Choosing Roofing Contractors – Your Ultimate Checklist To Follow

Choosing Roofing Contractors – Your Ultimate Checklist To Follow

The roof of a house is a major part of your abode since it shields you from the elements like wind, rain and harsh sunlight and protects your home and belongings from the effects of the same. Any leaks or cracks should be attended to immediately to prevent an even worse damage that would outcome. You ought to contact a roofing contractor immediately, who will make expert recommendations for repairs. Such a contractor has access to a wide range of tools, manpower and expertise who are experienced in roofing solutions consequently, the best bet to getting issues resolved in good time and with quality materials.

There are several things that one should consider when choosing a contractor for your roofing needs such as construction of a new house, repair of an existing roof probably due to damage from a hailstorm or a total replacement as part of remodeling of your house. You can research from the internet or get referrals from friends or colleagues. You should however get three or four proposals, then sift them to settle on one based on parameters like fees and warranties. The below are important questions that you should ask before making this important decision.

1. Does the company have a valid operation license?

Ask the contractor to provide his license documents just to be certain that you are working with a proper company. Research further about the contractor to find out:

• if he has ever been incriminated in a litigation case and the reasons behind it

• if the name or ownership of the company has been changed

• if it has been declared bankrupt within the past 3 years and why

2. What is the typical workload handled by the contractor?

A big company is not always efficient in its operations while a small company might not have the expertise to handle your case. I’m stating this to tell you that there’s no right answer in going with a big or small company. You should try to find out how many projects the company can handle concurrently, and this should be based on the work force it has and if they are busy with current clients. The company may make use of sub contractors but it is best that sensitive jobs like actual fixing of roofs be done by in-house technical team and that it is documented for future use.

3. What option does the contractor offer?

Ask them about what alternative solutions they have for the roofing problem, the pros and cons of each, and the costs of each proposal. Ask how many times he has put such a structure and how much experience the contractor has. If possible, get reference with contact details of clients with similar structures. They should give a detailed enlightenment of the products (and manufacturers) to be used at each stage.

4. What are the details of the warranty?

Find out what type of warranty there is, whether ‘company’ or ‘manufacturer’ and for how long it covers. Make sure you read in between the lines and keep your specimen copy safe. 2 years of workmanship is a fair enough deal.

Always remember that regular maintenance is important and that whatever small a flaw on the roof, should be resolved as soon as detected to avoid expensive repairs. Consistency with roofing contractors will reduce the time taken for a different contractor to study the project and roofing plan, thus this reduces the turnaround time for resolutions.

Donna J. Seymour