Things you need to know about shingle guarantee
There are a lot of factors you need to take into consideration when deciding on the right roof for your next project: type of material, design, color, waterproofing characteristics.,.. But a factor that is often overlooked, is the guarantee.
When you choose shingles as roof material, guarantee can differ a lot between different players. Let’s take a look at the most important components of your guarantee:
- Guarantee period
- Guarantor of your roof
- Guarantee terms
- Guarantee conditions
- Claim procedure
Guarantee period
The guarantee period for bitumen roof shingles varies depending on the manufacturer and the specific model.
Manufacturers typically offer two types of guarantees:
- Full guarantee – During the full guarantee period, manufacturers usually cover
the cost of removing defective roofing, disposal, and installation. - Limited guarantee – Liability is limited to the depreciated cost of roofing materials
(which does not include labor costs for removal, disposal, or installation).
This means that after the full guarantee expires, the material costs will be reduced according to the depreciation rate defined by the manufacturer.
Some manufacturers also classify buildings based on their intended use. Family homes may have a different guarantee scope than public utility buildings.
In case of European-made IKO roof shingles, our full guarantee is known as Platinum Guarantee. Depending on the type of shingles, this Platinum coverage is between 5 and 15 years. Adding the limited guarantee (limited to the material), the total IKO guarantee will be between 15 and 30 years.
A full explanation of the IKO Guarantee can be found here.
Who is the guarantor of your roof?
Check who the guarantor of your roof is. Many guarantees available on local markets are issued by distributors, which means they may not necessarily be manufacturer guarantees (in some cases they differ significantly).
Ask yourself whether the manufacturer will honor such a guarantee in case of problems.
>>> IKO’s guarantee periods are always clearly stated in the product data table on the relating IKO product page.
Guarantee terms
In many cases, to have a manufacturer’s guarantee, you must register your product(s).
Before purchase, check whether this is possible in your country (some manufacturers limit guarantee registration by region – confirm whether it's allowed in your country).
Guarantee registration is time-limited – you must register it within a specified period.
Some manufacturers register the guarantee to a specific property owner with the option to transfer it once. If ownership changes, you may need to transfer the guarantee to the new buyer (this is usually allowed only once, often with an additional fee and a reduction of the guarantee period).
The transfer of the guarantee is also time-limited and may require document translation costs to confirm the new owner’s rights.
Check guarantee conditions
To ensure your guarantee is valid, the roof must be built according to local regulations and the manufacturer’s installation instructions. Some manufacturers require the use of original components from their system (check whether you can purchase them to meet guarantee requirements).
IKO’s most recent guarantee conditions can be downloaded here.
Submitting a claim and how it's processed
Check whether the manufacturer has a representative office in your country.
A local representative ensures:
- Easy communication
- No language barriers
- Fast response
- Possibility of roof inspection
The European IKO brand is available through many offices, see our locations. Apart from the offices, we also have a lot of local representatives. If you need to get it in touch in regards with a claim, you can easily contact us.
If there's no representative in your country, this may cause various issues when handling claims:
- Difficult contact due to language barriers
- Often no chance for on-site inspection (in disputes, you may need an independent expert)
- Lengthy claim process
- High additional costs for sending samples to the manufacturer
Also, check what documents are required to submit a claim:
- Proof of purchase
- For some manufacturers: registered guarantee
- Sending samples to the manufacturer
As you can see, the guarantee offered with your brand of shingles is an important factor to take into consideration. Be sure to take a close look at all the above mentioned facets before making this big decision.
