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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.

As a prospective home owner that is looking to hire a contractor to build his dream house, you probably do not spend much time considering the methods and techniques that your home building contractor employs on your home.

You are most likely picturing your home and the new space you will have to live in. You can imagine the layout you have dreamed of coming to life before your eyes. You may even be able to envision your family gatherings and the wonderful times you will have entertaining company in your newly built castle. If you have a high quality builder, they are spending much time thinking about the different techniques they must employ to ensure that you will be able to do all that entertaining for years to come without having to deal with the unpleasantries that come from a poorly planned build.

What Problems Will Proper Ventilation Prevent?

Homeowners are often concerned with making sure their windows are weather-tight and they are well insulated to prevent the escape of heat or cool. Most home owners do not take into consideration the problems that poor ventilation can cause.

• Mold – When moisture is unable to escape properly from a home, mold and mildew form quickly. This is not only a hassle to clean constantly, but it is unsanitary.
• Shortened Roofing Life – Poorly vented roofing will not last nearly as long as properly vented roofing. The heat from underneath will cause shingles to curl and deteriorate before they should and that will cost the home owner money sooner than it should.
• Insulation Deterioration – When moisture can not escape, insulation will get wet. This not only contributes to the mold and mildew that we mentioned, but the insulation will not do its job well. It will also wear out more quickly. Again, we are looking at it hitting your wallet much sooner than it should.

Don’t Defeat Your Own Efforts

Spending much time and money on the best-sealing windows, water proofing your foundations, putting weather sealant on your doors, doubling your insulation, and choosing the best siding and roofing products to keep the heat in the winter and the cool in the summer will all be undone if you do not have proper ventilation. While most home owners do not spend much time considering this aspect it is worth discussing with your builder.

A good builder will have considered all of this already and will not be offended by the fact that you question him about it. He may even bring it up before you do. Find out what type of ventilation will be used and how effective it is. Decide if you need to upgrade your ventilation or if the standard amount will be sufficient in your home. For the efficiency of your home heating and cooling, as well as keeping future maintenance costs to a minimum, there is no substitute for properly ventilating your home.