Roofing Industry Warranty Agreements: The Devil is in The Details

 

Rick Lewis, President & CEO of Fortis Warranty, gave host Tyler Kern an upfront and honest look at the state of roofing industry warranty agreements. Long-term warranty strategies seem to be the trend amongst industry competitors, according to Lewis.

“At least in the commercial roofing space, we’re seeing warranties upward of 30 years,” Lewis said. There are even some instances of longer terms. But as Lewis warned, the devil is in the details to understand what is in that warranty contract. Are there exceptions and exclusions that make that warranty not as valuable as first thought?

One type of warranty that feels like a freebie is the material-only warranty Lewis said is popular with many roofing manufacturers. This type of warranty may help the manufacturer get around UCC liabilities, but is it providing the buyer with the right protection level?

Lewis stressed the importance of understanding the roofing warranty document.
“That document is pretty critical from the standpoint of a consumer in terms of these commercial roofs. You do need to dig into the details of these one-to-three-page documents. What’s included in these pages are substantial advantages for the seller over the buyer of this product.”

What does Lewis think makes a difference for the commercial roofing industry? Fortis warranties do not include a UCC disclaimer requirement, which gives power back to the buyer. Fortis warranties contain limited exclusions compared with standard manufacturer’s warranties, and they are transferrable, which provides needed flexibility when a selling a building.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

engineering community
The Future of the Engineering Community: Equity, AI, and Real Connection
July 15, 2025

The Engineer Who Builds Communities, Not Just Systems! Angelie Vincent has spent more than two decades in aerospace engineering, but her real legacy might be the communities she’s built along the way. Now an AI Integration Engineer at Boeing, Angelie joins Professional Quotient host Jason Winningham for a wide-ranging conversation on neurodivergent leadership, workplace…

Read More
hvacr
Women in HVACR Are Driving Change Across the Skilled Trades
July 15, 2025

Trade school enrollment climbed 4.9% between fall 2020 and fall 2023, signaling a national shift toward skills-based careers as alternatives to four-year degrees. This modest but meaningful rebound underscores growing interest in trades like HVACR, where demand is high, but representation remains lopsided. For decades, women in the field have been overlooked despite playing…

Read More
personal assistant
The People Business: How To Make AI Your Personal Assistant and More
July 14, 2025

In today’s fast-paced world, AI has moved from being a corporate buzzword to a hands-on tool for everyday life. With tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude now widely accessible, the conversation is shifting from what AI is to how it can actually help individuals. From boosting productivity to transforming education, AI is poised to become…

Read More
cardiac care
Just Thinking… About the Role of Critical Thinking in Cardiac Care With Dr. Minh Tran
July 14, 2025

As cardiovascular disease continues to rank as the leading cause of death globally, the importance of expert cardiac care has never been more evident. The American Heart Association reports that over 800,000 Americans experience a heart attack each year, and many rely on the fast, critical thinking of cardiac specialists to survive. In an…

Read More