Quick answer
A workmanship warranty covers the quality of the work itself, that it was done properly and to standard. In New Zealand, Part 4A of the Building Act 2004 adds a set of implied warranties to residential building work automatically, and they run for 10 years whether or not anyone writes them down. On top of the legal floor, good aftercare is what you actually feel: one contact to call for anything, a fast callback response, a snag list closed at handover, and a check-in at 12 months. The law sets the minimum; the aftercare is the service.
From handover to the 10-year floor.
Key points
- A workmanship warranty covers whether the work was done properly; it is separate from a product's own manufacturer warranty.
- Building Act 2004 Part 4A adds implied warranties to residential building work automatically, running 10 years, written down or not.
- Those warranties cannot be contracted out of for residential work, so they are a floor under every job, not a favour.
- Good aftercare is the felt part: one contact, a fast callback response, snags closed at handover, and a 12-month check.
- Product warranties (hinges, benchtops, appliances) run alongside and are honoured through the same single point of contact.
Warranty is one of those words everyone uses and few explain, and in building work there are actually several things stacked on top of each other: the law's implied warranties, the contractor's own workmanship warranty, the manufacturers' product warranties, and then the thing you actually experience, whether someone picks up the phone and sorts it out when there is a problem. It is worth pulling those apart, because a client comparing contractors should know what is a legal floor everyone has to meet and what is genuinely better service.
The legal floor: Building Act Part 4A
For residential building work in New Zealand, Part 4A of the Building Act 2004 implies a set of warranties into the contract automatically. They cover things like the work being done properly and competently, in accordance with the plans and the building consent, with suitable materials, and the building being fit to live in. Crucially, these apply whether or not they are written into any contract, they run for 10 years, and they cannot be contracted out of for residential work. So a 10-year cover on residential workmanship is not a special offer, it is the law, and any contractor implying otherwise is selling you something you already have.
This sits alongside the Consumer Guarantees Act, which also requires services to be carried out with reasonable care and skill. Between them they are the reason a properly done kitchen or bathroom is covered even when the paperwork is thin. The law is on the client's side here; the contractor's job is to not need it invoked.
Workmanship vs product warranties
Two different things get called warranty. The workmanship warranty is about the installation, that it was fitted and built correctly. The product warranties are the manufacturers' cover on the parts, the soft-close hinges and runners, the benchtop, the tapware, each with its own term. A good contractor honours both through one point of contact: if a hinge fails under its manufacturer warranty, you call the same number you would for a workmanship issue, and they sort out the claim rather than sending you to the manufacturer. The client should not have to know which kind of warranty a problem falls under.
| Layer | What it covers | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Part 4A (Building Act) | Residential workmanship, materials, fitness | 10 years, implied by law |
| Consumer Guarantees Act | Reasonable care and skill in the service | By the Act |
| Contractor workmanship | The installation done right | As stated, backed by the above |
| Product warranties | Hinges, benchtops, tapware, appliances | Per manufacturer |
Aftercare: the part you actually feel
The legal warranties are a floor everyone shares, so the real difference between contractors is aftercare, what happens when you call. Good aftercare is simple to describe and rarer than it should be: one contact for anything across the whole programme, so you are not hunting for who did which unit; a fast response on any callback, in our case within two working days; a snag list closed at handover rather than left drifting; and a proactive check-in at around 12 months across the programme, rather than waiting for something to go wrong. This is the same callback discipline that closes issues instead of letting them fester.
One contact, across the whole programme
For a portfolio or a village the single most useful aftercare feature is one number to call for everything. Not a different contact per unit or per trade, but one regional aftercare contact who owns any issue across the programme and gets it fixed. That single point of contact is the aftercare equivalent of running one maintenance contractor across the building: the client never has to work out whose problem it is, because it is always the same party's problem to solve.
Frequently asked questions
What is Part 4A of the Building Act?
Part 4A of the Building Act 2004 implies a set of warranties into residential building work automatically. They cover the work being done properly and competently, to the plans and consent, with suitable materials, and the result being fit to live in. They apply whether or not they are written into a contract, run for 10 years, and cannot be contracted out of for residential work.
Is a 10-year warranty on building work special?
For residential work, no, it is the legal floor. Part 4A of the Building Act implies warranties that run for 10 years on residential building work automatically. A contractor presenting a 10-year workmanship warranty as a special offer is describing something you already have by law. The meaningful differences are response time and whether there is one contact to call.
What is the difference between a workmanship and a product warranty?
A workmanship warranty covers the installation being done correctly. A product warranty is the manufacturer's cover on a part, like a hinge, benchtop or tap, each with its own term. A good contractor honours both through one point of contact, so if a part fails you call the same number and they handle the manufacturer claim rather than sending you away.
What does good aftercare look like?
One contact to call for anything across the whole programme, a fast callback response, in our case within two working days, a snag list closed at handover rather than left drifting, and a proactive check-in at around 12 months. The legal warranties are a shared floor, so aftercare, what actually happens when you call, is where contractors genuinely differ.
Can a contractor contract out of the Building Act warranties?
Not for residential building work. The Part 4A implied warranties apply automatically and cannot be contracted out of for residential work, so they are a floor under every job regardless of what a contract says. This is deliberately on the client's side, and it means a client is protected even if the written warranty is thin or missing.
Who do I call if something goes wrong after handover?
With us, one regional aftercare contact who owns any issue across the whole programme, whether it is a workmanship callback or a product warranty claim. You do not have to work out which unit's crew did it or which kind of warranty applies; it is one number, one accountable party, and a two-working-day response on callbacks.
If you want to know exactly what is covered, for how long, and who you call when something needs fixing, we will set it out plainly: the Building Act floor everyone shares, our workmanship warranty on top, product warranties honoured through us, and one aftercare contact with a two-day callback response. Ask us and we will put the whole warranty and aftercare picture in writing.