The 12-month workmanship warranty
12 months from Sign Off, you warrant your workmanship. Defects reported in the window are covered however long the resolution takes. Defects first reported after the window are out of scope.
You warrant your workmanship for 12 months from Sign Off. The customer-side article The 12-month workmanship warranty is the canonical source on what's covered; this article describes operational practice from your side.
When you'll hear about a workmanship issue
Customers raise workmanship issues with their build advisor or planner. Beams notifies you, includes any evidence (photos, description), and asks for your view.
Acknowledge promptly. The 28-day workmanship-response standard from the Builder Agreement applies — you should respond within 28 days, with a plan for inspection or remediation. The article Resolving issues on-site covers the broader response practice.
How the clock works
The 12-month clock runs continuously from Sign Off. It does not pause or restart. What matters is whether the defect was reported within the 12 months — once reported in time, the resolution is covered however long it takes.
So a defect reported in month 11 with a resolution that stretches into month 14 is fine — covered, even though the work to fix it falls outside the window.
Defects first reported after the 12-month window are out of scope, even if an earlier in-window defect is still being sorted.
What's covered
Workmanship — the way things were installed and built. If a defect surfaces because of how the work was done, it's covered.
What's not covered:
- Wear and tear — normal use over time.
- Damage from how the customer has used the space — accident, mistreatment.
- Product defects — supplier warranty, not yours. The customer-side article What to do if a product I receive is faulty describes the customer's path.
- Issues from changes the customer or another builder has made.
Cost of warranty work
Where the issue is genuinely workmanship, you cover the remediation. Where the issue is a product defect that the customer's been told is workmanship, the conversation is between you, the customer, and where relevant Beams to clarify the cause.
When you can't honour the warranty
If you leave the network or your business closes during the 12-month window, the network backstop applies — Beams covers the customer up to £10,000 for rectification by a replacement builder. The article The network backstop — when Beams covers a customer covers this.
What this means for you
Take warranty issues seriously and respond fast. A clean, prompt response on a warranty claim is what protects your reputation. A drawn-out one is what damages it.
Related articles
- Snagging — the 28-day window
- The network backstop — when Beams covers a customer