MJ in Illinois: “Who covers the warranty when a customer-driven delay caused the products to sit on the shelf for over six months?”
NSCA responds: We’re seeing more questions arise about warranties. Most manufacturers have agreements with integrators stating that they’ll warrant the product for one year after it has been shipped. Some manufacturers will also work with you on a provision for shelf time; many others don’t, however.
We recommend having good documentation on when the product arrived to your warehouse, and when it was sent out to the jobsite. You may be able to go back to the manufacturer and see if they’ll work with you on a warranty extension. This situation may also present a good opportunity to pursue a service agreement with the client.
Here are some more tips on dealing with customer-driven delays that impact product warranties.
Another warranty topic impacting the industry right now involves extended warranties. To learn how meet client expectations even if that material isn’t covered under warranty after your workmanship warranty expires, check out our recent blog: The Complexities of Extended Warranties.
