# What is your labor warranty?



## River_Roofing (Apr 14, 2008)

How long is the labor warranty in your city, county or state? 
Here in Arizona we are only required 2 years. 
Funny when home owners tell me that joe blow roofing is offering a 10-30 year warranty, and I'm just offering them 2 years. I have to break the news to them that is the manufacturer warranty, not the roofers. Some get it and others don't. 
A HO house was re-roofed four years prior to me giving her a estimate for a re-roof, and said they offered her a 10 year warranty on labor and materials. 
Asked her why was she calling me than, her answer they are no longer in business. 
Go figure


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

1 year warranty is required


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

1 year warranty is required


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

I have never been faced with finding out "legally" how long I must warrant my work, but the Oklahoma standard is 1 year....a while back, while having a conversation with my attorney, he basically said if a job is not completed in a "workman like manner", then there is no time limit per say. 

I have never actually asked if I am libel for labor say, a few years later, if the material is defective. If someone calls and has a problem, I never look to see when we did the work, we just take care of it, if it was part of our work....that builds good referrals.


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## Mr. D (Jun 7, 2006)

michigan is 18 months.


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## dougger222 (Jan 29, 2004)

30 year labor warranty on about 500+ roofs and counting. 

My Dad has offered the same warranty on thousands of roofs.

We have never been in a court room to find out about the 30 year warranty, actually never been in a court room for anything.

Keep in mind shingles won't last even 20 years in most cases and in MN we get hail every 5-10 years and home owners jump from house to house a lot.

Got one approved on Thursday, three year old house getting it's third roof. At that rate you only need a one year warranty.

Last week got a call on a huge chimney that leaked. Within two hours had two men on the roof with ice and water, shingles, step flashing, dormer flashing, and riglet. Re-did the whole thing after the home owner asked how much it would cost. Did the roof four years ago. Did his two brothers roof also so figured had to step up to the plate to keep my name looking good with the family.

Call backs can happen it's how fast you deal with it that really counts.


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## Mr. D (Jun 7, 2006)

your 30 year warranty didn't cover the leaky chimney you just did 4 years ago? seems that if your have to redo roofs in 4 years there are some ventilation issues that need addressing. do you advise the customer of this or just keep them wondering how come a 30 year product doesn't work?


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## dougger222 (Jan 29, 2004)

The chimney repair was free of course. The shingles were in great shape, Landmark Heather Blend to be exact. No venting issues, just a leaky chimney. The metal flashing failed, sort of strange.

Paid two guys three hours each to fix it plus driving time. 

If something we did caused a leak on that roof 12 years from now it will be a free repair.

Haven't had a blow off in 4 years, 200+ roofs.

Certainteed covers my workmanship for half my warranty, 15 years.


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## genecarp (Mar 16, 2008)

1 year


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## dougger222 (Jan 29, 2004)

Mr. D said:


> your 30 year warranty didn't cover the leaky chimney you just did 4 years ago? seems that if your have to redo roofs in 4 years there are some ventilation issues that need addressing. do you advise the customer of this or just keep them wondering how come a 30 year product doesn't work?


Wow, you really missed a lot, read my whole post please, LOL!!!

Redo roofs in 4 years??? Keep them wondering??? 

Please...

Bet you are just bent out of shape with MI's horrible economy. Got work??? LOL!!!


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## Mr. D (Jun 7, 2006)

You mentioned that you redid a roof you did 4 years ago. If the ho just wants to keep up with the jones' then more power to them. good job upselling on a warranty call. not trying to start somethin. i just haven't learn how to put vocal demeanor into my typing. sorry. 

im doing great in michigan. lots of work up here in vacationland.


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## dougger222 (Jan 29, 2004)

I did the roof four years ago. The roof we tore off was 15+ years old. It was out in the country and from the roof top you couldn't see another roof. The roof was in ok shape they just didn't like the color, 30sq hip roof 4/12. After telling them the roof was good for an easy 5 more years they still wanted it replaced. The husband and wife both had good jobs.

Did his roof first then his two brothers roofs after that. One had hail damage the other had wind damage.


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## Slyfox (Dec 22, 2007)

3 years is what i offer.
If my workmanship is going to fail it will do so with in that period, anything later in the years than that is material deteriation, storm damage, etc.

I also include one free inspection during that time frame, usually one year from the day of completion, some home owners ask me to wait until the third year tho, and i do.
Any missed workmanship issues would be caught at that time.


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## River_Roofing (Apr 14, 2008)

Not trying to start a pissing contest here, just curious of other states, city requirements. 
I've gone back on a job that I did 7 years after a small leak at no charge due to a/c seal cracking out. 
Also been in business since 1980 with no complaints on our license. 
Slyfox: Is that your warranty or the states requirement? 
The HO called the registar on the company that offered a 10 year warranty and they told her that the state only offers two years and anything above that she would have to call company and or lawyers to get the rest.


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## Slyfox (Dec 22, 2007)

River_Roofing said:


> Not trying to start a pissing contest here, just curious of other states, city requirements.
> I've gone back on a job that I did 7 years after a small leak at no charge due to a/c seal cracking out.
> Also been in business since 1980 with no complaints on our license.
> Slyfox: Is that your warranty or the states requirement?
> The HO called the registar on the company that offered a 10 year warranty and they told her that the state only offers two years and anything above that she would have to call company and or lawyers to get the rest.


 
Ohio is just one year i believe, not posetive.
Three has always been what i offered since I started in 94'.
I don't believe one year is a long enough time frame to 'time test' workmanship.


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## Lou the roofer (Sep 2, 2008)

i do not remember the PA requirements but i offer 8 year warranty.


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## tinner666 (Nov 3, 2004)

Taillight on some, 5 years on most. 1 rain on some repairs. Just depends. I did one last month and told the HO the warranty ran out when I stood up from my task. I meant it too.


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## r.schwank (Mar 19, 2009)

Well this is my first post on this board, so try to avoid tearing me a big one...

The company I work with is currently only offering a 1 year warranty on labor, but we're moving to a 5 year warranty in the near future. As it stands, the company has had a pretty good experience with the work we've performed. Other than one cluster bomb of a disaster last year on an apartment complex that made a major customer walk away, we've not had any problems with the quality of our installations, so we've decided to go to offering a 5 year warranty of the installation as a way of distinguishing ourselves from the local competition. Also, since the business is Hispanic owned and operated, we always have to overcome image issues among HO related to the fly by nighters that use illegal immigrants, and we think this will help assuage their concerns. 

On the apartment cluster-bomb, I should explain we honestly had zero to do with the customer complaint. What happened is that we worked as a subcontractor for a GC remodeling an apartment complex, and we did a good job, the PO was happy. A year later, the property owner wanted to remodel another apartment complex, so he called up what he thought was the original GC, only it wasn't, it was another outfit that used a name so similar it can’t be told apart easily. They went in and did a terrible job on the 2nd site, which led to the property owner being understandable upset, and complaining to the original GC (thinking it was him on the 2nd site) and ourselves, because we were in their records as the sub on the first site, which of course came as a huge surprise to everyone in both our companies. It took forever to straighten everything out with the PO, and we still ended up with bad blood in place (we never could completely convince the PO we had nothing to do with the 2nd job.) 

The current delay in offering the warranty is actually putting together a document that lays out the terms for the warranty in such a way as to protect the home owner's interest without leaving us liable if something they, or another contractor, decide to do would compromise our installation, or unknown at the time material defects cause the installation to fail prematurely. I have an attorney buddy of mine drawing something up that gives a fair warranty to both sides of the deal, without leaving us holding the bag for someone else’s mess.

Anyway, my post actually does have a question to go with it: Does anyone have any suggested terms for the warranty? I would appreciate any advice you could give. I want to make sure this document covers all the angles because I'm binding my organization to the warranty, and I don't want to leave us open to exploitation of the agreement. 

Thank You


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## Lefty H (Mar 19, 2009)

Hi,

5 year written warranty on new roofs. That is for legal reasons. 

If the problem is my fault I fix it whenever. 

Repairs are according to the repair. Sometimes like Tinner. As soon as I get up it is up.


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## Walason (Jan 7, 2009)

I'm in upstate , NY. I have been in the business of roofing exclusively for almost twenty years, and frankly, I've never even heard of a state or county requirement for the time frame for a contractor labor warranty. I provide, in writing a five (5) year workmanship warranty. There is another local contractor who is quite a big shot, and gives ten (10) years, but he doesn't return calls when he has failures. I know this because we frequently get his customers calling for repairs. We would offer a longer warranty, but I want to make sure I am still doing roofing in more than five years, and due to health reason only, I may not. No matter what the case if our work fails, we fix it. No matter when they call. Referrals, and good will are huge profit builders!

I hope this helps. [email protected]


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