New Roof - Warranty or Pay Less W/ No Warranty?

Don't skimp and go cheap. You go cheap, you get cheap. There is a reason they are installing these roofs with no warranties.... someone, somewhere is being paid under the table and you will pay the price in the long run.

If you are going to do something... do it right the first time. OR, you'll pay much more than all the $$ you saved to have it re-done again and again.

Warranty! Let some have said, what happens if the roof leaks? What happens if they don't finish the job, don't properly cover the roof and it rains? Let me tell you what happens, your roof will leak!

Your neighbors are not dealing with the very reputable roofing company, they are dealing with their employee who has a side job on the weekend. That is who they are dealing with. Also, what if they fall off your roof? Do they have their own workers' comepnsation? I bet not!

Not worth the risk!

GET a warranty.

Roofing, is a major investment and nothing to skimp on.
It is not like getting a refrigerator.
It is a major part of a home's structure.
If you get a leak or some other imperfection, later discovered in your roofing, you will not have a "warranty" to cover it.
Nor the longevity or not, of the roofing materials or failure of it.

Installers putting in a roof are one thing. Then there is the actual materials and integrity of it. And depending on what kind of roofing you are getting and any waterproofing needed as well.

And, unless you know construction and are ON the rooftop as they are installing the roof, you will NOT know, if they are doing a good job or skimping on materials.

Warranty!!! If they are doing it on the side-there is no recourse if something goes wrong and the roof starts leaking!!

WARRANTY!!!!

The company being reputable doesn't matter, when you're getting a deal on the side. You aren't getting the job done by the company. You're getting the job done by people USING the company's name, to make cash on the side. I'm sure a "reputable" company would fire those people immediately, for making money on the side roofing. How can you be sure that they are doing the same quality?? They don't have the company to protect. They don't have a reputation to protect. They won't get in trouble, if it's a shoddy job. It's not the company installing your roof. It's PEOPLE. There is NO protection, on any level. If they don't finish the job, no protection. If they do a sub-par job, no protection. If they roof has problems after weather or other events, no protection. If the roof starts leaking, no protection. What I'm trying to say, is NO protection!!!

I would not get a major home repair without a warranty. Ever. These things tend to come back to bite you.

The other problem with using the workers without going through the company is that they very likely do not have their own workers comp insurance. If they fall off the roof and hurt themselves or put a nail through their foot you are liable for their injuries. So not worth it!!!

I'd rather find a way to pay the extra hundred on my monthly payments now with warranty, rather than 10-15K up front in the future w/no warranty should an accident or emergency occur.

Warranty. I get my BIL, now ex-BIL a job doing our roof... cause I was a sucker and I was cheap :(
He did it, and I had it re-done 2 years later. Why? cause he lied and didnt know very much about roofing, he was lazy, and when he was done he tried to sue me for slipping and hurting his back coming down a ladder. However, my entire family was their helping and NO ONE saw him slip and fall, for that matter, the man never carried a bundle up to the roof my brother and father did it. LOL so with that kinda ammo against him, his lawsuit failed.

I suggest that if the savings would be a few thousand dollars that they are using a lower grade of shingle then you would get if done by the company its self.

Also the warranty is more than the shingle quality. It is also for the workmanship.

I had a leak in the valley of my house. Turned out to be caused by a clogged gutter but still the company came out to diagnose the problem and if it had been the valley they would have repaired it. Later when I had a new roof put on I learned that there is a better way to do the valley and if I'd had a problem unrelated to the gutter the company would've redone the valley.

I had a home warranty on our home in AZ. There was a problem with the roof and the home warranty covered it. The price for a home warranty was less than $500 and well worth it. You might be able to get a home warranty that would cover the roof. I think it was American Home Shield.

Bottom line if you decide to go without a warranty is to be sure that you're getting the same quality of shingle that you'd get with a warranty.

Personally, I'd go with the warranty.

I thought all shingles were guaranteed for some number of years. The more you pay the more years of warranty you receive. I would imagine the warranty would be between you and the company for the material. I doubt any shingle company is going to pay for the labor of a repair. With that being said what are you gaining by hiring a contractor and not someone doing it on the side? Bonded and insured employees.

Frankly if I were in your shoes I would get more estimates from reputable companies until you find the right one. There can be such a wide range in estimates and I swear you learn something new from each and every contractor you speak to so the more estimates the better.

ANYTHING that costs 10k-30k needs a warranty.... unless you're doing the work yourself and are competant to fix your own mistakes or problems down the line.

Also... check with your homeowners insurance and local licensing. Some homeowners insurance will not cover a roof if you get one under the table. In our area (even if you do the work yourself) you have to get a license (and usualy pay $1500+) for any work that costs over 4k to build, and you won't get approved for the work if *someone else* is doing it unless they're licensed, bonded, insured. The fines alone from building without the proper permitting (part of why a company is more expensive, when they're doing the permitting for you) will more than cost you what you save.

Get the warranty otherwise they'll use cheaper materials, rush through it to get to bigger jobs, and not do as good of a job, ensuring that you will have a problem down the road you but will have no recourse without putting in more money.

I have a relative who just had their roof done with no warranty and they're no better off for it. They have been plagued with squirrels, bats, leaks and more after getting an entire new roof put on. Unfortunately it was shotty work, and there were places left open and exposed despite the complete tear off and replacement. Now they're stuck with a big extermination bill, many trips to the hardware store to try to remedy the problem on their own, ias they have no more budget to have a professional fix it.

As long as they you installing it as they would a normal job you will be fine. You would be amazed at how little the warranty actually kicks in. More than anything it is because something was done wrong on the install. So if you are confident they are not going to cut corners there is no reason not to save some money.

We have a good friend (private contractor) that does roofs. I believe the biggest difference is in the # of years the shingles are warranted for...not the company that installs them. His roofs have warranties because the shingles have warranties for 25, 30, etc. years