Low-slope roofing guarantees

Reading the fine print
Long-term roofing guarantees may include language limiting the manufacturer’s liability should something go wrong. For example, the guarantee may become void if the building is sold. This means the buyer will not have a roofing guarantee, even on a roof that is fairly new. Most top-of-the-line roof guarantees are transferrable, but can be costly.

One should determine if maintenance is ‘recommended’ or ‘required’ by the guarantee. If it is the latter, the guarantee should state specifically what needs to be done and how often it should be completed. A record of every repair and inspection should be kept to show that required maintenance has been performed. Often, professional roofing contractors will offer the property owner a maintenance program. On large projects, these contracts can take a lot of pressure and liability off the building management team. Manufacturers of high-end roofing products may offer guarantees of up to 35 years or more, depending on product specifications.

Some roofing manufacturers claim that more than two-thirds of the new-roof problems experienced by property owners are the result of poor installation. Therefore, many manufacturers do not cover workmanship. Similarly, some manufacturer’s guarantees pay for the replacement materials, but not the labor to install them.

One should see if the roofing contractor offers a separate guarantee to cover errors in workmanship. It is important to select the roofer carefully, as the guarantee on workmanship is good only as long as the contractor stays in business. One should hire a roofer with a long track record who will be around and fix future problems, and ensure the contractor is licensed from the Registrar of Contractors or similar department in the state.

Filing hard copies and/or electronic receipts for materials, the contractor’s invoice, and the contracts or original estimates offsite is good practice in case of flood or fire damage. This paperwork will be necessary if one has to file a claim against the guarantee.

Types and lengths of low-slope roof guarantees
‘Standard guarantees’ are legally referred to as ‘limited material guarantees.’ These guarantees limit manufacturer liabilities because they only cover the cost of the roofing membrane itself. The terms typically run 10 to 12 years and are prorated after the first service year. These documents have many exclusions and are not transferable if the building is sold.

The following are some exclusions listed directly from a sampling of real-world, ‘standard’ low-slope roofing guarantees:

1. Maximum liability is the original cost of the roof system—10 percent for each subsequent year, or eight percent annually for 12-year guarantees.
2. Membrane color fading is not covered under standard guarantees. This can be a serious issue on highly visible roofs.
3. A standard materials-only guarantee on a 500-square (i.e. 4645-m² [50,000-sf]), 1.1-mm (45-mil) thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) membrane is worth about $652 after 10 years. Roof replacement is about $53,000.
4. The standard limited warranty does not offer coverage of the flashings, seams, adhesives, sealants, coatings, or workmanship.
5. As stated above, lack of maintenance, vandalism, use of non-certified contractors for repairs, and other events may void the roof guarantee.

The next guarantee up-the-ladder in terms of quality and cost is the ‘integrated roof system guarantee.’ This guarantee also covers roofing material defects, but there are some important differences between it and the standard roof guarantee.

For example, the integrated roof system guarantee covers not only the roofing membrane itself, but also all roof accessories, including insulation. Guarantee lengths are available for up to 20 years, are not prorated, and cover 100 percent of original material and labor costs. The guarantee is also transferable to the next owner, but a regular maintenance program offered by a manufacturer-certified contractor is required.

Like the previous guarantee, the next program on the hierarchy covers materials and workmanship defects on the complete roofing system. Again, this guarantee is non-prorated and covers 100 percent of original material and labor costs. The cost of labor to install the replacement roof is also included, allowing this guarantee to feature additional requirements—including a factory inspection. Regular roof maintenance is again required, and the guarantee is transferable. Coverage rates may be limited to $100 per square (i.e. 9.3 m² [100 sf]) for asphaltic membranes and $300 per square for thermoplastic (i.e. thermoplastic polyolefin [TPO] and polyvinyl chloride [PVC]) systems.

This top-of-the-line roof system guarantee includes all the benefits of the guarantees previously listed, but the term of the guarantee is extended to 35 years or even more.

For example, if the original replacement contract of $45,000 TPO roofing project swells to a 35-year replacement cost of more than $126,000, all material defects and/or installation errors are covered at their full replacement cost 35 years later.

Obviously, these costly guarantees do not make sense for the majority of roofing projects. However, on a newly constructed building with a lifecycle of at least 100 years, this guarantee offers tremendous value to property owners planning to occupy the building indefinitely. One should remember this guarantee is fully transferable—creating an even greater value for the property owner if a future sale is in the offing.

Low-slope roofing system guarantees do not have to be confusing if the system manufacturer has organized its guarantee offerings into a comprehensive series of ‘good, better, best, and very-best’ programs.

“Contractors and manufacturers sometimes do not put enough thought into the promises they make about their products,” concludes Catherine E. Wilson, an attorney with Goldman Sloan Nash and Haber LLP in Toronto, Ontario. “Therefore, specifiers or their legal representatives should carefully study the guarantees that affect their customers most.”

Michael Russo is the former editor of Roofing/Siding/Insulation magazine and has reported on the roofing industry for 35 years. He is a regular contributor to Roofing Contractor, Western Roofing, Professional Roofing, Multi-housing News, and various other construction-related publications. Russo can be reached at mrusso1983@zoominternet.net.