Warranty terms and conditions

In these terms, "I" and "Blue Seal Plumber" mean Blue Seal Plumber, and "you" means the person or business named on the invoice for the work.

If you have signed a written contract with me for the work, the warranty set out in that contract governs. This page describes the same warranty in plainer language for anyone who wants to read it before hiring me.

1. What is covered

I warrant that all labour I perform, and all new materials and fixtures I supply and install, will be free from defects in workmanship and free from defects under normal use.

That covers the pipe, fittings, valves, venting and connections I install, the joints and supports I make, and the fixtures and equipment I supply as part of the job.

2. Length of coverage

The warranty period is twenty-four (24) months. It begins on the date your final invoice for the work is paid in full.

No warranty obligation arises until the final invoice has been paid in full, and the warranty does not apply to any work for which payment is still outstanding.

This warranty is personal to the customer named on the invoice. It is not transferable or assignable, and it ends automatically if the property is sold or otherwise transferred to a new owner.

3. What is not covered

Materials you or someone else supplied

I provide no material warranty on fixtures, pipe, materials or equipment supplied by you or by a third party. My warranty on those items covers only my own labour in installing them. It does not cover the performance, durability, suitability or failure of the item itself.

Drain cleaning and blockages

Because of how drainage systems work, clearing a blocked drain or sewer line carries no warranty against the line blocking again. The exception is where a structural defect in the pipe is found to have been caused directly by my own recent installation.

Abuse, neglect and environmental conditions

The warranty does not cover defects or failures caused by:

• negligence, misuse, abuse, or lack of proper maintenance;
• freezing temperatures;
• water quality, including hard water scale, low pH or acidic water, high mineral or sediment content, and corrosion arising from water chemistry;
• ground movement or settlement;
• interruption or fluctuation of the water supply or of electrical power; or
• acts of God, including floods, earthquakes, wildfire and severe weather.

This exclusion does not apply where the failure results from my own failure to install the work in accordance with the BC Plumbing Code and applicable municipal or regional district requirements.

Work altered by others

If you or any third party alters, repairs, modifies or tampers with the plumbing system after my installation, the warranty is void for the portion of the work affected by that alteration, and for any defect it caused or contributed to. The rest of my work remains covered.

4. Manufacturer warranties

Materials, fixtures, appliances and equipment I supply and install, such as hot water tanks, fixtures, pumps and valves, are also covered by their own manufacturers' warranties. Where a manufacturer's warranty applies, I will pass the benefit of it through to you and help you make the claim.

Except where applicable law says otherwise, including the Sale of Goods Act (British Columbia), my own warranty on those items is limited to the 24-month period above and to repair or replacement of the item.

Labour on manufacturer-warranted parts

Manufacturer warranties usually cover the replacement part only. They rarely cover the cost of removing the failed item and installing the new one.

So if a part fails after my 24-month period has ended but is still covered by the manufacturer, I will supply and install the warranty replacement at my standard labour rates and service call charges in effect at the time, payable by you. Shipping, freight, restocking and manufacturer handling charges are also yours.

5. How to make a claim

Call 778-901-9695 or email alex@bluesealplumber.ca. If you call, please follow up in writing within three business days so we both have a record.

To process the claim I will need your invoice number, the date of the original work, and a description of the fault. Photos help.

You must give me a reasonable opportunity to inspect and fix the problem before hiring anyone else. If you engage another contractor without giving me that chance, the warranty is void for the affected work and I am not responsible for that contractor's bill.

6. What happens on a valid claim

If a covered defect appears during the warranty period, I will, at my discretion, either repair the defective workmanship, or repair or replace the defective material or fixture.

Warranty work is carried out during regular business hours, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday to Friday excluding statutory holidays, at no cost to you for covered defects. I aim to respond to warranty calls within one business day and to book the visit at the earliest time that works for both of us.

Repair or replacement as described here is your sole and exclusive remedy under this warranty.

7. Access and restoration

You need to give me safe and reasonable access to the work, including to any plumbing that has been enclosed, buried, tiled over or hidden behind finished surfaces, cabinetry, millwork or landscaping since I installed it.

Where warranty work means opening a finished surface, I will fix the plumbing and close the opening to a rough, unfinished condition, such as a patched drywall opening ready for finishing. Finishing and cosmetic restoration is not included and is at your expense. That includes taping, mudding, texturing, priming, painting, tile removal or replacement, tile and grout matching, flooring, cabinetry, countertops, millwork and landscaping.

If getting to the work means removing and reinstalling your fixtures, appliances, cabinetry or finishes, that time is chargeable at my standard rates.

8. Limits on liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, my total liability to you arising out of or relating to the work or this warranty, whether the claim is founded in contract, in tort including negligence, in breach of statutory duty or otherwise, is limited to the total amount you paid me for the work.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, I am not liable for indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages. That includes water damage to drywall, flooring, cabinetry, finishes or personal property; mould growth or remediation; loss of use of the premises; loss of rental or business income; and alternate accommodation costs. This applies whether or not those damages arise from my own negligence or that of anyone working for me.

Please carry homeowner's or commercial property insurance covering these events. It is the right tool for this kind of loss, and it responds faster than any warranty claim can.

Nothing here limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by my negligence, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be limited or excluded.

9. Emergency and after-hours service

Plumbing emergencies do not keep business hours, and I answer the phone around the clock. This warranty does not cover the premium cost of an after-hours call.

If you ask for warranty service outside regular business hours, including evenings, weekends and statutory holidays, you agree to pay:

• my after-hours diagnostic and dispatch fee of $140.00, plus applicable taxes; and
• the difference between my regular labour rates and my emergency overtime rates for the duration of the call.

The $140.00 fee is payable whether or not the underlying defect turns out to be covered by this warranty.

Before calling for after-hours service, take all reasonable steps to limit the damage, starting with closing the main water shut-off valve.

If I determine on arrival that the problem is not an immediate emergency threatening life or property, or is not covered by this warranty, my standard emergency service rates apply to the whole call.

10. General

Your rights under BC law

This warranty is in addition to any rights you have under the Sale of Goods Act (British Columbia), the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act (British Columbia) and other applicable legislation, to the extent those rights cannot lawfully be excluded or limited by contract. Nothing on this page takes them away.

Changes to these terms

These terms may change over time. The version that applies to your job is the version in effect on the date of your invoice. Print or save a copy if you would like one for your records.

If part of this is unenforceable

If any provision of this warranty is found to be void, invalid or unenforceable, that provision is severed and the rest stays in effect.

Governing law

This warranty is governed by the laws of British Columbia and the laws of Canada that apply in British Columbia.

11. Contact

Blue Seal Plumber · Nelson, British Columbia · 778-901-9695 · alex@bluesealplumber.ca