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What Does a Roofing Contractor’s Workmanship Warranty Cover?

January 13th, 2021 | 5 min. read

What Does a Roofing Contractor’s Workmanship Warranty Cover?

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Are you researching potential roofing contractors in your area? Do you keep seeing the phrase “workmanship warranty”?  

If so, what exactly is it? What does it cover? Does a roofing contractor need to offer one? Here, you’ll learn all this information plus what it means to your roof and how long of a warranty you should look for. 

The team at Bill Ragan Roofing has been repairing and replacing all roof types in the Nashville area since 1990. We do everything we do to protect your roof investment with our workmanship and the warranties we offer. That’s why if you ever have a problem, we have a problem. 

A contractor’s workmanship warranty is crucial to every roof investment. To educate you further on this important aspect of getting a new roof, I’m going to break it down for you. 

What does a workmanship warranty cover? 

Every roofing contractor should offer a warranty on their workmanship. This warranty is in place to protect you from careless or lazy work that leads to needing repairs or a full roof replacement

Be aware, a workmanship warranty doesn’t cover the roofing materials themselves. It only covers anything that has to do with the installation process. 

This means if your roofing materials fail because of improper installation, then your contractor is on the hook to fix the problem. Never hire a roofing contractor if they're not willing to stand behind their work. 

Be warned, a contractor’s workmanship warranty is only as good as the paper it’s written on. That’s why you should always hire a contractor that is known for great customer service and a history of proper roof installation. 

To help with your research for potential roofing contractors, read this article on the 4 ways to find a local roofing contractor

How long does a roofing contractor’s workmanship warranty last?

As long as the materials on your roof hold up, so should your contractor’s workmanship. But that doesn't mean all roofing contractors stand behind their work for the life of your roofing materials. 

With that in mind, the length of workmanship warranties varies from contractor to contractor. They usually go from 2, 5, 10, or 25 years. Some companies even give lifetime warranties. 

You can even purchase a workmanship warranty through the manufacturer of your shingles. After your new roof is installed, they’ll stand behind the workmanship for 25 years. 

What does the length of a workmanship warranty mean to you?

Now you know how long a workmanship warranty can last. But what does that mean to you?

Knowing how long a contractor stands behind their work helps you understand how much protection you’ll have on your new roof.  It also tells you a lot about the potential roofing contractor you’re thinking about hiring. 

The longer they stand behind their work, the more confidence you’ll have that the job will be done right. If a roofing contractor trusts the quality of their workmanship and uses correct roofing techniques, they should have no problem providing you with a lifetime warranty or close to it. 

On the other hand, if a contractor takes shortcuts or uses cheaper materials, they’ll offer a warranty that’ll expire just before the cracks in their workmanship or cheap materials start to show. For example, a company that relies heavily on caulk will give a two-year workmanship warranty because the caulk will fail within a couple of years.

Just because a roofing contractor doesn’t offer you a lifetime warranty doesn’t mean they're a bad company. However, it’s crucial to hire a roofing contractor that has some kind of long-term protection on their workmanship. 

How long of a workmanship warranty should you look for?

With a new roof being an investment, you want to have as much protection as possible. But how long of a workmanship warranty should you look for when hiring a roofing contractor? 

To get the most out of your roof investment, it’s crucial to hire a contractor that offers a lifetime warranty or close to it (25 years). This protects your roof investment and gives you peace of mind for a couple of decades.

Be aware, a lifetime warranty doesn’t cover your roof for your lifetime. A lifetime warranty from a contractor only covers the lifespan of your roof and its roofing materials. 

Even if you can’t find someone with a lifetime warranty, you need to find a roofing contractor that offers some sort of long-term protection on their workmanship. But if a contractor isn’t willing to stand behind their workmanship, don’t even think about using them for your roof replacement. 

To learn more about what a lifetime warranty can do for your new roof, read this article on what a lifetime warranty means to you

What else do you need to know about hiring a roofing contractor?

You now have all the important information about a workmanship warranty you’ll need. Remember, you should always look for one who offers a lifetime warranty or something close to it.

What workmanship warranty they offer is just one thing you need to know about hiring a roofing contractor. But there’s still more information you need to hire a great one.

If you don’t hire a quality roofing contractor from the beginning, you’ll end up spending even more money on repairs or even another roof replacement well before you should need one. No one wants or needs that stress in their life. 

To avoid that stress, we’re going to give you all the questions you should ask potential roofing contractors to help you find a reputable one in your area. 

The team at Bill Ragan Roofing has provided high-quality roofing services in the Nashville area since 1990. We take extreme pride in our workmanship and are proud to offer you a lifetime warranty. If you’re local to Nashville, don’t hesitate to contact us for all your roofing needs. 

To help you avoid the stress of getting stuck with a bad company, read this article Top 8 Questions To Ask A Roofing Contractor.

roofing contractor questions checklist

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