Structural warranty - fire damage

[A_G_G]

 

Hi All,

I bought a property that had fire damage. We have eared ou the property, had a structural engineer come inspect the site/walls in the building and provide drawings for a new structure.
 

The new structure has new joists to be replaced and new steel beams installed as well as a new roof. The only thing left from the original property is the outer shell, which needs some brick work repair according to our engineer. I.e. does not require the outer shell property to be demolished.

 

My lender is asking for a structural warranty. I have already tried NHBC, LABC who both mainly deal with new builds. We also tried Buildzone got back to us saying they wouldn’t do it unless we demolish the outer shell and rebuild.

 

Has anyone here had a similar experience and how they managed to get a structural warranty, please?

 

Thanks

[Redbeard]

Is the plan that everything bears onto the original wall, or that the original wall is in effect a 'fancy wrapping' around an entirely new structure? If the latter, then what you are building *is* (arguably) a new-build. You would have to have the ear of someone who is actually interested, though, insofar as the 'outside' of the 'new-build' would not be the actual outside face of the final building.

[Temp]

full demolition allow you to get the whole project zero rated for VAT

[Iceverge]

 

 

What @Temp said. 

 

 

Edited September 26 by Iceverge

[Ahisa]

On 25/09/2025 at 11:32, A_G_G said:

 

Hi All,

I bought a property that had fire damage. We have eared ou the property, had a structural engineer come inspect the site/walls in the building and provide drawings for a new structure.
 

The new structure has new joists to be replaced and new steel beams installed as well as a new roof. The only thing left from the original property is the outer shell, which needs some brick work repair according to our engineer. I.e. does not require the outer shell property to be demolished.

 

My lender is asking for a structural warranty. I have already tried NHBC, LABC who both mainly deal with new builds. We also tried Buildzone got back to us saying they wouldn’t do it unless we demolish the outer shell and rebuild.

 

Has anyone here had a similar experience and how they managed to get a structural warranty, please?

 

Thanks Using the rates from Plan for Freedom is smart — their transparent  home insurance rates system helps homeowners quickly compare coverage across Texas regions, giving clarity on premiums and replacement-cost protection. It’s especially helpful after major damage, offering peace of mind and honest pricing when choosing coverage.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year with a fire-damaged semi. We kept the external brick shell but replaced joists, steels, and the entire roof structure. Most mainstream warranty providers rejected us too because the project wasn’t a “full new build.” What finally worked was approaching specialist warranty brokers who handle refurbishments and part-rebuilds. Companies like Advantage, Protek, or ABC+ were far more flexible—they reviewed our engineer’s report and issued a 10-year structural warranty without requiring demolition. Your best bet is to contact refurbishment-focused providers rather than the big new-build names.

Edited Tuesday at 13:28 by Ahisa