognized standard for residential construction quality. Warranty Shield's program is built on these guidelines — and our CMI® team includes an NAHB RCPG Co-Chair.
Builders enrolled in the Warranty Shield RCPG compliance program receive documented alignment with national standards — creating a defensible quality record that reduces both defect frequency and claim exposure.
Most construction defects originate at the subcontractor level — not from builder negligence, but from inadequate trade standards and absent documentation. The Warranty Shield subcontractor program addresses the problem at its source.
Subcontractors enrolled in the Warranty Shield program are reviewed for license status, insurance coverage, and prior claim history before assignment.
Each trade receives documented quality standards specific to their scope — framing, roofing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and more.
Critical phases require inspection sign-off before the next phase begins. This creates a documented chain of accountability at every stage.
Subcontractors have access to Warranty Shield's Education Center covering Florida Building Code updates, RCPG standards, and defect prevention.
Schedule a consultation with Scott Zellak, CMI® to discuss your current warranty exposure, your documentation practices, and how Warranty Shield and HIRAM AI can reduce your risk — before a claim arrives.