Colorado Home Warranty
Is This Your Business?1.0
Author: Kalicia Bateman
Colorado Home Warranty (CHW) provides services for home buyers and sellers, as well as real estate professionals. Based in Lakewood, Colorado, the company accepts 24/7/365 service calls and charges a $55 service fee per trade call.
Available home warranty contracts provided by the company are scheduled for a period of 12, 15, and 24 months for buyers and sellers of existing homes. Contract lengths for newly-built homes are an exception, with contracts lasting either two or four years.
CHW plans can be purchased online through the warranty provider's website or over the phone. As with all home warranty companies, there are certain limitations to its warranties and other policies. Nevertheless, Colorado Home Warranty will meet the expectations of most home buyers and sellers.
Keep reading for pros and cons of getting a warranty from Colorado Home Warranty.
Attention: Are you not looking for this specific home warranty company?
Browse the Centennial State's best home warranty providers that are researched, reviewed, and ranked.
Top Ranked Companies
Pros
- Colorado Home Warranty Plans and Pricing
- New Construction Coverage Options
- Free Seller Listing Protection
- 24/7/365 Service Call Availability
- $55 Service Fee
- 30 Day Service Guarantee
- Unknown Pre-Existing Condition Coverage
Colorado Home Warranty Plans and Pricing
Home systems and appliances included in CHW's standard warranty coverage are the same for buyers and sellers. Rather than offering multiple plans with different appliance and coverage options, this warranty company offers Standard coverage and customization through several add-on items.
Standard Coverage Breakdown
| Standard Home Systems Coverage: | Standard Appliance Coverage: |
|
|
Standard Coverage Pricing
|
Purchaser
|
Contract Term
|
Single Family Homes < 5,000 sq ft
|
Condos and Townhomes
|
|
Seller’s/Buyer’s Coverage
|
12 Months
|
$275
|
$255
|
|
Seller’s/Buyer’s Coverage
|
15 Months
|
$295
|
$275
|
|
Buyer-Only Option
|
2 Years
|
$525
|
$475
|
Note: Seller's warranty contracts are not available for multiple-unit properties.
Optional Coverage Pricing for Buyers Only
With Colorado Home Warranty, buyers have several add-on options to choose from if they want to enhance their coverage, including the following:
- Central Air Conditioner/Cooler — $75 per year
- Clothes Washer & Dryer — $50 per year
- Gas Fireplace — $60 per year
- Limited Roofing Coverage (Leak Repair) — $60 per year
- Pool and/or Spa Equipment — $150 per year
- Septic Tank Pumping — $45 per year
- Well Pump — $75 per year
Additionally, buyers can opt-out of standard furnace coverage, saving $55 per year.
New Construction Coverage Options
In addition to offering home warranty coverage plans for existing homes, CHW also offers plans to cover a brand new home.
A new-build home warranty policy is a little different. It will only start to cover standard wear and tear on your home systems and appliances after the first year of homeownership has elapsed. During your first year, it's highly unlikely that you would need home warranty coverage.
Your homeowners' insurance policy will cover accidents, acts of God, or theft, but what if your septic system, washer, or water heater stop working due to normal wear and tear?
Defects should be covered under the appliance manufacturer's warranty or builder warranty within the first year. So, the manufacturer or builder is responsible for repair or replacement. After your house's first birthday, your home warranty plan will help cover the cost of unexpected repairs caused by normal wear and tear. You just pay the $55 service fee per call.
If you are getting a warranty for a newly-built home, your coverage term begins one year from the closing date. Here are the basic plan options:
- Basic 2-Year Plan — $250
- Basic 4-Year Plan — $495
Free Seller Listing Protection
Colorado Home Warranty offers sellers the ability to list their warranted home for free during the listing period. This period typically lasts for approximately 180 days and can be extended under certain circumstances. The purchase of a home warranty can reduce seller liability and increase the marketplace value of the listed home.
24/7/365 Service Call Availability
This warranty company operates a 24/7 service hotline. Once you contact the company for service, an affiliated service provider will contact you within two hours to schedule an appointment (to be scheduled within normal business hours).
On weekends and holidays, after you call CHW, an authorized service provider will contact you within four hours to schedule an appointment.
How does Colorado Home Warranty handle emergency service calls and repairs?
This warranty provider doesn't do 24/7 repairs. Only emergency repairs will be done outside of normal working hours. CHW decides whether the repair situation qualifies as an emergency.
NOTE: If a customer requests emergency or after-hours service and its not deemed an emergency, the customer has to pay for any additional fees and overtime.
$55 Service Fee
CHW has one of the lowest-priced fees for service calls in the industry, at just $55.
30 Day Service Guarantee
What happens if you file a claim, pay $55 to have a technician repair your washing machine repaired, but the next week it stops working?
CHW has a 30 day guarantee on covered services. This means that additional service calls for the same item won't cost you more, within the 30 day period.
Unknown Pre-Existing Condition Coverage
With a Colorado Home Warranty plan, the company will cover any repairs on pre-existing conditions for home appliances and systems. However, these conditions must not have been detectable by normal use, inspection, or maintenance in order to be eligible for repair coverage.
Cons
- Few Customer Service Options
- Warranty Plan Limitations
- Larger Properties Require Phone Quotes
- Coverage Limits
- Cancellation and Renewal Limitations
- Technician Limitations
Few Customer Service Options
When choosing any service provider, many customers are interested in choosing whichever option is easiest. In the home warranty industry, easiest means how much effort do you, as a customer, have to put in to get your services performed.
Colorado Home Warranty isn't exactly the easiest-to-contact warranty choice.
To get a repair technician, the company says that you need to call for service and have your contract number ready. Customers are not able to contact the company by email or through a live chat option on the website. There is no information on filing claims and there are no options to file claims online. The company also does not offer a mobile app for customers.
Warranty Plan Limitations
There are a few limitations that potential customers should know about this provider.
Air conditioning — often considered a basic home system within the home warranty industry, along with heating, plumbing, and electrical — is not included in CHW's plan pricing.
A/C warranty coverage is only available as an add-on.
Additionally, sellers don't have the option to purchase a plan that includes A/C coverage for the home buyer. Only a homeowner can add this coverage item to their warranty plan, for an additional $75 per year.
Laundry appliance coverage is handled the same way — only as an add-on that only buyers can select.
Larger Properties Require Phone Quotes
While warranty plans for single-family residences smaller than 5,000 square feet can be researched and ordered online, bigger houses and those with more complicated coverage needs will require a personalized rate quote. Call for a quote if your property meets one of the following conditions:
- Your dwelling is larger than 5,000 square feet
- You need to cover a detached guest house
- You need coverage for multiples of certain appliances or home systems
Coverage Limits
All home warranty policies have limits. It's important to know what those are when you are shopping for a provider. All covered items have detailed limits; however, some are subject to dollar limits, including the following:
- Heating — $1500 per term
- Plumbing Stoppages — $100 per term
- Water Heater — $500 per term
- Roof Leak — $500 per term for specific leaks
- Pool and Spa — $750 per term
Cancellation and Renewal Limitations
Service contracts may only be renewed at the discretion of Colorado Home Warranty.
Certain restrictions apply for cancellation of service contracts. These restrictions are fully disclosed under the Limits of Liability and Service on the company's website. According to the company's terms and conditions, the contract is noncancelable except under certain conditions. One of those is a mutual agreement between the warranty company and the homeowner. If you are granted a cancellation, there is a $55 administrative fee.
Technician Limitations
When your covered item breaks down, Colorado Home Warranty will provide the approved technician, who calls you to make an appointment. However, in some cases, with prior approval, you can be authorized by the company to contact your own independent repair company. If so, CHW will reimburse you for covered repairs, but with specific conditions. You have to be careful who you choose if you want to be reimbursed. Repair company guidelines include the following:
- Must be licensed and insured
- Must provide fair and reasonable rates on parts and service
- The repair has to be covered by the contract. To determine this, the customer is required to call Colorado HW once the service tech arrives and before they perform any services.
The Bottom Line
Colorado Home Warranty, Inc. offers service repair protection on a wide variety of major appliances and home systems, available directly to consumers as well as real estate professionals. Its service includes free seller listing protection, no exclusions on pre-existing conditions, and 24/7/365 claim reporting; however, the company does not offer a mobile app for customers to file claims or make payments. The homeowner will have to contact via phone to get a repair appointment and schedule over the phone with the service company.
That being said, Colorado Home Warranty is a competitive home warranty choice for home buyers and sellers in Colorado; but customers living elsewhere should consider other options:
