What Warranties Should Your Contractor Offer?
- Jul 17
- 5 min read
What warranties should your contractor offer before you sign anything? It's a question most homeowners don't think to ask until something goes wrong — and by then the conversation is a lot harder to have. Understanding what a legitimate contractor warranty covers, what it doesn't cover, and what can void it before work begins is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself on a remodeling project in Cache Valley and Northern Utah.
The Industry Standard — One Year Workmanship Warranty
One year is the industry standard for a workmanship warranty in the remodeling industry and in Utah it's also the legal minimum required of licensed contractors. That's not a coincidence — it's the threshold at which most workmanship issues that are going to surface will actually show up.
Settling, finishing inconsistencies, installation problems — if something is going to fail because of how it was built, it almost always reveals itself within that first year. A one year workmanship warranty from a legitimate, licensed contractor with a strong track record is more meaningful than a longer warranty from a contractor who may not be around to honor it.
That said you'll occasionally hear about contractors offering five year, ten year, or even lifetime warranties. Those can sound attractive on the surface. But understand what you're paying for — a longer warranty requires a contractor to price their work higher to account for that extended liability. A contractor offering a lifetime warranty on everything without a premium price to match either isn't thinking through what that commitment actually means financially, or is using it as a sales tactic rather than a genuine guarantee.
One year backed by a legitimate licensed contractor is the standard. Know what it covers and hold your contractor to it.
What a Workmanship Warranty Actually Covers
Here's the distinction that matters most and the one homeowners most often misunderstand.
A workmanship warranty covers craftsmanship — not materials.
Think of it as a labor warranty rather than a product warranty. If something fails because of how it was installed, that's a workmanship issue and a legitimate contractor covers it. If something fails because the product itself was defective, that's a manufacturer issue and it falls under the manufacturer's warranty — not the contractor's.
Here's how that plays out in practice.
If your flooring fails because it was installed incorrectly — improper adhesive, wrong acclimation, poor subfloor prep — that's a workmanship issue. Covered.
If your flooring fails because there was a defect in the product itself — a structural flaw in the plank, a finish that wore prematurely due to manufacturing — that's a manufacturer warranty claim. A good contractor will help you identify the issue, document it, and connect you with the manufacturer to navigate the claim. But it's not something they personally cover.
The same principle applies to every trade on the project. Electrical, plumbing, tile, drywall — workmanship issues are the contractor's responsibility. Product defects go back to the manufacturer.
When you're talking to a contractor before signing, ask specifically what their warranty covers and ask for an example of how they'd handle a workmanship issue if one came up. The answer tells you a lot about how accountable they actually are.
What Voids a Warranty
This is where a lot of homeowners get caught off guard — not because they did anything intentionally wrong, but because they didn't know these considerations existed before the project started.
Normal wear and tear is not covered under a workmanship warranty. A warranty covers defects in craftsmanship — not the natural aging of materials over time. If your paint starts looking dated after five years or your flooring shows wear from daily use, that's expected and isn't a workmanship failure.
Homeowner modifications void the warranty on any affected scope. If you or someone you hire makes changes to work we completed — paint over a surface we finished, modify a built-in, alter a plumbing fixture — we can no longer stand behind what we originally built in that area.
Another contractor working on the same scope is one of the most important and most overlooked warranty considerations. If something goes wrong and you bring in another contractor to address it before giving us the opportunity to look at it and correct it — that voids our warranty on that portion of the work.
In Utah this is connected to what's known as the right to cure. If a workmanship issue arises within the warranty period, you're required to notify the contractor and give them a reasonable opportunity to correct the issue before pursuing other options. That's not a contractor-friendly loophole — it's a standard legal principle that protects both parties. It gives a legitimate contractor the chance to make something right without the situation immediately escalating to a dispute. Skipping this step — even when you're frustrated — can create legal complications even when the workmanship issue is genuine.
Outside forces and deferred maintenance are also not covered. A storm, a flood, an earthquake, a freeze — acts of nature that damage completed work aren't a workmanship failure. And deferred maintenance that leads to damage — letting pipes freeze, ignoring a slow leak until it becomes a major problem — falls on the homeowner, not the contractor.
What a Good Warranty Looks Like in Practice
A legitimate contractor's warranty isn't just a verbal assurance. It should be clearly spelled out in your contract before work begins.
Look for these things specifically. The warranty period — how long does it last and from what date does it start. What it covers — specific language around workmanship and craftsmanship issues. What it excludes — materials, outside forces, deferred maintenance, modifications. The right to cure — the process for notifying the contractor and giving them the opportunity to address an issue before other steps are taken.
If a contractor can't or won't put their warranty terms in writing before you sign — that's a red flag. A contractor who is genuinely confident in their work has no reason to avoid putting that commitment on paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a one year warranty standard for remodeling contractors in Utah?
Yes. One year is both the industry standard and the legal minimum required of licensed contractors in Utah. Most workmanship issues that are going to surface will show up within that first year. A one year warranty from a legitimate licensed contractor with a strong track record is meaningful — longer warranties from less established contractors are worth scrutinizing carefully before placing weight on them.
What is the difference between a workmanship warranty and a manufacturer warranty?
A workmanship warranty covers how the work was installed — if something fails because of the craftsmanship, the contractor is responsible. A manufacturer warranty covers the product itself — if something fails because of a defect in the material, that's a claim against the manufacturer. A good contractor will help you identify which category a problem falls into and help you navigate the manufacturer claim process if needed, but they personally cover workmanship issues only.
What should I do if I have a workmanship issue during the warranty period?
Notify your contractor in writing as soon as you identify the issue. Document what you're seeing with photos and a description of when it was first noticed. Give the contractor a reasonable opportunity to come assess the issue and correct it — this is the right to cure and it's an important step before pursuing other options. Most legitimate contractors want to address warranty issues quickly because their reputation depends on standing behind their work.
