Short answer: check who is promising (the painter or the paint maker), what failures are covered, how long, what is excluded, whether it transfers if you sell, and exactly how to make a claim. If any of that is not in writing, it is not part of the warranty.
Two different promises
Workmanship warranty (the painter)
Covers problems caused by how the job was done: poor surface prep, skipped primer, coats applied too thin or in conditions outside the label. Peeling and blistering from those causes are the classic claims.
Product warranty (the manufacturer)
Covers the paint itself, usually with conditions, and often only the cost of material rather than the labor to reapply it. A "lifetime" product warranty does not mean a painter will come back for life.
Five things to read for
- Length. In years, with a start date (usually completion).
- Covered failures. Peeling, blistering, flaking? Named, or vague?
- Exclusions. Common ones: impact damage, water intrusion from roofs or gutters, structural movement, wood rot that already existed, and normal fading and chalking from sun. Exclusions are normal; hidden ones are not.
- Remedy. Repair of the affected area, labor and materials included?
- Transfer. Does it follow the house if you sell?
How a claim should work
The warranty should say how to report a problem (phone, email, photos), how quickly the painter responds, and that a repair is scheduled at no cost for covered failures. Keep your contract, invoice and color list together, so you can show what was applied and when.
Painter Hotline's workmanship warranty is 5 years, in writing. Whoever you hire, put their warranty next to the vetting checklist and the contract checklist.
Voice answer: how long should a house painting warranty be?
Lengths vary by painter. What matters as much as the number of years is that it is written, names what failures are covered, lists its exclusions and explains how to make a claim.