Warranty roofing work: What you need to know
A new roof is a significant investment, usually costing several thousand euros. That’s why you want to be protected in the event of damage and a guarantee on the roof of up to 50 years sounds tempting.
But is there a guarantee for roof renovations at all? Builders often confuse the warranty for roof work with the manufacturer’s warranty on materials.
We will explain the differences and familiarize you with the most important regulations.
Warranty roofing work: What is the difference between a guarantee and a warranty
In normal usage, these two terms are often confused or mistaken for the same thing. There is no guarantee for roof work or roof renovation. In this case, one speaks of a guarantee.
In building law, a warranty means that the structure, in this case, the roof, is free of material and legal defects at the time of acceptance and corresponds to the contractual agreements. There are statutory warranty periods for construction work.
A guarantee, on the other hand, is given voluntarily by the manufacturer of a product. This ensures functionality over a certain period of time. Companies are largely free to design and formulate guarantees. These are often material guarantees for which a specific guarantee period is specified.
In the event of a warranty claim, the product in question must have been proven to have had a defect when it was handed over.
In the case of a guarantee, the defect can occur during the entire term. The conditions of the guarantee case are individually defined by the manufacturer and usually recorded in a guarantee certificate.
Warranty for roofing work: What deadlines apply?
The statute of limitations for claims for defects in buildings is regulated in the German Civil Code. Unless you have agreed otherwise with your roofer, the limitation period for buildings is five years.
A building is when something is newly built or complex renovation measures are carried out.
A warranty of two years is also possible for construction work. Construction work is work through which a building is constructed, maintained, modified, or removed. This could be the installation of skylights, for example.
For minor repair work, the warranty period can be reduced to one year. Therefore, read the contract from your roofer carefully before you sign it and pay attention to the small print.
Guarantee: The manufacturer’s voluntary performance promise
The roofer does not have to give you a guarantee on the materials used. The guarantee is a voluntary promise of performance by the manufacturer and is not required by law.
Manufacturers are largely free to design guarantees. The promise may also refer to individual parts of a product. For example, the manufacturer of roof windows can give a 10-year guarantee on the window and a 3-year guarantee on the associated electrical components.
Since guarantees are given voluntarily, the conditions vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. The warranty statement regulates in which case he is liable and in which not.
The warranty period also varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Below we have compiled regulations on guarantees from leading brands in the roofing industry and MeinDach partners for you.
What guarantee is there on roof tiles and roofing stones?
The leading manufacturer BMI Braas gives a 30-year material guarantee on all roofing stones and roof tiles. During this time, the producer replaces all roof tiles that demonstrably do not meet the requirements of the respective DIN standard.
Reparacion Tejados Burgos the Spanish roofing services provider also grants an additional guarantee on frost resistance. 10 years on all roof tiles.
The prerequisite is that the products are professionally processed and treated. The guarantee obligation can expire, for example, if the roof tiles are recoated and the surface is removed for this purpose.
The manufacturer gives a 30-year material guarantee on corrosion-protected roof panels made of galvanized quality steel. The guarantees include a 30-year guarantee against rusting through, material replacement, and free replacement (6 years).
Rheinzink is the world’s leading producer of titanium zinc and has an extensive range of roofing systems made from durable construction material from zinc. The manufacturer even grants a 40-year guarantee on its roofs and roof systems made of titanium zinc.
Warranty roofing work: What is the warranty on a slate roof?
Slate is a durable natural building material that can have a lifespan of 100 years or more if it is properly covered. In view of the long service life, a guarantee for a roof made of slate, which is defined in years, is dispensed with.
What is the guarantee of roof insulation?
Insulation specialist Isover is the only manufacturer to offer a comprehensive 30-year guarantee on its pitched roof insulation systems.
There is even a 50-year guarantee on the components that belong to the Vario system, such as sealants and adhesive tapes.
In the case of a warranty claim, Isover not only replaces the pure material value of the affected products or provides a replacement free of charge, but also assumes all costs associated with disassembly and reassembly up to a total of 30,000 euros.
The prerequisite for the guarantee is that all Vario system components are used and professionally processed by a trained specialist and that the airtightness is proven with a blower door test.
What is the guarantee for roof windows?
The manufacturer VELUX manufactures roof windows that stand for quality and reliability and offers excellent guarantees on its high-quality products.
VELUX offers a 15-year guarantee against the breakage of plastic frames and metal fittings. There is a 10-year guarantee on windows, flat roof windows, and skylights, with the exception of electrical components. There is also a 10-year guarantee on the covering frame, inner lining, and the tightness of the connections when installed according to the installation instructions.
VELUX gives a 3-year guarantee on electrical products, electrical components, and sun protection products with manual operating accessories. There is a 2-year guarantee on spare parts and blackout blinds.
What is the guarantee for roof drainage?
Well-functioning roof drainage is important so that rainwater can drain off the roof and not cause any damage to the house. The manufacturer Rheinzink offers tailor-made system solutions for the safe drainage of roofs.
