We're having issues with the contractor that did our roof last week. We've only paid them the initial 1/2 deposit.

The job was done with Owens Corning Duration shingles. We've looked to OC to help mediate / get involved and they've demurred. They did say that there's no warranty until we pay the contractor in full.

And the warranty concept seems to be a mess. OC has a page that talks about 4 different warranties related to this contractor being a preferred contractor.

Warranty Comparison | Owens Corning? Roofing

The contract talks of a '25 year labor warranty'. Reading closer now, doesn't say if he or OC is backing that.

Realistically, who has filed a roof warranty claim? Did you actually get anything from the claim? My jaded view is that there's all types of ways they'll get out of it - installer didn't install correctly, correct materials weren't used, the warranty is prorated, etc. Or OK, your entire roof is gone, but.... here's 1 square of shingles and you have to pay to install them and the other 30 squares you need to buy.

A look at the PDF about the shingles -

'We warrant that your Owens Corning®
shingles are free from any manufacturing
defects that... cause leaks during the balance of the applicable warranty period

Oh, that leak? That's not the shingles, that's the flashing or something else that conveniently doesn't have a warranty : ) or the shingle leaks, but it's not a manufacturing defect that caused it....

Or the algae warranty - 'oh, that's not algae, that's mold. that's not covered, etc. etc.

They even say ' Owens Corning will not provide
compensation for ......the cost to remove or dispose of your shingles.

Damn, sometimes I think I am jaded but then things like this prove that it's justified:

if you did purchase AR shingles, they are covered
.. against brown-black staining caused due to growth of cyanobacteria
Gloeocapsa magma algae. We do not cover the effects of other growth, such
as mold, lichen and green algae

Is a roof warranty really anything worth having?