When a roofing defect occurs, it is often the housebuilder or developer that ends up picking the hefty repair bill. Mark Parsons, technical director at leading pitched roof tile manufacturer, Russell Roof Tiles, highlights the importance of manufacturer’s guarantees.
The roof is the most important part of a building structure helping to keep a property both warm and dry but it also has the potential to cause the greatest number of problems. Sometimes, these issues arise because of workmanship but more often than not, housebuilders find that roofing issues could have been avoided if the right specification along with the tiles, accessories and fittings were in place from the start.
The mix and match approach to using various products from different manufacturers, in terms of specification for tiles, accessories and fittings can also frequently causes long-term problems. Products are often designed by manufacturers to perform and work seamlessly together.
Housebuilders need to ensure they are confident specifying the right products from the same manufacturer, to ensure a long-lasting and reliable roofing solution.
You wouldn’t buy a car if you couldn’t guarantee that it had the right parts, designed and produced by a reputable manufacturer? So why would housebuilders specify and buy roofing parts if they can’t guarantee that the products will work seamlessly once installed and be protected too?
One solution is manufacturer specifier guarantees which have now become commonplace in the roofing industry as it provides the assurance that the customer is receiving a high-quality and sustainable roofing product from a credible company.
In law, a guarantee is an agreement given, without any extra charge, to repair, replace or refund goods which do not meet the specifications set out in the guarantee. By having guarantees of this kind in place, it is understood that the manufacturer is committed to providing a high-quality product.
Housebuilders and developers can also be safe in the knowledge that many guarantees adhere to roofing or building standards, which need to abided by at all times. For instance, the British Standards for Slating and Tiling covers all aspects of pitched roofing and sets out product requirements to ensure UK building regulations are followed. The NHBC (National House Building Council) also identifies and reviews yearly technical requirements for housebuilding, including roofs. A credible manufacturer will follow these requirements at all times, to ensure they are providing a suitable product.
However, it is also important to be aware of a guarantee’s limitations. For instance, products must be installed using normal standards of good workmanship and the substitution of components with other products, at any stage of construction, can invalidate guarantees.
By working closely with a manufacturer which has guarantees, a housebuilder is in a better position to understand the guarantee and its limitations, avoiding confusion further down the line. Manufacturers’ technical teams, are also on hand to answer questions, ensuring minimal issues before, during, and after installation, and is a great point of contact for housebuilders looking for advice.
These guarantees and ongoing support will provide added value for the housebuilder in the long run. They will see the number of roofing claims decrease each year and ultimately, the cost of large repair bills reduced.