10 Tips For Choosing The Right Roofing Contractor

January 8, 2021

Knowing which roofer to hire for your roofing project can be a daunting task. There are so many contractors out there who claim to provide excellent service, who claim to use quality roofing materials, who claim to have the skillset necessary to do the job right.

There are too many horror stories of homeowners who have enlisted the roofing services of a seemingly good roofing contractor, only to have their roofing project botched. Many have complained about roof leaks, terrible customer service, and project timelines that last for weeks and months on end.

This article is an effort to provide you with information, so that you can arm yourself, so that you can be well informed about the decisions you make concerning the thing that covers and protects you and your family. We are providing you with this information so that you can be sure you are getting the best service for your money, and so that the whole experience isn’t like some nightmare from a Steven King novel.

1. Insurance

This first point is vitally important. Do not even consider entertaining a quote from a roofing business that does not have sufficient liability insurance and worker’s compensation. Do not take their word for it either, ask to see the insurance coverage certificate, and call the insurance company to verify that all is in order. This will provide you with peace of mind, knowing that the project and service given to you is covered in case of accident, damage, or incompetence. It also helps weed out the fly-by-night businesses, and the crooks that can so easily take advantage of those who don’t do their due diligence.

2. Choose Local

This means choosing a business that has more than just local representation, a business that is known in the community, one that has a good reputation and has examples of work close-by that you can look at. It helps if your neighbors or someone in the community has recently completed a roofing project, they can easily share their experiences with you about that particular roofing contractor. It also helps to speak to someone in the community who has had their roof for a number of years, they can speak to the quality of the work, and whether there will be any problems 1 to 5 years after the roof has been installed.

3. Storm Chasers

Similar to the previous point about choosing local, it is a good idea to stay away from any roofing business that shows up shortly after a bad storm has hit your area. If a roofing business has not previously done work in the community and now suddenly is ever-present after a storm, that can be considered slightly predatory and you may want to stay clear.Pick a roofer that has referrals, one that you can be sure has satisfied customers in your community.

4. Communication

Another very important point to consider.Are they easy to get a hold of? Do they promptly return your calls? Did they send the information and documents they said they would? Did they keep their appointments? Did they let you know about any changes or updates? If a roofing business is flaky at the beginning of the engagement when they are motivated to get your business, then once you’ve paid them some money don’t expect things to suddenly improve.

5. In Writing

It is essential to get everything in writing, it’s very easy to forget what was said, what was agreed on, numbers, dates, commitments, can all get forgotten or mixed up. Having things in writing helps to keep your expectations in line with reality, and their production in line with their promises. Make sure things like payment, terms and timelines are discussed before any work begins, you will save both you and the roofing contractor a lot of back and forth, and headaches.

6. Pricing

One of the biggest mistakes made by homeowner’s when searching for a roofing contractor, is to choose the one with the lowest quote. Cheap prices means you’re paying for it in some other way.Either corners will be cut, or the quality of the materials will be poor, or the roofing project will take a long time to be completed. In the end, the old cliché rings true, “you get what you pay for”. You want a business with an established track record, a business with sufficient insurance, one that has an office –and not some guy working out the back of his pickup truck. You want a business that offers a workmanship guarantee, and one that has overhead and staff. All of these things cost money and that will be reflected in a fair price.

7. Financing

Since we’re speaking about money, in this day and time, if a roofing business does not offer financing, they are not keeping up with the market, and will not be able to offer you the best financial deal possible. There are so many banks that offer great financing programs for contractors, to not have one is a huge disservice to any roofing business’ customers.There are varying financing options available, from 0% interest on a 12-month loan, to really low interest on 7 or 10 year loans. This should be one of the first questions to ask your potential roofing contractor.

8. Reviews

In today’s connected world, so much can be understood by looking at reviews and ratings of a business. Be sure to check your potential roofing contractor’s Google My Business rating, look at the reviews, read the negative ones (if there are any) and you will get a sense of how the business deals with its customers. Don’t put too much stock into any one particular review, because it could always be the case that someone is unfairly criticizing and defaming the business, rather, consider the average of what is being said about the business, and weigh the more recent reviews heavier than the ones received 2 years ago – because a lot may have changed since then. Some other places to check ratings and reviews are places like; the Better BusinessBureau, Facebook, Yelp, Home Advisor, to name a few.

9. Affiliations

No fly-by-night business is going to take the time and effort, and certainly won’t pay the fees to be part of any recognized roofing associations. So it is helpful to check whether your potential roofing contractor is a member of or affiliated with any legitimate roofing associations. This is a good indicator that the roofing contractor is committed to excellence, professional, and serious about keeping up with the industry’s standards.

10. RoofingMaterial

If your primary concern is inexpensive roofing materials, do not expect the quality to be very high. Using cheap roofing materials ends up costing so much more in the long run, your roof will be plagued with repairs, leaks, and insurance claims. Always use a roofing contractor that uses good quality roofing materials, and you will have peace of mind that comes from having a beautiful, long lasting roof, that has a solid warranty to back it up with.

Finding a good roofing contractor can be challenging, but following these 10 points will save you time, money, and many headaches. You will feel confident in your choice of roofing contractor and will not have to worry about being scammed or taken advantage of.

Florida Roof Masters LLC strives to fulfill every one of these points, choose us as your roofing contractor and we will work to make certain your experience is easy and that you enjoy your roof for many years.

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