Need Advice: Banner Installation Warranty Contract

[nolanola]

Hello.
We got a job to produce and install two big banners.
The estimate and the material have been approved.
The banners have been produced by us and installed by a subcontractor (install only company). The subcontractor is licensed and insured.
3 weeks later the client wants us to sign a contract that says that we are licensed and insured and requires to put the client's company as an additionally insured party. The contract has no time limits.
What should I do?
I think I should make a contract myself that says that outdoor banners have 6 months warranty.
Something like that:
"Interior use banners can last indefinitely, but exterior use banners should always be considered temporary signage. They can last for as little as a few months or for several years. Weather plays a huge factor in the life of a banner, as well as how and where it was installed. Due to exposure to unlimited conditions, including harsh weather, they cannot be guaranteed against damage or wear."

Thank you.

 

[GaSouthpaw]

As you said, banners are temporary signs. I might warranty against it being hung incorrectly or against a bad print, but that's about it. There's no way you can control the elements that can tear up even a brand new banner in an instant.
Once had a customer who wanted us to provide a ten year warranty that the printed face we'd proposed for their sign wouldn't fade. On PMS032 Red!
One of the reasons I left that company- the owner agreed to the conditions, despite my telling him it was a losing proposition and that the manufacturer of the media nor the inks warranteed the products for that length of time, even if they'd been done 100% in conformance with all specs.
Moral of the story: Don't do it if you know it's not right.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

On my design proofs I have a spot for warranty, for banners I say "No warranty for banners". If they want a 1 year warranty they need to order permanent signage. Its clear from the get-go that the design they sign off of clearly states no warranty. I've never had an issue with it.

 

[Gino]

Sounds more like they want a liability clause for the installation end of things, not the durability of the ink on the banner itself.

We have on all of our quote sheets with every type of banner type, that they are temporary signs, therefore, no time warranty is available. We can give an estimate of how long they will last under normal conditions, but otherwise, no can do.

I don't know what you consider large banners, but installation methods play a big part in this scenario.

You might want to get together and discuss this with your installation company, as if something goes wrong, they (the customer) came to you to do the job, not your subcontractor. Your subs don't really enter into it without a lotta mumbo-jumbo, unless they were paid directly from the customer and weren't a part of your original quote. That's what I think is happening with your client. They saw someone else installing it and now want assurance after discussing it with their legal counsel.

 

[TrustMoore_TN]

3 weeks later the client wants us to sign a contract that says that we are licensed and insured and requires to put the client's company as an additionally insured party. The contract has no time limits.

After the fact it's installed... I think not. What if there was damage in the 3 weeks since installation you don't know about? This should have been covered in the initial discussion and I would have told them to pound sand.

"Interior use banners can last indefinitely, but exterior use banners should always be considered temporary signage. They can last for as little as a few months or for several years. Weather plays a huge factor in the life of a banner, as well as how and where it was installed. Due to exposure to unlimited conditions, including harsh weather, they cannot be guaranteed against damage or wear."

This says it all. No guarantee on banners and temporary signage. Period. Permanent installs - limited warranty on workmanship but how many times have people been able to get a supplier back up a warranty claim on a media or substrate. Few and far between.

Its sad that we've come to the point of being such a litigious society that something like this is a thing now.