Every roofer promises a guarantee. Far fewer can explain, in one sentence, what theirs actually covers. The word does a lot of heavy lifting in this trade, so here’s the plain breakdown of the two very different things it can mean — and the questions that separate real cover from a sales line.
Materials guarantees: the manufacturer’s promise
When you hear “20-year guarantee” attached to a product — EPDM membrane, tiles, membrane underlay — that’s the manufacturer promising the material won’t fail by itself. It’s real, but narrow: it covers the product, not the installation. If a 20-year membrane leaks in year three because it was fitted badly, the manufacturer owes you nothing. Material guarantees also usually require the product to have been installed to spec — another reason installation quality is everything.
Workmanship guarantees: the roofer’s promise
This is the one that covers how the work was done — the laps, the fixings, the flashings, the detailing where most real-world failures happen. It’s only as good as three things: it being in writing, its length and exclusions being stated, and the firm behind it still existing when you need to call. A verbal “don’t worry, we guarantee everything” fails all three tests.
The questions that reveal the truth
Ask any roofer: Is the workmanship guarantee written into the quote? How many years, and what’s excluded? What happens if the fault is storm damage rather than workmanship — and who decides? Straight answers to those tell you more than any badge on a van. Ours are written down on our guarantee page, which doubles as a checklist when you’re comparing firms.
Where insurance-backed guarantees fit
An insurance-backed guarantee (IBG) covers the gap neither of the above does: the roofer ceasing to trade. An insurer stands behind the workmanship guarantee if the firm that gave it disappears. Worth understanding for bigger jobs — we’ll cover IBGs properly in a follow-up post.
Keep the paperwork
Whatever guarantees come with your job, keep the written quote, the final invoice and any guarantee documents together. If you sell the house, some guarantees transfer to the new owner — a genuine selling point — but only if the paperwork exists.
Want the guarantee conversation before the work conversation? Fine by us — get in touch and ask away.