Most all manufacturers offer warranties on their products, roofing products are no different. What is different about roofing is many of our products are mandated to be installed in a specific fashion dictated by the manufacturers themselves. The consequences of ignoring these specifications are not only leaks and other problems but failure to follow their instructions could void the warranty!
Enter the workmanship warranty. Most established roof contractors know their business and as such should be comfortable offering their customers a worry-free roof, including covering any and all mistakes or omissions that can happen during installation. Even the best roofer can make mistakes but if you did your homework, and even if the mistake doesn’t surface for years, you’re covered even if the mistake voids the material warranty!
To Err Is Human…
Understanding is all that is required of the homeowner should a mistake or fault in materials happen. To combat mistakes in either the materials or installation, your roof contractor should be offering a material warranty AND a workmanship warranty. This way, no matter what, the homeowner is covered and they will get the roof they paid for.
Manufacturers Warranty
The material or manufacturers warranty will cover the materials used in your roofs construction should any faults be discovered. These vary from brand to brand but as they are provided by the manufacturers themselves, rarely vary from roof contractor to roof contractor. Be sure you are familiar with all the materials warranties that comes with your roof.
Workmanship Warranty
The roof contractor’s workmanship warranty is the most important warranty a roof contractor can offer. As roof installation is performed by humans, this is when mistakes generally occur. A workmanship warranty will protect you from these errors in installation or workmanship and help ensure a quality installation versus a contractor that doesn’t offer such a warranty.
Roof contractors that offer workmanship warranties typically will insure it for a year or more (with some, like Atlanta Roofing Specialists offering 10 year workmanship warranties). Unlike a material warranty that could be for 20 years or more, the length of a workmanship warranty isn’t as important as the intent and ability of the roofer to honor the warranty. This is why you should read the fine print on any workmanship warranty offered by your roof contractor.
Ask questions of your roof contractor about their workmanship warranty. What does workmanship mean to them? How long is it for? What does the warranty actually cover? Does it cover damage to other parts of your home if the mistake causes a leak that damages throughout? How long have they been in business (a new contractor may not be around to service a 10 year warranty)? Read your warranty carefully and ask as many questions as you need to fully understand.
If the roof contractor you are considering doesn’t offer a workmanship warranty consider the risks and question why. A roof contractor that cannot guarantee their own work is one you should be wary about. Require a sufficient roof warranty and put your roof worries to rest!
In Metro Atlanta, Atlanta Roofing Specialists offers a 10 Year Workmanship warranty with every roof! For a free estimate call us today at 770-419-2222.