We all remember the line from Tommy Boy where the late Chris Farley discusses guarantees. While I don’t believe that guarantees are just something companies print on a bag to sell you a guaranteed bag of crap, I do believe that a good guarantee is essential!
If you spend thousands of dollars on a home improvement project, you don’t expect to spend hundreds of dollars to fix it only a couple of years later. In this, the 4th week of How to Evaluate a Home Improvement Contractor, we will take a closer look at what to look for when it comes to the Guarantee.
Guarantee
1. Guarantee vs Limited Warranty
- This is a big one, so pay close attention. A lot of home improvement contractor would like you to believe that a Guarantee and a Limited Warranty are one in the same. In reality though this couldn’t be further from the truth.
- A Guarantee is just want it sound like, a guarantee to fix, repair or replace any part of said product regardless of scope or time duration. Unless specifically noted within the Guarantee, your product will be fully covered for the duration of the Guarantee.
- On the other hand, as its name implies, a limited warranty is limited to just the specified parts, certain types of defects, or other conditions arising out of normal use. However since this can mean virtually anything the retailer decides, it is important to fully understand the meaning of “limited” before going ahead with the project. Often, this type of warranty will only cover parts and not the labor required to fully fix the problem. A limited warranty may also include the stipulation that the manufacturer and the consumer split the cost of repairs for a given period of time.
- Get the facts! Ask as many questions as your need to become comfortable with what the Guarantee or Limited Warranty covers.
2. Transferable vs Non-Transferable
- We all do home improvement projects because we want to make our homes a better place to live. Whether it’s a new garage door or a solar panel on your roof, we hope that these improvements outlast the time we will spend in the house. Sure we do home improvement projects for our own enjoyment but in the end we may decide to move. Return on Investment is something you should always consider when doing a home improvement project. Return on Investment is a mathematical formula used to calculate how much of your investment will you get back if you choose to sell your home in the future.
- When it comes to Guarantees and Limited Warranties, there is one small detail to pay close attention too…Transferable vs Non-Transferable. A Transferable Guarantee means that the next homeowner will enjoy the same coverage as you if you choose to sell your home.
- Home improvement projects can cost tens of thousands of dollars! Your home becomes very marketable if these projects are already done and a transferable guarantee only makes them more desirable.
- This is an easy one to figure out…just read the fine print, PERIOD!
3. Is Labor Covered?
- It is one thing to say your home improvement it is covered by a Lifetime Guarantee. It’s quite a different thing all to together to say your home improvement is covered by a Lifetime Guarantee including Labor! Many companies provide a Lifetime Guarantee or Warranty only to slap you with a large labor bill when you need service.
- Most reputable home improvement companies provide labor coverage for at least 2 years. We are far from perfect and installation mistakes happen. Lucky for you most of these issues are discovered within the first few months let alone the first 2 years. Like most things, simply reading the fine print will expose a better understanding of your ongoing labor coverage.
- In the end, get the facts! Labor to repair home improvement projects can be expensive. Make sure you have at least 2 years of FREE labor coverage for any home improvement project you do to your home.
We hope you have enjoyed this weeks blog article discussing how to evaluate a home improvement company. Next week we will take a look at evaluation point # 5, Service.
This article has been written by the publishing staff at Pure Energy Window Company. We are Family Owned and Operated replacement window company servicing all of Southeastern Michigan and Lansing. If you are considering replacing the windows in your home, give Pure Energy a call today. Call (844) 449-9990 or click on the link below to get started!
Free No-Obligation Consultation
Request your free no-obligation window replacement consultation with Pure Energy Window.
