Two Different Warranties
There are two distinct promises. The workmanship warranty is the contractor’s assurance that their labor is free from defects, often for about a year. The manufacturer warranty covers the product itself (a faucet, a floor, a window) for its stated term. They rarely overlap, so a failure is claimed against whichever one applies.
What Is and Isn’t Covered
- Covered: defective installation, open seams, grout failure, fixtures that do not function due to workmanship.
- Usually excluded: normal wear, homeowner damage, "acts of God," and issues from other trades’ later work.
- Material defects: claimed under the manufacturer warranty, not the contractor’s.
Read the exclusions; that is where disputes start.
How to Enforce It
Notify the contractor in writing as soon as a defect appears, with photos and dates. Reference the contract clause. A reputable contractor returns to fix covered work. If they will not, your state licensing board, consumer-protection office, or a contractor recovery fund may help — keep every record from the first call.
Lock It In Before You Sign
Before work begins, confirm the warranty length, what triggers it, the response time, and whether it is transferable to a future buyer. Write it in the contract. Require lien waivers at final payment and do your own walkthrough before releasing the last holdback.