In my 37 years in the roofing industry, I’ve seen some roofing contractor horror stories. From the contractors who just took the money and ran, to the contractors who installed the roof upside down; bad roofing experiences happen.
The best way to avoid horror stories is to do your due diligence when hiring a roofing contractor. To help, I’ve put together a list of 7 tips on how to choose the best roofing contractor for your home.
1. Ask for referrals: One of the first things you can do is turn to your family and friends who have had their roofs done. Most will be happy to tell you about their experience whether it was good or bad and what they would have done differently.
2. Make sure the roofing company is licensed and insured: The State of Idaho requires roofing contractors to be registered with the state. In order to get registered the state requires contractors to have commercial liability and workers comp insurance. It’s important that contractors have these requirements as it protects you in case a worker is injured on the job. Otherwise, if a roofer falls off your roof and is injured or killed, what’s to stop them from suing you? It sounds far-fetched, but it happens.
3. Drive by past roofing projects: Ask the roofing contractor if you can have addresses of similar roofing projects in your area so you can drive by and check out the quality of their work. Sometimes you will even run into the homeowner so you can ask about their experience.
4. Ask for references: Ask the roofing contractor for references from previous customers, and the call them. Ask questions like; “How long did it take? Were there any issues? If so, how were they resolved? Were you happy? Would you recommend them?” Even though the contractor is going to give you references from happy customers, most customers are still going to give you an honest assessment of what their experience was like; good and bad. Just ask.
5. Ask about their guarantee: The contractor’s workmanship guarantee is an important factor when considering who to go with. Does the company stand by their work? If there is an issue with your roof, it’s important that you have the guarantee of the contractor who installed it because if the roof is leaking due to improper installation, the manufacturer’s warranty won’t cover repairs or replacement. I have reroofed and repaired many homes with newer roofs over the years because of improper installation. In most cases, the homeowner went with the cheapest roofing contractor they could find. Now that there are problems with the roof, that contractor is nowhere to be found. The roof does not qualify under the manufacturer warranty, and they are forced to pay for that roof twice. It’s a horrible situation and it happens all too often.
6. Look up online reviews. With all the above covered, you should also explore the company’s online reputation. Websites such as the Better Business Bureau, Google, and Yelp, all can provide insight as to the quality of work and service provided by the contractor.
7. Ask about workmanship warranties. A good roofing contractor is going to offer some sort of workmanship warranty whether it be 5 years, 10 years or more. At All County Roofing we provide a lifetime workmanship warranty on most residential reroofs. You want to make sure that the company installing your roof is standing behind their installation in case anything happens. Because if the roof leaks, and it’s because it was installed improperly, the manufacturer won’t cover it. Your only hope is that the contractor will.
If you’re in Idaho and you need a trustworthy roofing contractor who knows how to get the roof done right, you’ve come to the right place. At All County Roofing, we will help you get a new roof you can be proud of. So, feel free to give us a call today for a free roof replacement or repair estimate and get that roof taken care of today.