To all the professionals,
I’ve been wondering what others do regarding warranties for their work. In all the years I’ve been selling custom furniture and kitchens, I have never once given a written warranty to a customer. But when they asked, and it does come up from time to time, I usually said something like the following:
“As long as I’m alive and working, I stand behind everything I ever made. Just don’t come looking for me when I’m in an old age home. That’s all the warranty you’ll ever need, and it’s all you’re going to get.”
I don’t think there was ever a client that walked away because of this point. But I’ve been thinking lately, that maybe there is something good for both parties in giving a well-defined written warranty. (Also, I keep getting nearer that old age home…)
Any thoughts or experiences on this question?
DR
Replies
I rarely have given a warranty, but have in the past told clients the work is guaranteed for a lifetime, my lifetime.
In retrospect, it's probably better to spell out what's covered and what's not, for example the joinery is covered but the finish could take so much abuse it would not be covered. Certainly major manufacturers spell out a similar warranty.
Hi ring ,
As I recall you are out of the states , but statewide the construction laws vary a bit from location to location . Many have a clause that we must guarantee our labor for a period of one year. Since we have little control over the materials , there are clear wordings that distinguish the difference. So basically all we can be held responsible for is our workmanship . Assuming quality materials are used generally speaking little goes wrong. Cracking ,cupping ,twisting and warping over many years is out of our control. As you do , I used to say " life time guarantee " but I'm not sure that is realistic . What has always frustrated me is for instance when a Doctor performs a surgery or procedure on us for say $60,000 and it may not turn out as planned , there is no guarantee of the results, we do a job regardless of the size and people are outraged if their expectations have not been met , and may threaten litigation . Have you noticed when you do have a medical procedure you sign an agreement that states something like " since the art of medicine is not an exact science , no specified results can be guaranteed " I wonder how our potential clients would feel about signing a contract that stated " since the art of woodworking is not an exact science , no specified results can be guaranteed " Fortunately in the last 25 years or so I have never had any comebacks or major complaints , just doing things to the best of our ability as craftsmen is as good as it gets for the consumer . Have you ever bought a pair of shoes that had a lifetime guarantee ? I asked the sales person if it was my lifetime or the shoes lifetime , they were not sure how to answer that one .lol
keep doing quality work and your best efforts will prevail over the test of time .
dusty
More important than having a written warranty is a disclaimer of consequential damages. Limit your warranty to repair or replacement only. You don't want to build a music stand and, if it breaks or falls over, end up paying for someone's broken Stradivarius
smslaw ,
That indeed is good advice . Most of our insurance policies are worded as a limited liability . Wether we state that in writing or not that is what we are covered for . Any personal claims or guarantees that go beyond our insurance policy would be a personal lawsuit with out the help of our insurance carrier .Usually like you said the maximum would be replacement cost but no other related costs . All this makes sense except when negligence enters the picture , that can open a whole new can of worms .
dusty
The three biggest causes of failure are:
* Exposure to UV light
* Exposure to chemicals, including water, solvents, cleaners
* Physical abuse -- abrasion, impact, use not as intended.
There is no way you can control these factors.
Specifically, one of the vendors I do warranty claims for specifically excludes:
Over-all soiling,hair and body oil stains, fading,normal wear and tear,improper care,improper cleaning,animal teeth or claws.
I guarantee my work is done in workmanlike manner.
The other thing to remember is a warranty is only as good as the entity backing it up. If you have a warranty made by a company that's gone belly up, so is your warranty.
To All,
You brought some interesting points, thanks. I probably should have said that I've never had a financially serious problem, never been sued. But left wondering more about the effect a warranty has on customer relations. A few minor incidents from the records:
1. Clear varnish on a bathroom cabinet began to get cloudy about 5 years after I installed it. I couldn't even remember what varnish I had used. Pulled the cabinet out and refinished at no charge to the customer. Needless to say, they remain loyal clients.
2. Library shelves made of oak got infested with powder post beetles, 3 years after I made them. The homeowner let it go so long before they called for help that nothing could be done but burn the thing in the yard. I made a new replacement at 1/2 the original cost. At my discretion, I wanted to keep the goodwill of the customer, even though it was clear to me that the infestation came long after I had supplied the piece.
3. Kitchen countertop made of 8/4 teak, began to show mildew in the joints that were constantly getting wet. I declined to do anything about the problem since I had warned them (in conversation, not written) that it was likely to happen sooner or later. Customer was generally pleased but not overjoyed at this development.
I spend a lot of money on advertising (another thread altogether...) but the most important thing is still word-of-mouth recommendations. I can always decide to replace or repair some problem that is beyond the coverage of my warranty, if it seems wise for PR reasons. The question remains for me what effect a written warranty has, long-term, on marketing.
The points that you all brought on protecting myself are well taken. Thanks.
DR
ring ,
Really , I think your reputation , referrals and personal integrity and dedication to detail and doing quality work are the factors that will stand the test of time . Our willingness to re-work or otherwise help out a client , even when it is not our liability will bring much good will . Of course a big thing is keeping our word and doing business in a straight forward way .
dusty
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