Six months after your renovation, a tile pops. Or a drawer rail fails. Or the bathroom sealant has gone black and is peeling. You know it's a workmanship issue. But calling the contractor feels awkward, and you're not sure how much you can push.
Here's how to handle warranty claims professionally and effectively.
Your baseline position
Your renovation contract includes a Defects Liability Period — typically 12 months. During this period, defects arising from workmanship or materials are the contractor's responsibility to fix at no cost to you.
You are not asking a favour. You are exercising a contractual right. Keep this framing in mind. Polite, professional, and clear — but not apologetic.
The right way to make a warranty claim
Step 1: Document the defect clearly. Photo with good lighting showing the full extent of the issue. If it's a crack or a pop, photograph the width. If it's water damage, photograph the stained area.
Step 2: Send in writing, not just verbally. A WhatsApp message with the photo and description: "Hi [name], noticed a defect I'd like to raise under the warranty. [Description] in [location]. Photo attached. Can we arrange for this to be inspected and rectified?"
Writing creates a dated record. Verbal reports are easy to forget, misremember, or dispute.
Step 3: State a reasonable timeframe. "Can you advise when this can be attended to? I'm flexible on scheduling but would like to resolve this within [2–3 weeks]." This is reasonable, not aggressive.
What to do if the contractor disputes the defect
Some defects are genuinely debatable — is the tile hollow because of poor workmanship at installation, or because of impact damage from furniture being moved in? Is the paint peeling because of substandard application, or because a water source was placed against the wall for months?
When a contractor disputes that a defect is their responsibility:
Ask them to come and assess in person. A physical inspection is the starting point for any fair assessment. A contractor who refuses to even look at the defect is behaving unreasonably.
Explain specifically why you believe it's a workmanship defect. "The tile was hollow when we did the tap test at handover — it's documented in my handover photos from [date]" is a much stronger position than "I think it's your fault."
If the dispute remains unresolved: CASE mediation is the most practical next step. The mediation process is relatively fast (typically a few weeks from filing to session) and most cases involving clear warranty issues resolve in the homeowner's favour when the documentation supports the claim.
The common defects and what's reasonable to expect
Hollow and popping tiles: Workmanship issue. Contractor should inspect and rectify. Minor hollowness that's stable and not popping is debatable; active tile popping is clearly a defect.
Grout cracking in wet areas: If it appears within the first year without any external cause, it's typically a workmanship or material issue. Reasonable to claim.
Carpentry door or drawer alignment: If it was correctly aligned at handover and has drifted beyond a reasonable adjustment, this indicates hardware or installation quality issue. Contractor should adjust or rectify.
Paint peeling in non-wet areas: If walls were properly prepared and the right paint was used, this shouldn't happen within 12 months. If it does, it's a workmanship issue.
Silicone sealant failing quickly: Silicone that's properly applied to a clean, dry surface should last 2–3 years. Failure within 6–12 months suggests it was applied wet, over mould, or using a low-quality product.
Keeping the relationship professional
The contractor who renovated your flat did a job that you presumably paid for. Most defect claims are resolved without conflict when both parties approach it professionally. Your contractor wants to maintain their reputation and their relationship with you for potential future referrals.
Be clear, be specific, be documented — and be fair. A contractor who fixed every genuine defect promptly and professionally deserves that in the review you eventually write.
The bottom line
Warranty claims shouldn't require drama. Document, communicate in writing, give reasonable timeframes, and escalate formally only when informal resolution fails. Most contractors will respond constructively to a professional, documented claim. The ones who don't are telling you something useful about their character — and about what you should write in your review.
