Video: Understanding Your Roof Warranty

SANTA ROSA — Host, Sarah Rutan: A roof warranty can be a valuable asset, but if you don’t read the fine print, you might be disappointed when it’s needed. Today we’re in Santa Rosa with Diamond Certified Expert Contributor Nathan DuCharme of Capstone Roofing to learn more.

Diamond Certified Expert Contributor, Nathan DuCharme: Yeah, I think the biggest thing homeowners don’t understand is the warranties. They used to be a 30, 40, and lifetime. They quit making the 40-year. What used to be a 30-year warranty — they call it a lifetime roof. What that means is the first ten years it’s labor and material. If the roof was defective, you’re covered. But you get to year 15 — if the roof fails, then they just prorate the cost of the shingles.

You have no labor and no other materials covered, so it’s a very small warranty. So, most people don’t know that. So, if you have a certified contractor do the job and do it a certain way, you should be able to get 100 percent labor and material, up to 50 years, as long as you own that property. If you sell that property in the first 20 years, it is transferable, which is a plus if you’re selling to someone or if you’re keeping it in the family.

It doesn’t cost that much more to get an extended warranty. You buy the warranty from the manufacturer for the homeowner. It’s probably, I wouldn’t say, more than ten bucks a square, so an average job — 30 squares. It’s going to be anywhere from $300 to $400 — somewhere in there depending on the job.

Host, Sarah Rutan: To learn more from local, top rated companies, visit our Diamond Certified Expert Reports at experts.diamondcertified.org.