Have you recently purchased a home? What is the condition of the home? Does it need any repairs? Will it require repairs in the future? Will such repairs be affordable to you? These are some of the questions one may have when one has just bought a home. You need to visit Sfgate.com to learn more about the kind of repairs a home may require and the cost of the same. Have you ever heard about a home warranty? What are some of the advantages of a home warranty and are there drawbacks to the same?
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What is a home warranty?
A home warranty is an agreement between a homeowner and a home warranty company to provide discounted repair costs for home appliances and major components such as plumbing, HVAC, the furnace, electrical systems, and other components. The fact that home insurance does not cover some of these things means that a home warranty would come in handy to help a homeowner bear the huge costs of the said repairs.
Home warranty companies work with many approved service providers. When something is wrong in your home, the home warranty company will then contact one of the service providers who will come and do the necessary repairs on your appliances and components. As long as the required repairs are covered by the warranty, then the service providers accept to do the repairs. As a homeowner, all you are required to pay is a small service fee. The money spent to purchase the warranty also covers the repairs.
How to find the best home warranty company
Now that we know how a home warranty works, it is time to discuss how to go about finding the best home warranty company to engage. Here are tips to guide you:
What are your requirements?
It is important to know the kind of items that may require a home warranty. List such items so you are sure of the kind of requirements you have. Do you have the older type of appliances that often require repairs? What is the condition of your systems such as furnaces, water heaters, and air conditioners? These factors will guide you on the kind of home warranty company to choose.
Research the companies
This is important because when you make a list of the available home warranty companies, it becomes easy for you to make the right choice. You should base your research on such things as price, plans available, and the various services offered by such companies.
Consult your family, friends, and neighbors
It is good for you to get firsthand information about the experiences that your family members, neighbors, or friends have had with the various home warranty companies. Find out the companies offering services in your locality, their type of pricing, their plans, and the kind of contractors they have engaged for the repairs of appliances.
Get free quotes
This is another good way to guide you to find a suitable home warranty company. After you have shortlisted the companies as above, contact them for free quotes. Once you have gotten the quotes, compare these with your needs. Which ones go with your budget or needs? Just by submitting your zip code and email, you can get the quotes from the companies you want.
Before deciding to buy, consider the following factors:
Does it offer service in your area?
This is a good factor you need to consider. There are warranty companies that could be offering services in other areas and not in your locality.
What kind of coverage do they offer?
Be sure of the kind of coverage the warranty offers. If the warranty offers limited coverage for your appliances, then you may want to choose a different provider. Be sure of the kind of appliances, systems, and other major things covered.
Consider the Cost of the warranty
The overall cost of the warranty will be determined by factors such as the plan you choose, the area of your residence as well as the add-ons to the warranty coverage. Those who want comprehensive coverage for their warranty should be ready to pay more.
Repair Service Quality
You will also want to consider the kind of guarantee that a home warranty company can give to their clients. Do they offer labor guarantees? Are there lifetime guarantees for the parts that are used? Some companies give up to 90 days of repair guarantees. These guarantees are good as they give you peace of mind. You get to use your appliances knowing well that you are guaranteed of repairs in the event of spoilage.
