A new roof in Calgary comes with two separate warranties. The shingle maker covers defects in the product, and your roofer covers mistakes in the installation. Hail isn’t covered by either one. That’s what home insurance is for.
Most warranty arguments start because a homeowner thinks they have one warranty and it covers everything. Here’s how the pieces actually fit.
What’s the difference between a manufacturer warranty and a workmanship warranty?
A manufacturer warranty covers the shingles themselves: cracking, curling or granule loss caused by a defect in how they were made. A workmanship warranty covers how they were put on: nailing, flashing, vents and the membrane at the edges.
If a leak comes from a flashing your roofer installed badly, that’s workmanship. If a whole batch of shingles blisters early, that’s the manufacturer. The two often point at each other, which is why you want both in writing before the job starts.
How long does a roof warranty last?
Manufacturer warranties on architectural shingles are often sold as 25 years, 50 years or “limited lifetime”. Workmanship warranties vary much more, from one year to lifetime, depending on the roofer.
Here’s how ours work, by type of job:
| Job | Our workmanship warranty |
|---|---|
| Full shingle roof replacement | Limited lifetime |
| Flat and commercial roofs | 10 years |
| Siding and soft metal | 5 years |
The shingles we install, IKO and Malarkey, carry their own manufacturer warranties on top of that.
What does a lifetime shingle warranty actually cover?
Less than the name suggests. Most “lifetime” and 25-year shingle warranties are prorated: full coverage for an early period, then a shrinking share of the material cost each year after.
Labour to tear off and reinstall is often covered only in that early period, if at all. Read the brochure for three things: the length of the non-prorated period, whether labour is included, and what “lifetime” means for a second owner.
What voids a roof warranty?
Most voided warranties come down to installation details or changes made after the job. The common ones:
- The shingles weren’t installed to the manufacturer’s instructions (nail count, nail placement, starter strip)
- Poor attic ventilation, which cooks shingles from underneath
- New shingles laid over an old layer when the warranty requires a tear-off
- Another company patching or cutting into the roof later, such as for a satellite dish, solar panels or a hail repair
- Pressure washing, which strips granules
- Not registering the product with the manufacturer within its deadline, where one applies
That fourth one surprises people. If a different roofer repairs part of your roof, the original roofer usually can’t warranty that section any more.
Why does chinook wind matter for your shingle warranty in Calgary?
Because wind is where install details get checked. Calgary’s chinooks bring sudden, strong gusts, and manufacturers set specific nailing rules for high-wind areas.
One homeowner in a cold, windy region described their story in the comments on a roofing industry video. Their 25-year shingles blew off at eight years. The manufacturer asked how many nails were in each shingle. The answer was four, its high-wind spec called for six, and the claim was denied.
You can’t count nails once a roof is on. Ask your roofer before the job which wind spec they install to, and have it written on the quote.
Does a roof warranty cover hail damage in Calgary?
No. Hail is weather damage, and both kinds of warranty exclude it. A hail-damaged roof goes through your home insurance.
That matters here. The City of Calgary says the city averages 128 freeze-thaw cycles and 46 chinook days a year, on top of summer hail. If hail is the issue, our hail damage roof repair page covers what to check first.
What happens to your warranty if the roofer goes out of business?
The workmanship warranty usually goes with them. The manufacturer’s product warranty survives, but it won’t pay to fix installation mistakes.
There are two ways to protect yourself. Some shingle makers offer extended warranties, through certified installers, that cover workmanship as well as product. And the Alberta Roofing Contractors Association runs a third-party workmanship warranty on jobs by its member contractors, with independent inspections, that holds even if the contractor can’t. Ask any roofer you’re considering whether they offer either.
The simplest check is how long the company has been around. We’ve been roofing in Calgary since 2011 and take on 200 to 300 projects a year.
Is my roof still covered by the Alberta new home warranty?
If your house is less than five years old, possibly. Alberta’s mandatory new home warranty includes five years of building envelope coverage, and the Government of Alberta defines the envelope as the shell of the home, including the roof and walls.
Major structural parts get 10 years. The warranty stays with the house, not the owner, so it carries on if you bought from the first owner. Call the builder’s warranty provider before you pay for a roof repair on a newer home.
Common questions
How do I know if my roof is under warranty?
Look for the paperwork from the roofer who did the job and the shingle brand’s registration, if there was one. On a home under five years old, check the Alberta new home warranty too. If you can’t find anything, the roofer who installed it is the first call.
Does a roof warranty transfer when I sell my house?
It depends on the warranty. Some manufacturer warranties transfer once, sometimes with a deadline and a fee, and coverage can drop for the second owner. Workmanship warranties vary by roofer, so ask for the transfer terms in writing.
Is a roof warranty worth paying more for?
A long warranty from a company that won’t be around to honour it is worth very little. Weigh the warranty length against how long the roofer has been in business and whether anything backs the warranty if they close.
Does a warranty cover ice dams?
Usually not. Ice dams come from heat loss and drainage, and warranties treat them as a maintenance issue. A sudden leak from one may be an insurance claim. Our roof repair page covers leak repairs.
Ask for the warranty terms in writing with any quote. You’ll see ours listed on our roof replacement page, or call 403-608-9933 to talk through a job.
