Your roof protects your family and your home
from rain, hail, snow, sun, and more. When you choose a roofing contractor to
work on such an integral part of your home's protection, you want to make sure
that they are responsible, trustworthy, and perform high-quality work. Use
these tips to choose the right roof company for your home.
See How
Long They Have Been In Business
When entrusting a roofing contractor with such
a crucial piece of your home's protection, you want to ensure that they are
experienced. When researching roofing companies, check how long they have been
in business. This allows you to get an idea of how experienced they are with
different roof repairs, materials, and roof replacements.
Ask
About Licenses, Insurance, and If They Are Bonded
Before you have a roofing company start
working on your roof, you want to make sure they are licensed and insured. Not
all states require roofing companies to be licensed, so do your own research to
see if your state requires it. If your state does not require licensing, still
ask how the contractor can prove their skill
As for insurance, any reputable roofing
company will have insurance for workers' compensation and liability. Working
with a roofing company that has the proper insurance coverage prevents you from
facing any risk or liability while the company is working on your roof.
If a roofing contractor is bonded, it means
that if a company goes out of business in the middle of a job or if the
customer needs to file a claim against the company for unfilled contracts, then
the customer can receive funds from the bond company. This provides a level of
comfort and reassurance that the roofing company is operating ethically since
the bonding company will only put up a bond if they have full confidence that
the roofing contractor will complete their work and operate properly.
Don't
Allow Price To Be Your Main Decision Point
While you want to keep the repairs
cost-effective and within your budget, you cannot allow price to be your
primary factor in your decision-making of what company you should choose to
work on your roof. Often, the lower the price, the lower the quality of work
provided. Do your own research to determine if your estimate is a fair quote
for the project at hand, but do not choose the lowest cost estimate only
because it is the cheapest option.
Check
Their Scheduling
When getting an estimate from a roofing
contractor, you should also ask about when they will be able to fit in your
repair or replacement. Will you have to wait for weeks to be fit in or will
they be able to jump in immediately? What happens if there is bad weather
during the time you are supposed to have your roof repaired or scheduled? It's
important to have an understanding of their schedule ahead of time to see where
you will fit in.
Get
Everything In Writing
When you are getting your estimate, you should
receive a written estimate. This is a level of binding to ensure you can
properly plan financially for the costs. You can also make sure that the
roofing contractor is not hiding any costs that they are expecting you to pay.
Your estimate should include the cost of materials, the cost of labor, a
breakdown of each of these costs, the payment structure agreement, and any
additional costs.
See
What Their Payment Structure Is
If a roofing contractor is asking for payment
in full before any work has been done on your roof, that is a bit concerning.
Reputable roofing companies will not ask for full payment upfront, and this is not
a standard practice in this industry for trustworthy contractors. Typically, a
roofing company will ask for an initial down payment to ensure that you will
pay the rest once the work is complete. It's extremely important to ask about the pay structure prior to signing any contracts.
Also, if your repair or replacement is costly,
ask if the roofing company offers financing. This can provide ease on your side
by being able to pay over time for the repair or replacement. A roofing company
offering financing can also show you that they are financially stable. If a
lender is willing to work with a roofing company, that shows they are
trustworthy and responsible.
Check
References
Before having a roofing contractor get started
on your roof, you should make sure that they can and have provided quality work
in the past. Any reputable roofing contractor will be happy to show you their
reviews, testimonials, and references of their work. You can also ask for
references of past customers to connect with to learn more about how their
experience working with the roofing contractor went. A few questions to ask
include if the repair project stayed within budget, how their communication
was, and if they were satisfied with the results.
This is also an opportunity to check their
online reviews. To start, you can check the Better Business Bureau website to see if they
are an accredited business, and see what reviews have been left for them. You
can also view Google reviews left by previous customers.
Ask
About What Happens If There Is An Unplanned Repair Needed
Understandably, unforeseen repairs and
emergencies happen. When a roofing contractor is working on your roof, they may
find another area that needs to be addressed and repaired in addition to what
they were originally fixing. It is important to ask ahead of time what the
protocols are for this type of situation. A qualified roofing company will have
a plan in place if they find a surprise fix during their work process.
Find
Out If They Have Certifications From Manufacturers
Roofing manufacturers will work with high-quality roofing companies to provide them with certifications or the status of
being a preferred contractor. These contractors have shown the manufacturers
that they can provide quality service and results, which would represent their
products well. Finding a roofing contractor that has certifications or statuses
as a preferred contract shows you can trust them and their work.
Roof It Forward is a Preferred Owens
Corning Roofing Contractor, and even won Owens Corning's 2022 Product Excellence Award!
Ask
What Happens If You Are Unhappy With Their Work
There is always the opportunity for something
to go wrong during the repair or replacement process. If something happens that
you are unhappy about, what is the best way to handle it? Do you speak to the
project manager? Do you need to speak to the customer service representative?
Is there a grace period where you are able to get a refund or work redone?
Many reputable roofing contractors will have
warranties on their work or support warranties on the materials they use. If a
contractor takes pride in their work, they will be more than willing to stand
by it. While discussing estimates, one of your top questions should be about
their warranty information.
ARAC Roof It Forward stands by the workmanship
and materials we use to repair or replace your roof. Learn more about our warranty
offerings.
Be sure to ask these questions ahead of time
and get the answers in writing so you know what to do in case you find yourself
in the situation of not being satisfied with the work done on your roof.
Don't
Be Afraid To Ask Questions
When choosing what company will work on your
roof, which is the first line of defense for your home, you need to be thorough
with vetting. Don't be afraid to ask any questions you feel are necessary to
make sure you know who will be working on your roof and what to expect. Use
these ten essential questions to ask when hiring a roofing contractor.
If you are in need of a roof repair or
considering getting your roof replaced, schedule a free video roofing
inspection with ARAC Roof It Forward! Our video inspection allows us to show
you photos and videos of any problem areas on your roof that need to be
addressed and repaired. We are happy to answer any questions you may have about
the repair or replacement process. The Roof It Forward team prides itself on
being helpful, knowledgeable, and trustworthy to our customers while providing
high-quality roofing solutions. Schedule
your free inspection with us today to get started.
