Warranties the good, bad & ugly….WE all like to feel protected…right? To know that when things go south in your homes that we are going to be taken care of? We’ll thats not always the case with warranties and depending on the manufacturer of certain products or the companies providing these “Home inspection warranties” beware!! In my personal opinion most every warranty i’ve had the displeasure of having to deal with as a consumer or on the sales side has been a nightmare with numerous phone calls, emails, and documentation only to find out it has passed the timeframe or it does not qualify as per the fine print.
Manufacturers warranties can be great with certain companies but many will ask you to jump through hoops. A couple of the hoops may include but are not limited to: if you have registered your product, followed all of the manufacturers recommended installation guidelines, provide proper documentation of original receipts, had a licensed and certified professional install them, used a certain amount of the companies “other” products in conjunction, Provided routine maintenance and have records to prove so, are the original owner depending on if its transferable or not, has it exceeded its “limited lifetime”, was it sold by a authorized dealer…etc. Manufacturers do offer warranties and once again they are there to TRY to help protect you but it will probably be a process and you better be ready for what they ask of you or more than likely NO DEAL!
Some Inspectors will try to lure consumers with these “warranties” and others just don’t bother with them instead they sell themselves and their services. These 90/100 Day warranties are typically limited to 22 days after closing….so basically after you move your last box in the home and haven’t even spent a night there they are done and that does not even include the fine print of whats actually covered (once again fine print). They are nothing more than another attempt at marketing to the average buyer who sees the word “warranty” and a marginal attempt at liability control for however short a time frame they last. Many inspectors in the industry choose not to participate in these warranties (some do to each their own) and instead perform exceptional inspections to provide peace of mind and actually provide consumers with a good thorough inspection instead! Nothing replaces education, experience and great communication!
Now this article is NOT to be confused with a “Home Warranty” which is designed for real estate transactions and home owners with or without a home inspection and can range from 1,2,and 5 yrs long. The same applies to these companies…they are not created equal, do not cost the same and research should be done to find the best plan for your home but have a broader coverage. These plans are not nearly as deceptive and can be a good asset and negotiating piece after a home inspection is completed….but are NOT sold or offered by the home Inspector… instead they are purchased by the parties buying or selling the home….and even sometimes potentially by the realtor or mortgage provider.
Bottom line is during the home inspection you have a lot flying at you the only real way to avoid disappointment and pitfalls is to do your homework and if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Attached are a few articles (links) for a better understanding
http://www.warrantyweek.com/archive/ww20091119.html
https://www.moneytalksnews.com/are-home-warranties-worth-the-money/