When a brand-new worktop chips within weeks of installation — or a repaired surface deteriorates sooner than expected — many homeowners aren’t sure what recourse they have. Understanding your consumer rights around worktop repair and the warranties offered by manufacturers, installers and repair specialists can save you money and frustration.
Manufacturer Warranties for New Worktops
Most worktop manufacturers offer warranties against manufacturing defects — typically 10–25 years for quartz and engineered stone, and shorter periods for laminate and solid surface materials. However, these warranties almost universally exclude:
- Chips or cracks caused by impact
- Damage from improper use (e.g. placing very hot items directly on the surface)
- Damage from harsh cleaning chemicals
- Normal wear and tear
This means the vast majority of worktop chips that homeowners experience day-to-day are NOT covered by the manufacturer warranty. They are considered accidental or use-related damage.
Installer Responsibility for New Worktop Chips
If your worktop was chipped during or immediately after installation — for example during fitting, or when the installer dropped a tool — the fitting company bears responsibility under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The installation should have been completed “with reasonable care and skill.” Damage caused during installation is the installer’s fault and should be made good at no cost to you.
Consumer Rights Act 2015
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, services must be carried out with reasonable care and skill. If a tradesperson damages your worktop during a job — a plumber chipping the surface when fitting a new tap, for example — you are entitled to have the damage repaired. The trader is responsible for putting things right, which could mean arranging and paying for a professional surface repair.
Warranties on Repair Work
Reputable surface repair specialists will offer a guarantee on their repair work. This typically covers the repair compound not lifting, discolouring or failing in normal domestic use. At Shazam Repairs, we stand behind our work — if a repair fails under normal conditions, we’ll return and rectify it.
