How Sienna's Villa Handover Documents Work: Warranties, As-Builts, and Post-Completion Support

When you take delivery of a Sienna villa, you receive a defined document pack — a signed handover record, the as-built drawings, appliance and system warranties, and maintenance guidance — plus a named point of contact for anything that goes wrong afterward. The new-build villa warranty covers workmanship and installed systems, defects raised during the handover walkthrough are logged and remedied, and the on-site team handles post-move-in support in the language you bought in.

The Short Version

• At handover you receive a signed acceptance record, as-built drawings, and warranty documentation for installed systems and appliances.
• Structural and workmanship coverage sits under Dominican contract and civil-code obligations; appliance and equipment coverage follows each manufacturer's terms.
• Defects found during the walkthrough go on a punch list (snag list) and are fixed before you accept, or logged with a fix date if you accept with conditions.
• Post-move-in support runs through the on-site team, with multilingual contact in English, French, Spanish, and German.
• Keep every document — the as-builts and warranty pack matter for maintenance, insurance, and your eventual resale.

What Documents Do You Actually Receive at Villa Handover?

You receive a handover pack that proves the villa was built to contract and gives you what you need to maintain it. Think of it as the villa's operating manual plus its legal paper trail.

The core villa handover documents include:

• Signed handover / acceptance record — dated confirmation that you took delivery, with any conditions noted.
• As-built drawings — the final plans showing what was actually built, including where pipes, cabling, the cistern, and the wastewater system sit.
• Warranty documentation — coverage terms for workmanship and for each major installed system.
• Appliance and equipment manuals and warranties — from the manufacturers.
• Systems guidance — how to run and service the water, solar-ready electrical, and drainage systems specific to a hillside villa.

Keep the whole pack somewhere safe and scan a digital copy. You will reach for the as-builts the first time a plumber needs to find a shut-off valve, and a buyer's lawyer will ask for them years from now at resale.

What Is an As-Built Drawing, and Why Does It Matter?

An as-built drawing is the final record of what was constructed — not the original design, but the version reflecting every change made during the build. It matters because tropical, sloped sites rarely finish exactly as drawn.

Why the "as-built" differs from the design plan

On an El Jamito hillside, foundations, drainage runs, and tree setbacks get adjusted on site to work with the actual terrain. Column foundations that preserve mature roots, for instance, may shift a few metres from the paper plan — an approach covered in our piece on column foundations on sloped terrain. The as-built captures where things ended up.

Practically, the as-builts tell you and any future contractor:

• Where water, electrical, and wastewater lines run before anyone digs or drills.
• The cistern's exact location and capacity for servicing.
• Load-bearing walls versus partitions if you ever renovate.

Without accurate as-builts, routine maintenance turns into guesswork. With them, a service call is faster and cheaper.

What Does a New-Build Villa Warranty Cover?

A new-build villa warranty covers defects in workmanship and installed systems for a defined period, while appliances follow their own manufacturer terms. The two layers work together but are not the same thing.

Structure and workmanship

Coverage for construction defects sits under your purchase contract and Dominican civil-code obligations that hold builders responsible for latent and structural defects. A cracked render, a leaking roof detail, or a door that won't seat properly is a workmanship matter — logged, then remedied.

Systems and appliances

The distinction matters when something fails. A pump that dies is a manufacturer claim; a pump installed incorrectly is a workmanship claim. The on-site team helps you route each one correctly rather than leaving you to chase suppliers yourself — part of the broader owner support described in our Sienna amenities and community guide.

Keep every warranty card and the dated handover record together. A warranty claim usually turns on two things: proof of the delivery date and proof the item was covered. Your document pack is that proof.

How Are Defects Handled at Handover?

Defects are logged on a punch list during your walkthrough, then fixed before you accept — or accepted with a documented fix date. Nothing gets waved through verbally.

The handover walkthrough

Before you sign the acceptance record, you (or your representative under power of attorney) inspect the villa room by room. Every issue — a chipped tile, a tap that drips, a window that sticks — goes on the punch list. Our handover inspection checklist walks through exactly what to test, from water pressure to door alignment.

Accepting with conditions

You have two clean options if something isn't right:

1. Fix first, then accept — items are remedied and re-checked before you sign.
2. Accept with conditions — you sign, but outstanding items are listed with agreed completion dates, so your acceptance doesn't discharge the obligation.

Buying from abroad? You don't need to fly in for this. A trusted representative can inspect and sign under a power of attorney — the mechanics are covered in our guide to remote closing with power of attorney. What you should never do is sign a blank acceptance without a documented punch list.

Who Do You Call After You Move In?

After move-in, post-completion support runs through the on-site team, reachable in English, French, Spanish, or German. You get a named contact rather than a generic inbox.

Post-move-in support in practice

For an owner who is in Las Terrenas only part of the year — the reality for most of the 6,000+ international residents from 20+ countries who live here — remote responsiveness is the whole point. A warranty is only as good as the person who picks up when your caretaker reports a leak while you're back in Montreal or Munich.

The on-site team coordinates:

• Warranty claims and defect fixes within the coverage period.
• Routing manufacturer claims to the right supplier.
• Scheduling access for repairs when you're away.
• Preventive maintenance on shared systems.

This is where the multilingual, turnkey model earns its keep: one point of contact who logs the issue, assigns it correctly, and closes the loop — rather than four separate suppliers in a language you don't speak.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a new-build villa warranty in the Dominican Republic?

Workmanship and structural coverage derive from your purchase contract and Dominican civil-code obligations for construction defects; appliance coverage follows each manufacturer's separate term. Read your specific contract for the exact periods, and keep the dated handover record — coverage windows run from delivery.

What happens if I find a defect after I've already accepted the villa?

If you accepted with conditions, listed items remain the builder's obligation until fixed by the agreed date. Defects that surface later are assessed against your warranty coverage and routed through the on-site team. This is why a documented punch list at handover matters — verbal promises leave no paper trail.

Do I have to be in Las Terrenas to take handover?

No. A representative can inspect and sign the acceptance record under a power of attorney. Insist on a full walkthrough and a written punch list either way, so your acceptance is informed rather than assumed.

Why do the as-built drawings matter for resale?

A future buyer's lawyer and inspector will want accurate records of what was built and where the systems run. Complete as-builts and a clean warranty history make your villa easier to due-diligence — and easier to sell.

The Bottom Line

At Sienna handover you get a signed acceptance record, as-built drawings, layered warranty coverage, and a named multilingual contact for whatever comes after — with defects logged and remedied rather than waved through. Keep the full document pack: it serves you at maintenance time, at insurance time, and at resale. To see how the handover and post-completion support work in person, book a Discovery Tour in Las Terrenas.