The warranty period is when the contractor is on the hook to come back and fix defective work at no cost to the owner. Under AIA A201, the contractor’s correction period is one year from substantial completion (or from the date a specific system was first used). Specifications often add longer warranties for particular systems, like a 20-year roofing warranty or a 5-year warranty on curtain wall, which are usually backed by the manufacturer or installer.
Two things often get confused. The correction period is a contractual duty to fix work that shows up as defective within the window. It doesn’t cut off the owner’s broader rights: the owner can still bring claims for defects discovered later, within the statute of limitations or statute of repose for the state.
Why it matters
Warranty work is real cost that lands after the job closes. Contractors who don’t track warranty start dates and expiration end up arguing about whether a call is in or out of warranty. Subs need to flow the same warranty obligations down, or the GC carries the risk alone. Many contractors hold a small warranty reserve in their job cost forecast for exactly this.
Common mistakes
- Starting the warranty clock at final completion when the contract says substantial completion, or the reverse.
- Not getting written manufacturer warranties into the closeout package.
- Missing an 11-month walkthrough, which helps catch issues before the window closes.
- Charging warranty calls to overhead instead of the original job, which hides the true margin.
How os.construction handles it
We’re building closeout records so warranty start dates, system warranties and warranty calls tie back to the original job and its cost codes. It’s in development.