Do Pitched Roof Systems Come with a Guarantee?

Traditionally, the various components of a pitched roof were sourced by the roofing contractor, chosen using whatever criteria the contractor saw fit. Pitched roof systems offer specific combinations of components all tested for compatibility and backed by a guarantee from the single source supplier or manufacturer. While this offering can be perceived to take away the choice of components in a system, it offers risk management and peace-of-mind for both the client and contractor.

Whether you are the contractor or the client, it’s useful to understand how a pitched roof system has been designed and what its guarantee covers.

What is a pitched roof system?

Confusingly, the term ‘pitched roof system’ can mean different things. For the purpose of this post, a pitched roof system is the chosen tile or slate, combined with tile battens, eaves ventilation, ridge ventilation, underlay, fixings, and accessories - in other words, everything that goes into making sure a pitched roof fulfils its various functions.

Systems provide greater certainty in the performance of the finished roof. In the past, a roofing contractor may have been tempted to use the cheapest version of a certain component, even if it wasn’t appropriate for the roof. Or maybe their merchant offered an alternative component, believing it to be equivalent - and only after installation was it discovered to be unsuitable for the roof in question.

A manufacturer typically offers a warrantied system based mostly, if not entirely, around their own components. By contrast, a roofing supplier might offer a ‘mix and match’ solution, with a small range of options for each component, which they are confident will work together as required and therefore willing to warranty.

What pitched roof system and guarantee is best?

Every project is different, so the ‘best’ solution for one roof may not be the most appropriate for another. It’s worth keeping the following points in mind, however.

The standards governing the production of pitched roof components have developed a lot in recent years, resulting in more and better quality products. Just because a component meets its own standard, though, doesn’t mean it will meet the demands of a given project used in a random system combination. This is where a ‘mix and match’ approach differs from a ‘single manufacturer’ approach.

Marley is the only roof system manufacturer that produces each component of their system themselves. Products meet their individual standards, but every combination of components is tested in-house to ensure the 15-year guarantee is offered with complete confidence.

Knowing which system build-up works best in any location means system specifications are unique to every project. That means peace of mind for the roofing contractor, who doesn’t have to copy a specification used for one roof on another roof in a different location. And it’s peace of mind for the client, who knows their contractor has technical support from the manufacturer offering the guarantee.