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The time to review your contractor’s warranty is not when the project has been completed. Many home owners will not even ask about the warranty until the job is done. It is wise to ask your contractor to allow you to review his warranty before signing any contract. Many contractors include it as part of their original contractor’s agreement.

If you are like most people, you have little or no idea what should be included in the warranty. You just know that if it’s broke, you do not want to pay to have it fixed. The warranty should tell you exactly what “it” is and under what conditions you will have to pay to have it fixed.

Contents of the Contractor Warranty

Every warranty is different, which is why you must carefully review each one. They will differ for renovations versus building a new home. Obviously, a simple renovation will not require as complex a warranty as a newly built home. Any warranty should specifically express the work that has been done and the quality grade, if not the brand, of material that was used, or that the materials were provided by the homeowner in such cases.

The warranty should indicate:

• Workmanship that is covered
• Materials that are covered.
• Time period over coverage (although there is no set time period, many contractors warranty a two year period, however that may be much higher for a brand new home)
• The date the warranty begins
• Which party is responsible for permits
• That the homeowner will be held harmless from any and all liens that may arise from the project

What will the Warranty NOT Cover?

A large portion of the warranty will consist of what the warranty will NOT cover. Some of the items that you can expect not to be covered are:

• Loss or damage not reported by the homeowner within six month of discovery
• Damage because of defective design
• Damage caused by installation or materials provided by the homeowner
• Secondary loss or damage such as personal injury or damaged property
• Normal wear and tear
• Damage from normal shrinkage within building standards
• Damage from poor ventilation within the existing structure
• Damage caused by alterations performed by parties other than the contractor
• Damage caused or increased by a homeowner’s negligence or ignorance
• Damage caused by acts of God
• Anything that homeowner’s insurance would otherwise cover
• Anything caused by the soil conditions, assuming the land was obtained through a third party

Again, much of the warranty will indicate what will not be covered by the contractor. If you take the time to review the warranty along with the contract before you sign it, this will give you an opportunity to discuss and negotiate with the contractor. It will also give you an opportunity to seek the council of an attorney if you feel it is beyond your ability to decipher it. However, once you have signed you no longer have the ability to amend any portion of the contract or warranty.