Two warranties, two different jobs
Homeowners usually hear "warranty" and assume it is one blanket promise. On a roof, it is almost always two separate documents from two separate parties. Your contractor issues the labor warranty and stands behind their own installation. The shingle manufacturer, companies like Owens Corning or CertainTeed, stands behind the product leaving their factory. Neither one covers what the other does.
That split matters because most roof failures are not the shingle's fault. A roof that leaks after five years is far more often a flashing detail done wrong or underlayment skipped in a valley, not a bad batch of shingles. That is labor warranty territory.
What a labor warranty actually covers
A labor, or workmanship, warranty covers the installation itself for a set number of years. Benchmark backs every roof replacement with a 5-year workmanship warranty covering:
- Loose or improperly sealed flashing around chimneys, vents, and skylights
- Improper nailing patterns that let shingles lift or blow off early
- Missing or incorrectly installed underlayment
- Leaks traced back to how the roof was put together, not a material defect
If a leak traces back to the install, the labor warranty sends a crew back out at no charge. Length varies by contractor, anywhere from one year to ten, so get the number in writing rather than taking "we stand behind our work" at face value.
What a manufacturer warranty actually covers
The manufacturer warranty covers the shingles and related materials if they fail due to a defect in how they were made: granule loss that happens far too early, shingles that crack or curl well before their rated life, or a sealant strip that never bonds. Most standard architectural shingle lines from manufacturers like Owens Corning and CertainTeed carry limited material warranties somewhere in the 25- to 50-year range, and some premium lines include transferable lifetime coverage.
The catch: most manufacturer warranties only cover materials, not labor, past an initial short window. After that, you may still get replacement shingles for a verified defect, but you pay the labor to install them. A manufacturer warranty will not touch a leak caused by installation error. That is not what it is for.
Why "lifetime" doesn't mean what it sounds like
"Lifetime" on a shingle warranty almost always means for as long as you own the home, not a fixed number of years and not the roof's physical lifespan. Coverage is also commonly prorated after the initial full-coverage period, so the older the roof gets, the smaller the share of replacement cost the manufacturer pays. Tear-off and disposal costs are frequently excluded entirely, even early on. None of this makes the warranty worthless, but "lifetime" on its own tells you very little. Read the actual document.
| Question | Labor warranty | Manufacturer warranty |
|---|---|---|
| Who issues it | Your roofing contractor | The shingle manufacturer |
| What it covers | Flashing, nailing, underlayment, install errors | Product defects in the shingles or materials |
| Typical length | 1 to 10 years, contractor-set | 25 years to lifetime, often prorated later |
| Covers a bad install? | Yes | No |
What to get in writing before you hire anyone
Before you sign with any roof replacement contractor, get the labor warranty length and what it covers in writing, not a verbal promise. Ask which manufacturer and product line they install, since terms change by tier. And ask what happens if the company closes or changes hands, since a labor warranty is only as good as the business behind it. Our guide on how to choose a roofing contractor in Texas covers the rest of the vetting process.
A workmanship warranty matters outside a full replacement too. If a flashing detail fails on an older roof, that's a roof repair issue, and whoever handles it should stand behind the fix the same way.
What this looks like with Benchmark
Every Benchmark roof replacement carries our 5-year workmanship warranty, covering installation defects for five years, plus the manufacturer's material warranty on whatever shingle line you choose. We are BBB A+ rated, RCAT licensed, an NRCA member, and family owned in Garland since 2008. We serve homeowners across Garland and the eastern corridor, and we hand over both warranty documents in writing at the end of every job, not just a handshake.