Warranties are written guarantees issued by a manufacturer to the buyer of their product that promise to repair or replace the purchased item if it should have a faulty function or incur damage within a specified time. They are offered for a variety of products, including machinery, electronics, luggage bags, and roofing is not an exception. Getting warranties for roofing will grant an extra sense of security, as well as provide a baseline of knowing the value of the roofing that has been installed. The larger the amount required to be paid for warranties – especially in the case where it is bought separately from the actual roofing, the greater the value of the type of roofing.
As with all legal documents, it is easy to get lost in the jargon and fine print of what the warranty actually does for you, especially without a legal or business background. Make sure to sit down with your roofing supplier, or the accredited warranty supplier giving the warranty and make sure you completely understand what you are getting from the warranty. Even the same warranty given by the same company can be very different from that of another company, thanks to the details in the fine print.
There are 3 main types of roofing warranties available in the market, which we shall take a deeper look into:
NDL (No Dollar Limit) Warranty
This is also referred to as a ‘Total System Warranty’. An NDL warranty covers for all the roofing material provided by the manufacturer as well as all labor carried out by the contractor installing the roofing. This warranty structure has a no-dollar limit when it comes to replacing materials in repair or the labor required to carry out said repairs, and is taken up by the manufacturer or an affiliated organization working on the manufacturer’s behalf.
To earn an NDL warranty, the roof installation must be according to the manufacturer’s instruction and specifications. It must then pass an inspection, after which any faults are corrected. This cycle continues until there are no more faults detected. Once that is confirmed, the warranty can be issued. The warranty lasts an average of 10 to 30 years, based on the type of roofing that has been installed.
Product Warranty
Product warranties are also known as ‘Manufacturer Material Warranties’. As implied by the name, this warranty guarantees that the material used by the manufacturer to make the roofing will not fail within a given period of time. This means that the manufacturer covers only the maintenance of the roofing material for the agreed time (usually around 25 years). The owner will have to cover costs for all other factors that would go into getting repairs and replacements done; such as adhesives used or finishings, or the labor costs incurred from the work done. Despite not covering costs of labor or utilities, this is still considered one of the more popular roofing warranties.
Labor Warranty
A labor warranty is also referred to as a Workmanship or Installation Warranty. A workmanship warranty is intended to protect against any faults arising from poor or improper installation of the roofing. This is done through the warranty covering any incurred costs in labor, including materials essential for the repairs and maintenance. It should be noted that labor warranties typically do not cover for defects caused by non-labor related factors, such as water damage, impact, weather conditions (ice dams), or alteration after installation by a different contractor than the one who first installed the roofing.
The cost of securing a warranty varies form one company to another. It’s therefore advisable to assess several options when picking your warranty provider, and fortunately, there are many to pick from. Some even offer tailor-made warranties, which tend to be longer, although at extra cost. A great course of action is to have the manufacturer of the roofing connect you to contractors they have as partners since they (most likely) have package deals when it comes to materials, labor, and the warranties that follow. This makes it much easier to save on time and costs from working with several different groups/organizations. Take your time to ask questions and seek opinions, and only settle with a warranty structure that works for you.