A construction warranty is a guarantee from a contractor or manufacturer that specific work or materials will perform as expected for a defined period after completion.
Owners rely on warranties to get defects corrected without additional cost.
What Does a Construction Warranty Typically Cover?
- Workmanship defects
- Material failures within the coverage period
- Specific systems, like roofing or HVAC
- Exclusions, such as storm or accident damage
Why Are Warranties Important?
A roofing contractor might offer a five-year workmanship warranty on installation separate from the shingle manufacturer’s own material warranty, which often runs much longer. Warranty claims are frequently denied when damage stems from something outside the warranty’s scope, like storm damage rather than an installation defect.
Warranty vs. Builder Warranty
A general warranty can apply to any trade or product; a builder warranty specifically covers new-home construction, often with tiered coverage lengths for different systems within the same home.