In writing before you sign
Every quote names the warranties, their lengths and who backs each one.
Warranties
We stand behind every roof
Three layers of written coverage on every commercial flat roof we build, and a maintenance program that keeps that coverage valid for its full term.
- Workmanship + ARCA + manufacturer
- Warranty file at closeout
- Claims answered 24/7
Overview
A commercial roof warranty in Edmonton should answer three questions. Who pays if the materials fail? Who pays if the installation fails? And what happens if the roofer is gone by year eight? Most contractors answer one of those. We answer all three, in writing, before you sign.
Here is each layer of coverage on a Rain roof, what voids a warranty, and how a claim works.
Third-party backing
ARCA certificates are backed by ARCA Warranty Ltd, so coverage outlasts any contractor.
Kept valid
Our maintenance program covers and documents the inspections warranties require.
One number for claims
Call us for any leak on a roof we built. We work out which warranty applies.
Layer one: manufacturer material and NDL system warranties
Every membrane manufacturer offers a warranty, but there are two very different kinds. A material warranty covers the products against manufacturing defects. If the membrane fails because of the product, the manufacturer supplies replacement material. Labour, tear-off and interior damage are usually not included.
An NDL (no dollar limit) system warranty is broader. It covers the full roof system, materials and labour, for leaks caused by product or installation defects, with no cap on the cost of the repair. To issue one, the manufacturer has to approve the contractor, and its own representative inspects the finished roof. Typical terms run 10 to 20 years for SBS and up to 25 or 30 years for TPO, EPDM and PVC, depending on the system and the manufacturer.
Rain holds approved contractor status with Soprema, IKO and Carlisle, so NDL warranties are available on qualifying systems. Neither kind usually covers interior damage, building movement, or hail and wind beyond the stated limits.
Layer two: our workmanship warranty
Most roof leaks are installation problems, not product problems. A seam that was not fully welded. A flashing cut short. A drain set high. Our workmanship warranty covers the installation itself for 10 years: if a leak is caused by how we built the roof, we find it and fix it at no cost to you.
It covers the seams, flashings, terminations, drains and penetrations we installed. It does not cover damage from other trades, penetrations added without us, storms beyond the system's rating, or a roof left without maintenance.
Layer three: the ARCA Warranty Certificate
The Alberta Roofing Contractors Association has represented roofers in the province since 1961, and its members do roughly 80% of Alberta's commercial roofing, according to ARCA. Only ARCA members can issue the ARCA Warranty Certificate, a third-party-backed warranty for low-slope commercial roofs in 5, 10 or 15-year terms. The 15-year term is for commercial roofs only.
Its value is who stands behind it. The contractor covers years 1 and 2. From year 3, ARCA Warranty Ltd covers the rest of the term. If the original roofer has closed or stopped returning calls, the owner still has coverage.
That coverage depends on inspection. An independent ARCA inspector checks the roof during application against ARCA's Roofing Application Standards, with follow-up inspections around year 2 and, for 15-year certificates, around year 9. Rain is an ARCA member and issues ARCA Warranty Certificates on qualifying projects.
What voids a commercial roof warranty
Warranties rarely fail because of a product defect. They fail because something happened on the roof that the warranty does not allow. These are the causes we see most often:
- Unauthorized penetrations: a new unit, vent or conduit cut through the membrane by another trade without the roofer involved
- No maintenance: most manufacturers require regular inspections and records, and exclude damage from clogged drains
- Foot traffic: trades walking the roof without walkway pads, dropped tools, equipment dragged across the membrane
- Unapproved repairs: patches in incompatible materials, or by a contractor not approved for the system
- Changes in use: new rooftop equipment or loads the roof was not designed to carry
How we keep your warranty valid
Keeping a warranty valid is mostly routine and paperwork. We handle both. Our maintenance program includes spring and fall inspections, drain clearing and minor flashing work, each followed by a written photo report: the records a manufacturer or ARCA will ask for at claim time.
At closeout you receive a warranty file with every certificate, the as-built roof plan, detail photos and the maintenance requirements for each warranty. We keep a copy on our side as well, so if the binder goes missing during a property sale or a change of manager, the record does not.
How a warranty claim works
You should not have to work out which warranty applies before you pick up the phone. Call us and we sort it out.
- Call: our line is answered 24/7. Tell us the building and where water is showing.
- Respond: for active leaks a crew is on site within 4 hours to make the roof watertight and protect the interior.
- Fix: we find the cause and make the permanent repair. If it is workmanship, it is on us. If it is a material or system claim, we file it with the manufacturer or ARCA and coordinate their inspection.
- Document: you get a report with the cause, photos and the repair, and it goes into your roof's warranty file.
Who covers what
Three layers, drawn to scale
Each bar is a separate promise from a separate party. If one of them goes out of business, the others still stand.
Spring and fall inspections every year keep all three warranties valid. Included in every Rain maintenance program.
Process
The warranty journey
Specification
We match the system and warranty to the building and budget, and confirm the manufacturer's requirements before pricing.
Installation and inspection
An independent ARCA inspector checks the work during application. The manufacturer inspects NDL systems at completion.
Closeout
You receive a warranty file with every certificate, the as-built roof plan, detail photos and maintenance requirements.
Years 1 and 2
We cover the roof directly. First maintenance inspection the spring after installation, and ARCA's follow-up around year 2.
Years 3 to 10
ARCA Warranty Ltd backs the certificate. Our workmanship warranty runs to year 10.
Year 15 and beyond
An ARCA inspection around year 9 keeps a 15-year certificate valid. NDL coverage can run up to 30 years. We plan what comes next before coverage ends.
Questions
What facility managers ask us
What is the difference between an NDL warranty and a material warranty?
A material warranty usually supplies replacement product only. An NDL system warranty covers materials and labour, with no dollar cap, and requires an approved contractor and a manufacturer inspection.
Is an ARCA certificate worth having if the manufacturer already covers the roof?
They protect different things. The manufacturer stands behind its products and, under an NDL, the installation it inspected. An ARCA certificate is built on independent inspection against ARCA's application standards and is backed by ARCA Warranty Ltd from year 3. Some owners and specifications ask for both.
Does the warranty transfer if we sell the building?
Many manufacturer warranties can transfer to a new owner, sometimes for a fee and usually after an inspection. Our workmanship warranty transfers with the building at no charge. Check the terms of each document in your warranty file, or ask us to check them for you.
Who pays if the roof leaks in year 6?
Call us and we find the cause. Workmanship is covered by our warranty for 10 years. A material or system defect goes to the manufacturer, and on an ARCA-certified roof ARCA Warranty Ltd backs the certificate from year 3. You make one call and we handle the rest.
Will adding rooftop equipment void our warranty?
It can, if the membrane is cut or the roof is loaded without the roofer involved. Call us before the mechanical contractor starts. We install the curb or flashing to the manufacturer's details and record the change, so coverage stays in place.
Does a roof warranty cover hail damage?
Often not, or only up to a stated hailstone size. Hail is normally a property insurance claim. We assess hail damage after a storm and provide the photos, core samples and written report your insurer will ask for.
Keep reading
Related
Service
Inspections and maintenance
Spring and fall inspections, minor repairs on the spot and a photo report for every visit.
Service
Emergency leak repair
A 24/7 emergency line, a crew on site within 4 hours and a permanent repair that follows.
Flat roof systems
Flat roofing
Compare every commercial flat roof system and see which one suits your building.
Talk to the crew that stands behind the roof
Send us drawings, a spec or just an address. You get a clear scope, a written warranty and a roofer who answers the phone in a storm.