Builder contracts, state forms, warranty and punch list
Builder Contracts, TREC Forms, Warranties and Inspections on New Construction in Sienna
Updated October 2026
Should I get an inspection on a new construction home in Sienna?
Settle in writing, before you sign, whether and when your own inspector may see the house, because the Texas Real Estate Commission's resale form is not for new homes sold by a builder, it publishes a separate New Home Contract for homes the builder has not finished, and a builder may require its own form, all true in October 2026.
Yolanda Ames, Houston Properties Team, Sienna
Source: Texas Real Estate Commission page for the One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale) form, October 2026.
Which contract does a new Sienna home sell on?
A new home sold by a builder goes on a different contract from a resale. The Texas Real Estate Commission calls its One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale) the most frequently used contract form, and its page for that form rules out new homes sold by a builder.
For a house still under construction, TREC publishes a New Home Contract (Incomplete Construction). Its page says the form is used where the builder has not yet completed construction, and adds that unless an exception applies, the requirements apply to all proposed real estate transactions. An exception sits inside that rule, so ask a license holder or an attorney whether it reaches your contract.
A builder may also require its own contract form. TREC has no jurisdiction over builders, and TREC's own answers say an employee of a new home builder needs no license to sell that builder's houses, so the person in the model home works for the builder.
It is not for use for condominium transactions, new homes being sold by a builder, or farm and ranch properties.
Can you bring your own inspector to a new Sienna home?
That turns on the contract you sign. A house nobody has lived in comes without the seller's disclosure notice, so the price sheet, the contract and the warranty are the whole written record, and any access you want for an inspector belongs in those papers.
Before you sign, ask the builder in writing whether your inspector may see the house, at which points in construction and before closing, and how the builder will answer what the inspector reports. Read the answer in the contract itself rather than in a description from the sales office.
What happens if a defect turns up after you move in?
The written warranty covers what it says, for as long as it says. Read what is covered, how long the coverage lasts and how a claim is made before you sign. TREC regulates agents rather than builders, and points a buyer whose warranty repairs never came to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, the Better Business Bureau or a private attorney.
Behind the warranty sits Chapter 27 of the Texas Property Code, which treats a person selling a new home it built as a contractor. A buyer with a defect claim sends written notice by certified mail at least 60 days before suing, describes the defects in reasonable detail and hands over evidence such as expert reports and photographs. After that notice, the builder may inspect up to three times within 35 days and make a written settlement offer within 60 days.
The contract must print the chapter's notice in boldface, and a clause waiving that chapter is void. Keep every report and photograph of the house in one file from the first day, since that evidence is what a notice relies on.
What does TREC say about using its forms?
TREC's list of its contract forms says real estate license holders are required to use these forms. The same list warns that mistakes in using a form can bring financial loss or leave a contract unenforceable.
TREC also says it cannot give the public legal advice on private contractual matters, and tells anyone obtaining its forms for a possible transaction to contact a real estate license holder or an attorney for assistance. Give a builder's own form the same clause-by-clause reading.
Mistakes in the use of a form may result in financial loss or a contract which is unenforceable.
What else should be in writing before you sign with a Sienna builder?
The price sheet, every incentive the builder is running that month with its conditions, the full contract and the warranty document itself. Add the notices to purchasers for the utility district and the levee district, which a buyer signs before the contract binds them or at closing, and the section's deed restrictions.
Read the utility district's bond balance closely. Each notice lists the bonds its voters approved and the amount sold, and warns that a district may levy an unlimited rate to repay approved bonds. MUD 6 had sold about $116 million of $625.3 million by its notice, and MUD 7 $3.95 million of $496.7 million.
The developer lists 2026 dues of $1,580 a year for homes in the non-gated neighborhoods and says townhome and duplex assessments vary and should be checked with the builder. Confirm the campuses through Fort Bend ISD's attendance lookup, and run it again near closing if a boundary vote is under way.
Questions & answers
Sienna questions, answered
Should I get my own inspection on a new construction home in Sienna?
Settle it in writing before you sign. A new home sold by a builder goes on the builder's terms. The Texas Real Estate Commission's resale contract is not for new homes being sold by a builder, TREC publishes a separate form for homes not yet completed, and a builder may require its own form. Ask whether your inspector may see the house, at which stages and before closing, and read the answer in the contract itself.
A house nobody has lived in comes without the seller's disclosure notice, so the price sheet, the contract and the warranty are the whole written record. Whatever access you want for an inspector belongs in those papers. After closing, a defect claim against the builder runs through Chapter 27 of the Texas Property Code. A buyer sends written notice by certified mail at least 60 days before suing, describes the defects in reasonable detail and hands over evidence such as expert reports and photographs. Keep every report and photo of the house in one file from the first day.
Which TREC form covers a Sienna home the builder hasn't finished?
The New Home Contract (Incomplete Construction). The Texas Real Estate Commission says this form is used for new homes where the builder has not yet completed construction. Its page for the form adds that unless an exception applies, the requirements apply to all proposed real estate transactions. An exception exists in that rule, so ask a license holder or an attorney whether it reaches your contract.
TREC's list of its forms says real estate license holders are required to use them, and warns that mistakes in the use of a form may result in financial loss or a contract which is unenforceable. A builder may require its own contract form instead, and TREC's own answers say an employee of a new home builder needs no license to sell that builder's houses. TREC cannot provide legal advice to the public on private contractual matters.
Can a Sienna builder sell me a new home on the standard resale contract?
The Texas Real Estate Commission's page for its One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale) says the form is not for use for new homes being sold by a builder. It also excludes condominium transactions and farm and ranch properties. TREC calls the resale form its most frequently used contract, so expect a different document when a builder is the seller.
For a house still under construction, TREC publishes the New Home Contract (Incomplete Construction). A builder may also require its own contract form. Either way, read the warranty document itself and the full contract before you commit, since a home nobody has lived in comes without the seller's disclosure notice.
What do I do if I find a defect in my new Sienna home after closing?
Start with the written warranty: it covers what it says, for as long as it says, and it sets out how a claim is made. Behind it sits Chapter 27 of the Texas Property Code. A buyer with a defect claim sends the builder written notice by certified mail at least 60 days before filing suit, describing the defects in reasonable detail.
The notice comes with evidence such as expert reports and photographs. After that notice, the builder may inspect up to three times within 35 days and make a written settlement offer within 60 days. The chapter treats a person selling a new home it built as a contractor. Texas requires a boldface Chapter 27 notice in a contract subject to the Residential Construction Liability Act, and a clause waiving that chapter is void.
Who can help if my Sienna builder won't make warranty repairs?
The Texas Real Estate Commission regulates agents and has no jurisdiction over builders. It points a buyer whose warranty repairs never came to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, the Better Business Bureau or a private attorney. Read the warranty document before you sign so you know what is covered, how long the coverage lasts and how a claim is made.
A defect claim that heads toward court runs through Chapter 27 of the Texas Property Code, which has the buyer send written notice by certified mail at least 60 days before suing. The builder may then inspect and make a written settlement offer.
Will TREC review my Sienna builder contract for me?
No. The Texas Real Estate Commission says it cannot provide legal advice to the public on private contractual matters. It tells anyone obtaining its forms for a possible transaction to contact a real estate license holder or an attorney for assistance, and warns that mistakes in the use of a form may result in financial loss or a contract which is unenforceable.
A builder may require its own contract form rather than a TREC form, and TREC has no jurisdiction over builders. Give a builder's own form the same clause-by-clause reading, with the warranty document, the price sheet and every incentive's conditions beside it.
