Default rule and exceptions
Texas's Residential Construction Liability Act (Property Code Chapter 27) requires the homeowner to send the contractor written notice of the defect at least 60 days before filing suit, and gives the contractor 60 days to make a settlement offer.
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Contractor | Responsible for correcting genuine construction defects; gets a statutory chance to inspect and offer repair/settlement before being sued in states like Texas |
| Homeowner | Send a written notice/demand letter describing the defect at least 60 days before filing suit (Texas RCLA); comply with any similar notice-and-cure statute in their state |
| Exceptions | None on record |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Sep 29, 2026.
Chapter 27 of the Property Code, also known as the Texas Residential Construction Liability Act (RCLA), encourages homeowners and contractors to resolve disputes before going to court.
At least 60 days before filing a lawsuit, the homeowner must send the contractor a written notice/demand letter describing the defect... After receiving a demand letter, the contractor has 60 days to make an offer of settlement to the homeowner.
City rules rest on state law. Read Texas's sidewalk statute, quoted verbatim, or see all 50 states in one table.
Common questions
Who pays for liability: contractor did defective work, must they fix it in Nationwide, TX?
The party at fault. Responsible for correcting genuine construction defects; gets a statutory chance to inspect and offer repair/settlement before being sued in states like Texas
What is this based on for Nationwide, TX?
This verdict is sourced to Construction Defects: Consumer Protection Guide and 2 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- Construction Defects: Consumer Protection Guideofficial-guide · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-29
- Construction Defects: Consumer Protection Guide (RCLA notice requirement)official-guide · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-29
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