Is the manufacturer’s deck coating warranty really a guarantee of good work? The most common, and perhaps the most important, thing that comes to facility owners’ mind when they think of a warranty is the period of coverage. Many industry experts, however, are of the opinion that the length of time that the warranty is in effect is really the least important part of the warranty that building owners should be concerned about.
For one, a good deck coating warranty does not automatically translate to quality waterproofing. And unless the facility manager really bothered to read the warranty prior to signing any contract, the facility may be stuck with a deck coating contractor warranty that is only beneficial to the contractor. This is one of the reasons why it is always good practice to carefully run through the warranty and see if the planned warranty ensures only that the contractor’s terms are covered.
How to run through a warranty and what are the things to check? It all comes down to the critical requirements of the deck coating. Every deck coating project needs good materials and tools, the right skills from qualified people, and the appropriate procedures to complete a high-quality job. All of these factors should be captured in the warranty. With these factors in mind, the warranty may either cover replacement of defective materials, re-work if any defect occurs, or review of quality assurance methods — whatever the case that will arise and that need for contractors to honor their liability to the project.
Although most deck coating warranties will spell out the period of effectivity, these warranties should at least be two-dimensional — that is, in tandem with the time coverage, they should also address the scope of work covered during the defined warranty period.
