Guide · Warranties
How to compare contractor and product warranties
The short answer
Get every warranty in writing and separate the contractor’s workmanship promise from the manufacturer’s product warranty. Compare covered defects, duration, exclusions, required maintenance, claim steps, labor or travel charges, transfer rules and remedy. A long headline term can still provide narrow practical coverage.
Editorial status: source-checked on 2026-08-22; not reviewed by a lawyer, licensing authority, engineer or trade professional. United States; warranty rights vary by product, service, state law and contract.
Identify who promises what
Ask for the contractor workmanship warranty and each manufacturer warranty before signing. The FTC advises reading warranties before buying and getting spoken promises in writing. A manufacturer may cover a failed part while the installer separately controls labor or travel charges.
- Named warrantor and covered owner
- Covered defects and exclusions
- Start date and duration
- Labor, shipping and travel charges
- Registration and maintenance duties
- Repair, replacement or refund remedy
- Transfer and claim procedure
Know the legal boundary
The FTC’s Magnuson-Moss guidance concerns written warranties on consumer products. A service-only workmanship promise is not automatically governed the same way, and state law also matters. Obtain legal advice for a dispute.
Sources
Primary government and consumer-protection sources checked for this guide:
- Warranties, Federal Trade Commission. Accessed .
- Businessperson’s Guide to Federal Warranty Law, Federal Trade Commission. Accessed .