Construction Warranty Types: What Are Contractors Responsible for — and for How Long

If you are interested in what are contractors responsible for – this is the right article for you. There are two categories of construction warranties. Firstly, implied warranties, are the bare minimum that any newly built structure should exhibit. Secondly, explicit construction warranties are clearly written and agreed upon by both parties.

An implied warranty covers the quality of workmanship and habitability. The contractor must ensure that the structure is free of major defects to fulfill this warranty

For the habitability implied warranty, the structure should be suitable for living in, working in, or for whatever purpose the building was built for

Implied warranties are typically a one-year correction period.

Explicit Construction Warranties

The first type of explicit warranty is a materials and/or equipment warranty. This contract would state that the structure will be built with a certain grade or quality of materials, will be constructed properly, and the construction will be executed according to the design intent of the project.

A second explicit warranty is termed a call-back warranty, where the property owner has one-year to contact the contractor for any part of the project that doesn’t perform correctly. 

What Are Contractors Responsible For?

Both parties explicitly state the duration of the following warranties in the contract and uphold them as legal documents in court. How long the following warranties last will be explicitly stated in the contract.

Design-build warranty 

Ensures that the architectural or engineering and design of a structure will meet the standard of care. It is intended to hold those responsible for the design and performance of a structure to a certain level of professionalism.

Vendor warranty

The construction materials manufacturer or distributor issues a vendor warranty with limited coverage and scope. For example, separate vendor warranties exist for home appliances, the building’s hot water and HVAC systems, and the roofing contractor. Home appliances, the building’s hot water and HVAC systems, and the roofing contractor have separate vendor warranties.