Roof Warranties, Explained Honestly
There are two of them, they cover different things, and ours is ten years in writing.
Roofing warranties are where a lot of Houston homeowners get quietly talked into something they did not buy. There are two entirely separate warranties on a new roof, they cover different failures, and a salesman saying "lifetime warranty" is usually only describing one of them.
The two warranties, and what each one actually covers
| Manufacturer warranty | Workmanship warranty | |
|---|---|---|
| Who issues it | The shingle manufacturer, Tamko on our jobs | The roofing company that installed it |
| Covers | A defect in the product itself | A mistake in how it was put on |
| Does not cover | Anything caused by the installation | Anything caused by the product |
| Survives if the roofer closes | Yes | No |
| What usually goes wrong | Rare. Modern shingles are consistent. | Most roof failures. Nails, flashing, ventilation. |
Read that last row again, because it decides which warranty matters. Shingles very rarely fail because the shingle was bad. They fail because the nail line was missed, the valley was cut wrong, the pipe boots were reused, or the attic was never ventilated and the deck cooked from underneath. Every one of those is workmanship, and none of them is covered by the lifetime warranty on the brochure.
Why "lifetime" does not mean what it sounds like
A limited lifetime manufacturer warranty on architectural shingles is close to standard now. It is also almost always prorated, meaning full replacement value applies for a limited early period and then declines every year after. It typically covers material only, not the labor to tear off and redo the roof, unless the installer registered an upgraded system warranty at the time of install. And it is generally transferable once, within a set window, with paperwork.
None of that is a scandal. It is normal. It only becomes a problem when it is sold to you as though the manufacturer will simply buy you a new roof in year nineteen.
The five questions to ask any Houston roofer
- How many years is your workmanship warranty, in writing, on the contract?
- Does it cover labor as well as material on a callback?
- Is it transferable if I sell the house?
- Are you registering an upgraded manufacturer system warranty on my job, and what does it add over the standard one?
- What voids it? Ask specifically about a solar install, satellite dish, or another trade walking the roof later.
A roofer who cannot answer question one without going to check is telling you something.
What voids a roof warranty faster than anything else
- Inadequate attic ventilation. Most manufacturer warranties require ventilation to code, and a large share of older Houston attics are not there. Heat trapped under the deck ages shingles from below. This is why we check it before we quote.
- Layering over an existing roof. Cheaper on the day, and it puts the new shingle on an uneven surface over a deck nobody inspected.
- Reused flashing and pipe boots. The single most common source of a leak on a roof that is otherwise fine.
- Pressure washing the shingles. It strips the granules. If someone offers to clean your roof that way, say no.
Ours is ten years, in writing
Simple Roofing Co carries a ten year workmanship warranty, written into your contract as a term rather than offered as a phrase in a brochure. We go through it with you before you sign rather than after.
Ten years covers the failures that are ours: the nailing, the flashing, the valleys, the penetrations and the ventilation design. That is where roofs actually fail, and it is the warranty a homeowner should be asking every roofer about first.
We use Tamko across the whole system so the manufacturer coverage stays intact, and the registration is done on your job and handed to you with the rest of the paperwork.
If a roofer will not put the workmanship term in the contract, that is the answer to the question.
Common Questions
How long is your workmanship warranty?
Ten years, written into your contract. It covers the parts of the job that are ours: nailing, flashing, valleys, penetrations and ventilation design. Those are where roofs actually fail, so it is the warranty worth asking every roofer about.
Is a lifetime shingle warranty really for life?
It is for as long as you own the home, it is limited, and it is almost always prorated after an initial full-value period. It also usually covers the material only and not the labor to replace it, unless an upgraded system warranty was registered at install.
Does the warranty transfer if I sell my house?
Manufacturer warranties are typically transferable once, within a limited window after the sale, and the transfer has to be filed. Workmanship warranties vary by company. Ask before you sign, not when you list the house.
Can bad ventilation really void my warranty?
Yes, and it is one of the most common grounds a manufacturer uses to decline a claim. Ventilation to code is a condition of most shingle warranties, and plenty of older Houston attics do not meet it.
Ask us the five questions
We would rather you ask every roofer you are considering. Call and put us through it.
Get My Free InspectionOr call (281) 305-8669