What Is A Roofing Contractor Warranty?

Hiring a trustworthy roofing contractor requires initial effort on your end, including learning about their installation warranties. Their warranty and customer service policies say a lot about their company, pride of craftsmanship, and ethics. 

And, while you may be excited to know your top-quality roofing materials come with 25, 30, or 40-year warranties, those don’t hold up if a materials manufacturer can prove the issue was due to installation or maintenance errors.

What Does A Roofing Contractor Warranty Cover?

Warranties from a roofing contractor differ from company to company, so pay attention to the terminology they use and get everything explained in writing before you sign the contract. 

Here are some of the most common warranty terms used in the roofing industry:

Standard manufacturer’s warranty

This term refers to the materials used to build the roof, including the roof deck, waterproofing materials, flashing, gutters/downspouts, shingles or metal, etc. Manufacturers typically offer warranties lasting anywhere from 10 to 40 years, depending on the product. Those warranties are separate from a contractor’s warranties. However, standard manufacturer warranties almost always depend on installation from a licensed roofer and adherence to their recommended maintenance for the duration of the warranty terms. 

Read the manufacturer’s warranties carefully. For example, the product may be warrantied for ten years, but the fine print could reveal that shingle damage is only warrantied via a prorated scale. So, it doesn’t necessarily mean everything is replaced or repaired for free. Just as a roofer’s workmanship warranty covers their mistakes, manufacturer’s warranties largely exist to cover any material failures or weaknesses. So, for example, it won’t necessarily cover roof damage after a storm with record-breaking wind speeds.

Extended manufacturer’s warranty

This warranty is offered by the manufacturers and costs extra, but that investment is often worth it. We can talk to you about whether or not it makes sense for you. It extends both the standard and workmanship warranty (see next). These warranties are a partnership because manufacturers only offer them if you use a contractor on their list. 

Their trust in a roofing contractor means they know the roof will be installed correctly, minimizing the risk of roof materials failure due to installation errors. Again, homeowners pay for this warranty extension, and it’s usually only available when investing in a complete roof replacement rather than repairing a section or replacing a single roof component.

Workmanship warranty

This warranty is offered by the roofing contractor and covers their installation work. Nobody’s perfect, so occasional mistakes are made while we do our best to build and install error-free roofs. Our workmanship warranty ensures customers that we’ll repair anything that was our fault completely free of charge. Like a manufacturer’s warranty, this may depend on your ability to prove the roof was routinely maintained. 

The length of these warranties depends on the company. Some may offer standard 10-year or 20-year warranties, and others may provide warranties for the roof’s lifetime. For longer warranties, roofers typically require that they perform the annual maintenance tasks to ensure that, in addition to professional installation, the materials/work are supported by continued professional-quality workmanship.

There are things not covered by a workmanship warranty, including:

• Damage from an unusual or extreme storm unrelated to the quality of materials or workmanship.
• Repairs or replacement of roofing materials replaced by someone else after the original roof installation.
• Harm or issues caused by foot traffic or activity on the roof.
• Leaks or repairs as the result of fallen limbs or other debris.

Reasons A Roofing Contractor Warranty Is Essential

Here are some of the reasons why learning more about a roofing contractor’s warranty terms is essential when choosing the best roofing contractor for the job.

It says a lot about the company’s practices and ethics

When you’re hiring any contractor to perform work on your home you want to verify they are:

• Currently licensed.
• Insured.
• Bonded. 
• Experienced (the most trustworthy roofing companies have been at it for at least five to ten years, proving their expertise and commitment to customer service).
• Appreciated by recent and former clients (references). Remember that with remodeling contractors, recent clients are the best resource for how they perform. With roofing clients, it’s wise to speak with recent and historic clients to ensure their roof stands the test of time!

In addition, learn more about their customer service and warranty policies. If a company doesn’t offer a warranty, steer clear. This means they don’t stand by their work and are probably doing rush jobs to get the money and move on. You’re looking for companies that offer warranties for at least 20 to 25 years.

High-quality roofing materials

A roofing contractor isn’t going to offer worthwhile warranties if they use cheap materials or installation shortcuts. So, the fact that a roofer has been in business for a while and offers a desirable warranty is a sign that they use high-quality materials and stand by their installation practices. 

They typically offer maintenance programs 

Roofing contractors know that annual roof maintenance is critical for roofs to last for their projected lifespan. We mentioned above that roofing materials manufacturers offer strong warranties, but those are only good if the homeowner proves a licensed roofing contractor installed the roof and the materials were maintained as per the manufacturer’s instructions. 

While DIY aficionados can perform some things (and make sure to document what you did!), most roofing maintenance tasks and repairs are best performed by a professional roofing contractor. Contractors that offer warranties may also offer membership in a maintenance program where they perform annual or bi-annual inspections and basic maintenance tasks. 

It saves you money on repairs and replacements

Quality of materials and installation means you’ll spend far less on repairs and roof replacements over the lifetime of your home. That’s something to celebrate.

Remember that many of these warranty programs require registration. So, if you fail to register the product in your name at your address, you probably won’t qualify for the warranty benefits. Also, they don’t usually transfer to a new homeowner if you sell it.

Central Bay Roofing Stands By Our Work With Roofing Warranties

Are you looking for a licensed, reputable roofing contractor who stands by their work? Schedule a free consultation and estimate with Central Bay Roofing. We’ve provided quality workmanship for residential and commercial clients throughout the Bay Area for more than forty years. We offer some of the best roofing warranties in the area.