Burrard Roofing & Drainage Inc. provides commercial roofing, residential roofing, drainage, and renovations services all over Burnaby, New Westminster, Vancouver, Port Moody, Coquitlam, North Vancouver and West Vancouver. We offer this list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to provide home and business owners answers to questions about roofing products and warranties and other important information for anyone looking into getting a new roof.
What Should I Look For In A Roofing Warranty?
There are two basic kinds of coverage that you should ask any contractor about: these are coverage against material defects and coverage errors caused by workmanship.
Why Are Burrard Roofing and Drainage Warranties Important?
A new roof is a significant investment that often involving thousands of your hard-earned dollars and lasts for 25, 30, 40 years or more. Knowing what your warranty covers up front could save you significantly if you ever encounter any problems with your roof.
How Does Coverage Against Material Defects Work?
In our experience, most roofing products come with a warranty against material defects, although your exact coverage will vary depending on the brand. For example, a typical shingle warranty will cover material defects for a period ranging from 20 to 40 years or more. Warranties on other components of your roofing system can vary from as little as a few months to several years. It is important to be aware that coverage against material defects is provided by the manufacturer. This is one reason it is important to select a brand from a reliable manufacturer, who are more likely to be in business for as long as you own your roof—which could be several decades!
What Are The Chances Of Having A Problem With My New GAF Roof?
Because our GAF roofing is the product of a state-of-the-art manufacturing process, the odds of encountering a problem with a new GAF roof are about 1 in 1000! On the other hand, while serious problems with GAF roofing materials are rare, should a serious problem arise, they can be costly to repair, even as expensive as the original cost of the roof. So though the risk of having a problem is low, the cost if you do have a serious problem can be high.
What Is GAF's "Smart Choice® Protection Period"?
GAF's warranties come with special provisional coverage called the Smart Choice® Protection Period that covers you against material defects during the critical early years of your new roof. During this period, in the event that you experience a material defect on covered components, GAF will provide you with 100% replacement materials and the reasonable cost of labor to install them. This is important because some roofing warranties may only provide replacement materials, but not the labor to install them.
What Is The GAF Smart Choice® System Plus Ltd. Warranty?
The GAF Smart Choice® System Plus Ltd. Warranty provides coverage against material defects for all major GAF components on your roof (not just your shingles)—so you'll have the peace of mind of knowing that should any covered roofing component fail, it will be covered by the warranty (consult the ltd. warranty for complete coverage and restrictions). The warranty is available through GAF certified contractors, and it is a low-cost way to get up to 50 years of non-prorated coverage (against material defects) on your new roofing system.
What About Problems With Installation?
GAF's studies indicate that more than two-thirds of the problems that people experience with their new roofs are due to the contractor's workmanship—not the roofing materials. This is an important distinction to keep in mind when deciding on warranty coverage.
How Do I Get Coverage Against Workmanship Errors?
Many roofing contractors provide their own warranty against errors in workmanship, sometimes for as long as ten years or more. It is important to remember that this coverage is only good for as long as the contractor remains in business. Too often, roofing is a "high turnover" occupation with the majority of roofing contractors out of business within five years—far less than the life of your new roof—making the warranty worthless and leaving you with nowhere to turn in the event that you have a workmanship problem.
Are There Any Manufacturers Who Will Cover The Contractor's Workmanship?
Until recently, there were no manufacturers that provided warranty coverage against errors in the contractors' workmanship. Recognizing this obvious need, GAF introduced the Golden Pledge® Ltd. Warranty—the first manufacturer's warranty to cover both material defects and the contractor's workmanship (see ltd. warranty for complete coverage and restrictions). Whether or not your contractor remains in business, GAF will stand behind his workmanship up to 20 years! The Golden Pledge® Ltd. Warranty is available only through GAF Master Elite® Contractors, who are factory-certified by GAF. The warranty even includes an inspection by GAF's independent inspectors after your new roof has been completed to insure proper installation. It is the strongest, safest warranty available in roofing today. Your Master Elite Contractor can provide a price for the warranty when he gives you a quote for your new roof.
How Do I File A Claim If I Have A Material Defect On My GAF Shingles?
Before you proceed, if possible you should locate a copy of your GAF warranty and a copy of the contractor's invoice, contract, or original estimate. You will also need to provide the date applied, proof that you were the owner when the shingles were installed (or that the warranty was properly transferred to you), the number of squares applied (1 square = 100 square feet), and the date applied. Then call our Warranty Service Department toll-free at 1-800-458-1860, and let us know the nature of your complaint.
Have a question that isn't addressed in these FAQs?
If you have a question not featured in our FAQs, do not hesitate to ask our roofing Burnaby team! We are happy to address any questions so contact us anytime!
Delivering impressive results for homes and businesses throughout the Lower Mainland and other British Columbia communities since 1978, our company brings the benefit of experience and knowledge to every project we take on. We feel it is important to provide you with all the necessary information to make important decisions related to buying a new roof. We are approved by the Better Business Bureau and green certified by GAF for our commitment to eco-friendly, and sustainable practices. Our company carries Master Elite Contractor status, a designation only given to the top 3% of contractors in North America. Learn more about our company by exploring our site, where you can read client reviews and sample our services in our gallery of photos.