A workmanship warranty covers the roofer’s mistakes: a nail in the wrong place, flashing that lets water in at the chimney. The shingle maker’s standard warranty covers defects in the shingles. Neither covers hail.
The workmanship promise is only as good as the company behind it. That is why the warranty sold through a manufacturer-certified roofer, where the maker backs the labor, is worth understanding before you sign.
What is the difference between a workmanship warranty and a manufacturer warranty?
Who made the mistake. A manufacturer warranty pays when the product is defective. A workmanship warranty pays when the install is.
The standard shingle warranties leave the install out. Owens Corning’s August 2026 warranty says its full-coverage TRU PROtection period “excludes workmanship coverage.” Its top warranty also refuses faulty installation by anyone other than one of its Platinum Preferred contractors.
So a leak at the chimney flashing three years in usually lands on the roofer, unless an enhanced warranty moved it to the maker. What the shingle warranty itself covers, and how it is prorated, is on the shingles guide.
How long is a roofer’s workmanship warranty?
Whatever the contract says. No South Dakota law we found sets a minimum, and we found no reliable figure for a typical Sioux Falls term.
A roofing contractor’s column on NRCA’s consumer site, from 2015, said that under most warranties the installing contractor covers the first two years. The two big enhanced warranties work that way now:
| Warranty | Years 1 and 2 | After that |
|---|---|---|
| Roofer’s own warranty | The roofer | The roofer, for as long as the contract says |
| GAF Golden Pledge (Master Elite roofers) | The roofer; GAF steps in if the roofer is unable or unwilling | GAF covers misapplication, 25 years on most Timberline lines and 30 on Timberline UHDZ |
| Owens Corning Platinum Protection (Platinum Preferred roofers) | The roofer; Owens Corning steps in if the roofer is unable or unwilling | Owens Corning, full cost for 25 years, then prorated |
The GAF terms come from its 2023 sample warranty, and the Owens Corning terms from its August 2026 warranty. Both apply to single-family detached homes. Ask which document your roofer will register, and get a copy before you sign.
What voids a roofing warranty?
Mostly things that happen after the crew leaves. The GAF and Owens Corning enhanced warranties share these traps:
- Never registered. Owens Corning gives the roofer 60 days to register. GAF’s sample says to call GAF if no warranty arrives within 60 days.
- Not paid in full. GAF’s warranty does not take effect until the roofer has been paid.
- Late notice. Both want a claim within 30 days of noticing the problem. GAF says notice to your contractor is not notice to GAF, and fixing the roof before GAF looks can sink the claim.
- Changes to the roof. Owens Corning excludes damage from later structural changes, equipment or solar panels, power washing, painting and coatings. It will not pay to take solar panels off and put them back. Here is what to sort out before solar goes on.
- Ventilation. Both say poor attic ventilation is not an install error and is not covered. Get the venting right with the new roof, and see how much attic ventilation a house needs.
- Other products. Both leave out parts they did not make, such as metal work and counterflashing.
Repairs count too. Owens Corning keeps the warranty alive after a repair only when a Platinum Preferred contractor does it with Owens Corning products. Ask before you call a handyman.
Does a workmanship warranty transfer to a new owner?
A roofer’s own warranty transfers only if the contract says so. Read that line.
The enhanced warranties each allow one transfer, with a deadline:
- GAF Golden Pledge: the new owner notifies GAF in writing within one year of the sale. Within the first 20 years after install, they get the same coverage. After that it drops to two years.
- Owens Corning Platinum Protection: the new owner applies online within 60 days of the sale and pays $100. Within 20 years, workmanship coverage runs to 25 years from the original install. Sell after year 20 and the workmanship coverage ends at the transfer.
Selling soon? Read replacing a roof before selling in South Dakota.
Are manufacturer-certified roofer warranties worth it?
They move the labor risk from a small company to a large one. The catch is that the whole roof has to be built their way.
Owens Corning’s Platinum Protection needs a Platinum Preferred contractor, a roof over the entire house, a ventilated deck and a full tear-off to a clean deck. GAF’s System Plus needs GAF shingles plus at least three GAF accessories, put on by a GAF certified roofer. Golden Pledge needs a Master Elite roofer.
Mixing brands, say one maker’s shingles over another’s underlayment, can cost you the enhanced warranty even when the basic shingle warranty survives. Here is what goes under the shingles.
Census counted 29 roofing contractors with employees in the Sioux Falls metro in 2023, and 18 had fewer than five people. Small is fine. But a 25-year promise from a five-person shop is a different bet from one backed by the shingle maker.
What happens to my warranty if the roofer goes out of business?
A roofer’s own workmanship warranty is a promise from that company. If the company closes, there may be nobody left to keep it.
The enhanced warranties were built for this. In the first two years, GAF and Owens Corning both say they will arrange the repair if the roofer is unable or unwilling. After year two, the labor coverage is the maker’s own. Neither document says in words what happens when the roofer closes, so ask the maker if it matters to you.
Inside Sioux Falls, a licensed roofer posts a $20,000 compliance bond to the city. Whether a homeowner can claim on it for bad work, we could not confirm. City licensing can tell you at 605-367-8670. For a roofer who misled you, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection line is 1-800-300-1986.
Get every promise on paper, with the company’s legal name. Check the roofer before you sign and keep the contract with the warranty.
Questions about roofing workmanship warranties
What does a roofer’s workmanship warranty cover?
Mistakes in the install, such as bad nailing or flashing that leaks. It does not cover defects in the shingles, which the maker covers, or hail and wind damage, which go to your insurer.
How long should a roofing workmanship warranty be?
There is no legal minimum in South Dakota that we found. The GAF and Owens Corning enhanced warranties cover installation for 25 years or more, with the roofer handling the first two.
Does a roofing warranty cover leaks?
A workmanship warranty covers leaks caused by the install. A leak from hail, a tree branch or poor attic ventilation is not covered.
Is a roofer’s workmanship warranty transferable?
Only if the contract says so. GAF Golden Pledge and Owens Corning Platinum Protection each allow one transfer if the new owner registers in time.
Who honors my roof warranty if the roofer goes out of business?
On a roofer’s own warranty, possibly nobody. On GAF Golden Pledge or Owens Corning Platinum Protection, the maker says it will arrange repairs if the roofer is unable or unwilling.
Get a quote
Tell us about the job, and ask the roofer which warranty they register, and a local roofing contractor will call, text or email to set up a visit. The quote is free.