Winter is fast approaching. If you are a homeowner, now is the time to make sure your home is ready for the long, cold days ahead. One of the most important parts of home maintenance is making sure your roof is ready for whatever weather conditions you may encounter.
If your roof needs a little TLC, you will need to hire a professional roofing contractor. But how do you choose the right roofing company for your needs?
Basics: what you need to know before requesting a quote
While price is often the determining factor when choosing a specialist, there are a few things to ask before getting a quote.
• Does this contractor have all the necessary licenses and permits for your area? If you are not sure what the requirements are, contact your local licensing board or the Department of Professional Regulation.
• Is this a legitimate company? This is important! There are many scams that involve bogus contractor services. You can end up with an unsatisfactory ceiling or spend more money fixing hobbyist bugs. Ask for the company’s physical address, phone numbers, email addresses, or even their tax identification numbers. You can then use that information to check with your local Better Business Bureau to verify its legitimacy.
• Does the roofing company in question have current workers’ compensation and liability insurance? If a worker is injured while working on your property, you could be liable if your company is not adequately insured. Not all areas require contractors to carry this type of insurance, but you may be more comfortable choosing one that does.
• Ask for some references. Don’t be afraid to call or contact past clients and find out what their experiences were with roofing specialists. The first-person experience can save a lot of time and headaches.
Make the most of your quotes
Once you’ve contacted and researched at least 3 companies, you can start collecting and evaluating quotes.
• Request quotes in writing. This will help avoid misunderstandings or last minute charges.
• Ask for and make sure you understand any warranty information.
• Be sure to ask how long the project will take, how many workers will you wait, hours of work, safety concerns, and who is responsible for the cleanup.
• Know what is and what is not included in your contract. Specifically, you’ll want to know what fees and guarantees you may be liable for and what services are included in your quote price. While it may be tempting to choose the contractor with the lowest price, you may end up paying more in the long run if your contract doesn’t cover certain fees and licenses.
• You will want your questions or concerns addressed before agreeing to a contract to avoid confusion later.
Once you have received and reviewed the quote information from at least 3 companies, you can confidently choose the best roofing contractor for your needs.
