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what is an unabridged warranty?

unabridged warranties explained

KEEPING YOUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY COVERED

USE THE TABS ON THE RIGHT TO NAVIGATE THIS PAGE

OUR SECTOR VS UNABRIDGED
UNABRIDGED KEY POINTS
THE PROBLEM IN OUR INDUSTRY
GUARANTEE WIGGLE ROOM
WHERE IT ALL GOES WRONG
WHEN IS A GUARANTEE NOT A GUARANTEE?
THE DOWNSIDE OF UNABRIDGED

Our sector Vs Unabridged

Our sector has a number of warranty offerings. Each has a place but most have the same things in common, caveats to wriggle out of them.

Most manufacturers promote a quality product offering, tested to last for the term of the warranty (if applied correctly) and that is the issue.

A manufacturer cannot be on site to see every mtr2 go down. They cannot be there to make sure all of the cleaning and preparation is done to standards depicted in the specification. (or can they?)

So EVERY manufacturer writes caveats into the warranty offered.

It is very unlikely that any manufacturer will end up paying out if it goes wrong. Indeed, LRWA (Liquid Roofing and Waterproofing Association) state that in around 90% of cases, it is contractor error that causes problems.

Unabridged warranties covers both product and application. As we do both, we have no need to add caveats to protect our product. If we specify 2.5kg/mtr2 then we apply it at that ratio so we know how it will perform.

 

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Unabridged warranties - Key Points

  • Risk reduction
  • Eliminate the grey area (the legal ground when manufacturer and contractor blame each other)
  • A massive industry problem is qualified labour
  • Real guarantees, do these exist?
  • Manufacturers liabilities reduced by caveats and clauses
  • Insolvency, no one is covered, as standard.
  • Insurance backed guarantees have similar caveats too.

The problem in our industry

Contractors do not have the labour to apply most specifications

Manufacturers training is usually a one or two day course, on a 1mtr2 rig, in a factory and on ideal surfaces.

Contractors usually have a few good guys but when they get busy will use agency workers or almost anyone to make up the numbers

The result is that the quality that is being promised is a myth. The client rarely gets what they are paying for and when the project fails a few months/years in they all blame each other leaving the client with problems and a warranty not worth a great deal now that they are looking at the small print.

guarantee wiggle room

  • Applied too thick
  • Too thin
  • Not to the spec
  • Outside the systems performance parameters
  • Not enough preparation done
  • No core sample taken by the contractor
  • Spec not fit for purpose
  • Maintenance not done
  • Follow on trades have damaged the roof
  • Not applied by trained applicators
  • Change of use
  • Contractor not paid manufacturer so no longer covered

Any of these could be the reason why the warranty is null and void

Insurance backed guarantees also have many similar clauses

Unabridged takes these away. Unabridged welcomes the risk, why?

Because risk is not risk if managed correctly

Where it all goes wrong

  • Specification not robust enough for the actual works (especially when price is an issue)

  • Contractor value engineers some of the safe guards out of the spec. Happens more if there is a main contractor involved or if the client is dealing directly with the contractor and not the manufacturer

  • The manufacturer de-lists the contractor for poor workmanship and then uses the clauses in the spec or guarantee to apply pressure to the contractor to rectify the works at their cost.

  • Contractor has some trained applicators but none are trained to meet the spec (few are)

  • Contractor has basic trained applicators but takes on too many projects so these are spread thin or none are available for your project. Many have not even been on the two day course

  • Legal can take years. If the contractor is found at fault and the bill is large, he folds and starts up again as a similar named company.

  • The spec is interpreted wrong on site or more usual, the spec never gets to site to be followed

  • Manufacturers visit site weekly/fortnightly and cannot possibly be there to see every mtr2 go down. Cover ups are easy for the applicator then.

  • The contractor refuses as to do so would admit guilt so they all go legal. All the while the waterproofing is failing and the consequential build up increases (damage within)

  • Manufacturers have preferred contractors so reports can be toned down for commercial reasons after all the contractor brings the Sales Rep as much work as he brings them why would he hang him out to dry.

  • Project fails so then a retro-fit is used (bodged)

  • If the manufacturer is found liable (hardly ever happens) they re-write their terms and clauses so that they can never be caught this way again or move out of the specific sector as it proposes risk.

  • Or they cannot agree who is at fault and as such no repair can be made without admitting liability and cancellation of the manufacturer’s warranty under his terms and conditions.

  • Large projects can cause contractor extinction so if the project fails they fight the manufacturer saying the spec was incorrect or the system has failed

When is a guarantee not a guarantee?

  • 1 When it cannot deal with the issues from the section above.
  • 2 We have been in waterproofing for many years and manufacture for the last 14 or so.
  • 3 We know our products work if applied correctly. They are tested to oblivion in most cases.
  • 4 We know that if we applied them at the correct coverages and after preparing the surfaces correctly, they work.
  • 5 We know if we use the correct labour to achieve this and ensure that one of our Technicians is on site (the guys who train the roofers) that we can ensure that every mtr2 is applied correctly.
  • 6 We know that with a Tech on site we can sign off the works without having to wait for a manufacturer rep to turn up so the programme is a lot tighter especially on larger projects.
  • 7 We know that if we make it, we apply it and we maintain it, it works as it should. We take out all of the clauses used to get out of a guarantee.

Unabridged is the type of work you would do if the client was your best friend, your family Unabridged is straight, fair, real. Needs no get out clauses as it is managed cradle to grave The key to its success.

  • 1 We manufacture and we apply.
  • 2 Our technicians apply our systems not out-sourced unskilled labour.
  • 3 We know our systems intimately and they are tested to the highest standards.
  • 4 We limit our order book in-line with our labour pot to only deliver quality.
  • 5 Our applicators are not on a price to finish the works so they rush it, they are on quality related bonuses.
  • 6 We take ownership of the maintenance thereafter so not look to walk away, we look to maintain the works.
  • 7 We look for sole access to the works in some cases to ensure no one goes on the waterproofing that is not trained and/or to do other related works without our presence. We are involved thus in any change of use such as a new air con unit being applied and holes are cut in the waterproofing by our team (at a cost agreed).
  • 8 We deliver the warranty term offered not look to blame someone else.

the Downside to unabridged warranties

Because we do the works right, with a no quibble approach our focus is on quality not cost. That said we are very competitive on price too as we have our manufacturer margin to play with as well as the contracting margin. This allows us to focus on the quality aspect. Secure the project and repeat business from very satisfied clients.

Our approach is designed to work with only a small number of clients directly who are wanting to make sure that the build stock is actually covered for an agreed period and not at risk of having to re-do the works all over again in 3 years-time due to the nature of none-Unabridged offerings.

After all only one project has to go wrong for the cost difference to be levelled and then the rest of the stock is at risk.

Unabridged is like first class,

Unabridged is like business done with honour and not just for profit

Unabridged is how it all should be but sadly not

We are limited to how many projects we can actually offer with this scheme as there are only a few seats left in first class.

So if you want what you are actually paying for but without the risk, you want Euro Polymers Unabridged

Waterproofing the way it should be done!

Contact Us

Feel free to give us a call to see how any of the above services might service your commercial property needs.

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