If your home has sustained damage, and you need a new roof or repair, you probably know by now that it is a significant investment. You don’t want someone random to do your roof. You need to know some of the most basic things to look for when you are browsing for your roofing contractor. Follow these guidelines to help you narrow your intense search for a qualified roofer.
Don’t accept the lowest bid immediately. In most cases, the lowest bid is made by roofers who will use poor quality materials, which produce substandard results. In some cases, a roofing agency may be offering a low bid because he has extra materials left over, a low overhead, or is running a promotional special.
A business that has been in business for a long time has proven one thing; it has the capabilities of staying in business a long time. The contracting agency that you deal with should have a long history of clients, and they may have established a warranty plan should there be any problems with their work.
A roofing company, especially commercial, should have all the proper licenses, permits, and insurance to protect you and their business against any liability damage. For example, if they have a new worker that does not have much experience but gets injured on the job at your house, insurance protects you against any claims in civil court.
If you are looking for an experienced roofing company, they should have a list of references that you can check. Their references might have information on the type of roofing job and the quality of the roofing job. Both are useful to know if you are particular about whom you want working on your roof.
Communication is paramount. If you want to be involved in your roof job, you should get a feel for how the roofing agency works by interviewing one of the managers. Let them know that you intend to be involved from the start or that you want to be updated on the project.
Check the roofing company’s guarantee. If they make a mistake on the job, and later it becomes noticeable by substandard results or someone gets injured, they should provide a guarantee. Get all the guarantees and warranties in writing.
If you can, get a sense of their employees. Determine what the requirements are of potential employees who wish to be employed with the company. If there is an education requirement, that shows they hire only people who have knowledge in the area.
Ask them about their cleaning procedures. Some companies will clean up immediately. Other companies will wait until the roof is complete before they clean up, which can leave your property looking unkempt and pose a hazard to various people and animals. It depends on what is important to you.
Get everything in writing. Some managers are old fashioned and shake hands on a deal. Shaking hands is nice, but you still need a contract. The contract should include the scope of the roof job, the materials used and what they are used for, the dates, etc.