Patio and carport advertising is full of warranty years. The numbers are easy to compare, which is exactly why they can mislead. A patio is not covered by one warranty but by several, each from a different company, each promising a different thing, and each with its own conditions.
Here is how to read them, so you can compare what is actually promised rather than which number is biggest.
The different promises
These words sound alike but cover very different things
- Corrosion to perforation. The steel will not rust through within the period. This is about the metal, not how it looks.
- Paint flaking or peeling. The paint will stay stuck to the steel. It usually does not cover gradual fading or chalking, which all paint does in the sun.
- Manufacturing defects. The product was made properly. It may say little about how it performs after years outside.
- Structural. The frame, connections and footings will carry the loads they were designed for.
- Workmanship. The builder put it together properly.
A roof can carry a long corrosion warranty and a shorter paint warranty at the same time. Ask which promise each number refers to.
Who issues each one
Who you would claim against matters as much as the length. On a typical patio:
- The steel maker can warrant the coated steel itself. BlueScope issues warranties for COLORBOND® steel directly.
- A kit or panel supplier may warrant its own products and the way they are made.
- Your builder is responsible for the workmanship and the build, and in Queensland a licensed builder works under the QBCC system.
Some warranties pass the steel maker’s warranty through to you only under certain conditions, such as a minimum distance from the sea. Read those clauses, because they decide whose terms you end up relying on.
Registration deadlines
Many warranties only start once they are registered. BlueScope lets a homeowner register a COLORBOND® steel warranty in its warranty system for up to 12 months from the date of installation, or activate one a builder has had pre-approved, using a code. Other companies set their own deadlines, and some are much shorter. Put the deadline in your diary on handover day, or ask your builder to do it with you.
Coastal and environment limits
Most coating warranties change with the site. The length can depend on the product, what it is used for and how far the home is from breaking surf, calm salt water or heavy industry. BlueScope’s online warranty estimator shows how this works for its products. A warranty quoted for a suburban site may be shorter, or not apply, a few hundred metres from the beach. If you are near the water, ask for the warranty for your address, not the headline figure.
Washing and maintenance conditions
Steel warranties usually ask you to wash the parts rain does not reach: gutter undersides, sheltered beams, the gap under a flyover and the post bases. Some set a schedule, such as every six months. Others ask for regular washing in severe sites. If the warranty says it, it is a condition, not a suggestion. Our maintenance post has the routine.
What usually is not covered
- Scratches and damage after installation, such as from ladders, tools or hail.
- Damage from things touching the steel that should not, such as soil, mulch, wet leaves or incompatible metals like copper and lead.
- Corrosion from pollutants or chemicals near the site.
- Normal colour change over time.
Your rights on top of any warranty
A warranty is extra, not a replacement for your rights. The Australian Consumer Law gives guarantees that goods and services will be of acceptable quality and fit for purpose, whatever any warranty says. The ACCC explains these on its website. A warranty that sounds short does not take those guarantees away.
A short checklist
- For each number on the quote, ask what it covers and who issues it.
- Ask for the warranty terms in writing before you sign, not after.
- Check the coastal distance and washing conditions for your address.
- Note the registration deadline and who will register it.
- Keep the paperwork, the steel brand and the date of installation with your house documents.
How we handle it
We build with genuine COLORBOND® steel made in Australia by BlueScope, so the steel warranty comes from the steel maker. At the quote we explain which BlueScope warranty applies to your site and how it gets registered, alongside our own workmanship and the QBCC requirements. Ask us to walk you through it. We would rather you understood it before the build than read it for the first time when you need it.
COLORBOND®, ZINCALUME®, Activate® and Thermatech® are registered trade marks of BlueScope Steel Limited.