What’s the difference between a Warranty and a Guarantee?
There is a huge difference when it comes to Roofing Guarantees and Warranties.
Warranties are always “limited” and exclude many aspects of the overall project. Limited warranties are written by the manufacturer of the product, and only cover the product against “manufacturing defects”.
What’s wrong with roofing warranties?
The big problem, however, is most service calls are not caused by manufacturing defects, they are due to improper installation methods.
Manufacturers’ warranties can provide a false sense of security because most consumers only concern themselves with the length of time the warranty is in place. For example, shingles may come with a 50-year limited warranty, and most consumers assume this means their shingles will last 50 years. Since the homeowner doesn’t plan to live in the home for more than 50 years, they feel that this is more than adequate coverage.
But, what they fail to realize is that not EVERYTHING is covered during that 50 year period.
What isn’t covered by a roofing warranty?
The 50-year warranty is only from the manufacturer against manufacturing defects in the materials. Remember, the manufacturer is not responsible for installing your roof. They are only providing the shingles, so you cannot expect them to stand behind the installers work. And they won’t.
How do roofing contractors work around this?
For this reason, some companies may offer a “split warranty”, meaning you will receive a limited warranty from the manufacturer of the materials, and a separate labor and workmanship warranty from the installer.
Is a Split Warranty effective or just more tricks?
The obvious problem with a “split warranty” is that the manufacturer will usually blame the installer, and the installer (if you can find him) will usually blame the manufacturer, leaving you stuck in the middle of the fight and unable to get your service request addressed.
What should I be looking for, if not long warranties or split warranties?
A true Guarantee.
Why are roofing Guarantees the better choice?
A true Guarantee is not limited and doesn’t exclude things from coverage like a limited warranty does. Roofing Guarantees are unlimited and cover all aspects of the job including materials, labor, workmanship and installation.
Put simply, if you have a true Guarantee, that means that whatever the problem, you’re covered, no restrictions, no conditions, and no fine print.
When you have a problem, you simply call the company and they come and fix it, no charge. When choosing a company, you should always insist on seeing the actual Warranty or Guarantee documents up front.
What usually happens during a sales transaction?
Most salespeople simply say “Don’t worry you have a 50-year warranty”, but fail to provide the actual warranty documents until the day of completion. At this time, most homeowners file these documents away in a safe place and rarely read them…Until something happens down the road. Then they pull out those documents and are disappointed to find out that there are exclusions from coverage and loopholes that their salesperson never explained.
What should I do when hiring a roofing contractor?
Insist on a roofing Guarantee rather than a Warranty, it may cost a little more but you will be truly protected and so will your investment.
For the best Guarantee and satisfaction level in the industry, give Pro Home Improvement a call today at 888-776-1998. We will ensure you get the best installers, the best materials, and the absolute best guarantee anywhere.