What should a roofing workmanship guarantee cover?

A workmanship guarantee covers how the work was done: coverings laid and fixed correctly, flashings dressed properly, details formed so water is shed. A material guarantee covers the product against defect, and comes from the manufacturer.

A long headline period often belongs to the material, not the labour. Ask which is which, because installation faults are the more common cause of problems.

The work covered should be identified specifically — this elevation, these details — not simply 'roof works'. The period should be stated with a start date. There should be a route to make a claim, with a named company.

If it transfers to a new owner on sale, that is worth having in writing too.

Storm damage, movement in the building, damage from third parties, and pre-existing defects elsewhere on the roof are commonly excluded, and reasonably so — a repair to one junction cannot guarantee the rest of a roof.

Watch for exclusions that undo the cover, such as excluding anything described as weather-related on a component whose whole purpose is to resist weather.

It depends entirely on the issuing company still existing and honouring it. That is why the legitimacy checks matter: identifiable company, verifiable address, trading history.

A modest guarantee from a traceable local firm is usually worth more than a long one from a company you cannot find later.

Keep the guarantee with the written scope, the invoice and the before-and-after photographs. Together they show what was done, where and when — which is what makes a claim straightforward, and what reassures a buyer when you sell.