To take out a warranty on your roofing shingles or not to? That is the question. According to TheRoofery.com, the answer should almost always be "no." Shingle warranties only cover manufacturer defects, which are such rare occurrences that Andy Talley of Apple Roofing Company in Philadelphia says he has never seen it in his 20 years in the business. According to the article, shingle failure is almost always due to an incorrect installation. And labor is where the money is anyway; shingles account for only 10 to 20 percent of the total cost of a roofing job. Even if you were to cash in on the warranty, it would not come close to recouping your roofing cost. Best bet? Find a reputable roofer and say no to the shingle warranty.
I beg to differ with the writer who claims that shingle cost is only 10-20% of total roofing price. I am a home improvement contractor in a metropolitan area. While a builder-grade shingle may only cost 20% of the total contract amount, the remaining accessory pieces required prior to installation of the shingles add a tremendous amount, depending on the design of the roof. I do, though, agree with the professional opinion that it is unnecessary to purchase the additional warranty. A good, reliable contractor will offer a labor warranty in addition to the manufacturer's product warranty. That should be sufficient.
