The warranty card in full
All eighteen rows below. Compare it against whatever warranty you are offered; the gaps will be obvious.
| Element | Covered against | Duration from handover | Excluded / voids cover | Response time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plywood carcass | Delamination, borer, warping under normal use | 10 years | Standing water, flood, unauthorised alteration | 7 working days |
| BWP carcass in wet bays | Swelling and delamination from normal moisture | 10 years | Continuous leakage left unreported for over 7 days | 3 working days |
| Laminate surface | Lifting at the edge, bubbling, adhesive failure | 3 years | Impact damage, abrasive cleaners, heat above 70C | 7 working days |
| Acrylic and PU shutters | Delamination and colour change beyond DE 2 | 5 years | Solvent cleaning, direct sun without a film | 7 working days |
| Veneer and polish | Peeling, bubbling, polish failure | 2 years | Water pooling, sunlight fading, re-polishing by others | 10 working days |
| Hinges | Mechanical failure and soft-close failure | Brand warranty, 5 to 10 years | Overloading, forced opening past the stop | Per brand terms |
| Drawer channels | Runner failure within the stated load rating | Brand warranty, 5 to 10 years | Loads above the rated kilos, site modification | Per brand terms |
| Sliding systems | Roller and track failure | Brand warranty, 5 years | Track not cleaned, anti-jump clip removed | Per brand terms |
| Countertop | Cracking at a factory joint, fabrication defect | 2 years | Impact, standing heat, sitting or standing on the counter | 7 working days |
| Waterproofing | Water ingress through the treated area | 5 to 10 years | New penetrations drilled through the membrane | 48 hours |
| Plumbing installation | Joint and concealed line failure | 3 years | Fixture failure covered by the brand instead | 48 hours |
| Electrical installation | Wiring, termination and point failure | 3 years | Load added beyond the design, work by others | 48 hours |
| False ceiling | Cracking at joints, sagging, framing failure | 3 years | Water ingress from above, fixtures hung from the board | 7 working days |
| Paint | Peeling, flaking, blistering not caused by damp | 2 to 5 years by system | Damp walls, seepage, cleaning within 30 days of application | 10 working days |
| Flooring — tile and stone | Hollowness and adhesive failure | 2 years | Structural movement, impact, acid cleaning | 10 working days |
| Flooring — SPC and laminate | Delamination, locking failure | Brand warranty, 10 to 25 years | Standing water, steam mops, unlevelled sub-floor | Per brand terms |
| Shower glass and hardware | Hinge and seal failure | 2 years | Impact, forced closing, third-party servicing | 7 working days |
| Appliances | Brand warranty, registered in the client's name | Per brand | Installation by others, voltage damage | Per brand terms |
Durations run from handover. Brand warranties on hardware and appliances run to the manufacturer's terms.
How to use it
- Ask for it before the final payment. A warranty card issued after the money has moved is a card you have to chase.
- Check the exclusions are reasonable. Excluding standing water is fair; excluding “normal wear” on a hinge is not.
- Register the appliances in your own name and keep the serial numbers on the same sheet.
- File it with the maintenance schedule. Several warranties require evidence of reasonable maintenance.
What the format prevents
- A one-line warranty that promises everything. If it does not name the element and the duration, it cannot be claimed.
- No named service contact. A warranty with nobody to call is an expensive piece of paper.
- A response time nobody agreed. Forty-eight hours for a leak is the difference between a stain and a ceiling.
Read what to expect from an interior warranty and our warranty and guarantee terms.
Frequently asked questions
How long should joinery be warranted?+
Ten years on the plywood carcass against delamination and borer, and three to five years on the surface finish. Those are two different things and should be stated separately. A contractor who offers one year on everything is telling you what they expect to happen in year two.
What typically voids an interior warranty?+
Standing water left unreported, unauthorised alteration by another contractor, loads beyond the stated rating, abrasive or solvent cleaning, and drilling through a waterproofed surface. All five are reasonable. What is not reasonable is an exclusion for ordinary domestic use.
Is the waterproofing warranty separate?+
It should be, with its own duration and its own start date. Five years is a minimum and ten is achievable with a good system. Ask which product was used, how many coats and whether the ponding test result was recorded — those three answers tell you whether the warranty means anything.
Who honours the hardware warranty?+
The manufacturer, through their service network, which is exactly why the brand and series must be on the BOQ. Unbranded hardware carries no manufacturer warranty at all, so whatever the contractor offers is the entire cover you have.
What response time is reasonable?+
Forty-eight hours for anything involving water or electricity, seven working days for joinery and hardware, and ten for cosmetic items. Put the response time on the card rather than only the duration; a ten-year warranty with no response commitment is not much use in the first week.