Make Sure To Warranty All Repair Work

Maintenance is an ongoing chore that homeowners have to stay on top of to keep their properties in the best shape possible. Ongoing maintenance can involve having the gardener mow the lawn, weed the garden, or cultivate the flower beds, or other jobs like hosing down the driveway to remove excess dirt, or any of the other small jobs around the house that homeowners and even renters take for granted as part of the ongoing maintenance that contributes to the upkeep of the property.

General repairs which are not done as often are also considered as part of the ongoing routine maintenance of a home, whether it’s fixing or changing windows, cleaning and securing gutters and leaders, checking the chimney for cracks and missing bricks, caulking cracks around windows and doors, as well as sidewalk, walkway, and steps repairs when needed.

For the most part, when hiring a professional to take care of any of the many maintenance or repair issues that may crop up over time for a house, most people focus their priorities on getting the most reliable and responsible contractor, together with trying to get the most competitive price possible.

Sometimes though, another crucial element of facilitating that repair or maintenance issue slips through the cracks, and that is, after the contractor completes the job satisfactorily, it is crucial they provide a warranty for the work, to guarantee it over a certain period of time.

Depending on the work, I’m not saying that every job requires a warranty from the vendor, but many large or long-term fixes should carry some kind of warranty in writing from the person or company doing that repair.

For instance, if you install a new boiler or water heater, even though it is working beautifully at the time of installation, and has a warranty from the manufacturer, you still are entitled to a warranty from the installer of that equipment that guarantees the proper installation and workings of that equipment for a period of time in writing. What if a month after installation there is a leak or problem? How are you going to get that installer to come and take care of it if you do not have a warranty for a set time period?

If you bring in a roofer to repair or replace a roof, you should receive a warranty in writing to cover a set period of time (usually years) guaranteeing the work and soundness of the new roof. (A repair or patch on the roof might only get a short warranty).

Hardwire appliance installations such as wall ovens, over the stovetop microwaves, or other similar installations should be done with some kind of written warranty on the installation, as well as the manufacturer’s guarantee to cover the responsibility of the installer as to the soundness of the installation.

I am only providing a few examples of different types of situations where warranties should be requested and provided in writing by the technicians or vendors taking care of these types of repairs or installations. In order to protect yourself when having the work done, any reputable technician will give you some kind of warranty on the work they have provided, which you should file away like an insurance document.

Regarding larger jobs, such as HVAC, heating equipment, roof repairs, chimneys, or large masonry projects, these long-term warranties are not only vital to protect the homeowner, but if the homeowner decides to sell, these warranties are necessary to transfer over to the new owner, as well as to prove that the work has actually been done. Make sure to keep these warranties in a safe place so they can be handed over at the sale of the house. n

Anessa Cohen lives in Cedarhurst and is a Licensed Real Estate Broker (Anessa V Cohen Realty) with over 20 years of experience offering residential, commercial and management real estate services as well as mortgage services. You are invited to visit her website at AVCRealty.com. She can be reached at 516-569-5007. Readers are encouraged to send any questions or comments by email to [email protected].