Before I buy, can I have a written copy of the complete warranty? This will allow you to fully compare the complete picture of the cost of the building — not only for original construction, but also potential maintenance or life-cycle costs — and give you time to ask your potential builder any questions before you commit. It may also be in your best interest to ask to speak to previous customers who have used the warranty and learn what their experience was like.

Who is the contact for my warranty claim? It is not uncommon for other building companies to provide pass-through warranties, which means they obtain a warranty from a third-party supplier and pass that benefit to you. We’ve heard many horror stories about how challenging it can be to track down the right contact to collect on a pass-through warranty.

Is the warranty pro-rated? And will it include labor? Make sure to find out if your warranty is for materials only after a certain time frame and if the coverage is pro-rated, which in reality could provide very little real protection. Also ask if labor is included in the warranty. It’s frustrating, for example, to have a load of replacement steel dropped off at your location without the project labor included.

What, if anything, is included in the warranty for paint? Paint failure is not covered by many contractors’ warranties in the marketplace today. Most warranties are provided by the material supplier and not the contractor. This leaves you pretty much unprotected within just a few short years and isn’t much of a warranty.

What wind loads are covered? No matter where you live, the threat of high wind damage to your building is realistic. Many builders claim strength by placing smaller trusses 4 feet apart but set these trusses on top of the wall. That places all the uplift resistance on that small wall-to-roof connection, leading to the wall being separated from the roof at this critical connection. Ask your builder, “If my building is damaged by high winds, will it be repaired or replaced at no cost to me?”