How to Choose a Professional Roofer

Most homeowners know very little about the process of choosing a roofer. And nor should they, it’s not something that needs replacing regularly. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to make an informed choice should you need to replace your roof. You need to be able to find a roofing contractor that is not only right for your budget, but can also advise you in the best products and procedures your roofing job requires.

Not only is it vital for your roofing contractor to be able to answer your questions, it’s also vital you know the right questions to ask in the first place. Armed with the following list of questions, you should easily be able to determine the reliability, reputation and experience of a contractor and evaluate their dedication to installing, replacing or repairing with the best roofing system or materials possible.

We fully expect you to obtain roofing quotes from several contractors prior to choosing the right one, but you should be able to ask any prospective roofing contractor the following questions to make sure you’re getting quality workmanship at the right price.

It’s important you choose your roofer wisely like you would a surgeon or other professional. You’ll need a roofing company that is experienced in shingle installation, but you’ll also need to take a close look at the proposal to evaluate the ROI of the complete installation in terms of the products selected. How you determine whether the contractor is a professional that truly guarantees their work isn’t always clear. However, there are several indicators that can point you in such a direction when evaluating contractors.

Tips to Choose the Right Roofing Contractor

Choosing a professional roofer isn’t as easy as looking at all the quotes and going for the best price. Set an hour or so aside to go through each company’s estimate to discuss your options and ask questions. With certain roofing companies you may be talking to a salesperson, with others, the owner or the person who’ll be performing your roofing work. Whoever it is, the person you speak to should appear knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their work and be able to talk to you about previous roofing jobs similar to your own.

Always get the full company address so you can investigate how long they’ve been in business. This will also show you whether you’re dealing with a local company that has a nearby office and can attend to your needs more quickly.

Insured vs Non-Insured Roofers

Ask to see a roofing contractor’s certificate of insurance to see if they carry general liability and workers’ comp should some kind of accident occur. Ask for proof to be sent from the insurers themselves before they start work on your roof. A simple confirmation from the contractor isn’t enough.

Workers’ compensation is particularly important in case a worker suffers an injury on your property. If your chosen roofing contractor isn’t insured, the homeowner could be liable for all hospital bills and expenses. On the other hand, uninsured roofing contractors will be a cheaper hire as their costs are considerably less due to not having to pay large insurance premiums for their employed roofers. Some reasons for contractors not being fully insured include:

• Not a full-time contractor
• Is a partnership or self-employed roofing contractor without employees
• New roofing company
• Insurance premiums too expensive
• No work guarantees

Only you can decide if you should hire a non-insured roofer.

Licensed Roofers

While not all states require contractors to be licensed, such a license indicates they may have taken a written exam and know the ‘theory behind the practice’. Not all licenses require such a test, so it’s best to check with your local licensing authority to see if it’s required.

Roofing Company's Workmanship Policy

Most workmanship warranties cover at least twelve months once a job is completed. A longer warranty isn’t more valuable than a short one, but a roofer who stands behind their guarantee is. You can find this kind of thing out by directly asking other customers:

• If the roofing contractor performed their work on time.
• How did the roofer react to further information or changes? Did they respond well?
• Were their interests taken care of by the company?
• Would they describe them as a trustworthy roofing company?

Individual roofers or roofing companies guarantee their workmanship, while manufacturers guarantee their specific roofing product or material from defects. These two warranties cover the shingle roof system. A good roofer should be able to provide you with a copy of the manufacturer’s warranty. A few roofing manufacturers offer programs to professional contractors that display their knowledge, expertise and overall competence in the installation and use of their products. E.R. Roofing Company holds one such certification from one of the largest roofing product manufacturers – CertainTeed.

Has the Roofing Company been in Business Long?

As a rule, longer is usually better, but everybody has to start somewhere. Good references are vitally important from whomever you’re looking at to perform your roofing job.

What About Referrals from Other Roofing Jobs?

Ask to see photos of a completed roofing job, and if photos aren’t available as for a list of recent customers’ names and numbers over the previous twelve months. Even if photos of previous work are available, it’s still wise to call a few from the list as references.

What's a Proposal?

A proposal offers a prospective client some idea of the products to be used by brand name, prices, services and designs. Other provisions may be included but you should expect around three product choices within a range of good, better and best. Any good consumer-friendly proposal should include product literature plus samples. If a problem is to occur with your roof, it normally shows itself very quickly. That’s why the near-term warranty offered by the contractor or manufacturer is more important that the long-term warranty.

How does the Roofing Company Deal with Customer Complaints?

When asking for a list of customer referrals, request one from which a complaint arose to see how your prospective contractor deals with problems. Ask if they’ve lost a work-related court case and if they’ve had their contractor’s license suspended and why. You can find this kind of information out yourself from the Better Business Bureau and licensing authorities. Test your contractor’s reputation by asking how a dispute was resolved.

You don’t get round to asking these questions until you’ve received an estimate or proposal. An estimate can be quite different to a proposal - outlined above – and typically offers one price, a general product description, one color and few options. This is the more traditional way of doing things.

The Manufacturer's Warranty

Inspect the premises prior to any work being done to ensure the condition of the property and make sure that the roofing work schedule, terms and payment method are written clearly and fully so as not to cause confusion.

Make sure that all workmanship conforms to the manufacturer’s warranty and installation guidelines, and that it includes ventilation requirements, fastener requirements, low slope installation terms and ice dam protection as specified in the shingle manufacturer’s literature or product packaging.

Always read the contract between you and your roofer. While most are simple, larger roofing companies tend to have more detailed contracts. Most misunderstandings arise from contractual problems as opposed to problems with the work itself.

The most important items to you should be stipulated during writing the contract. Some of the more basic things you might want to consider including:

Local Building Codes

Will they be observed? Are permit costs included? Who will obtain the permit? What about provisions for posting zoning notices? Have inspections been planned?

Choice of Roofing Products

Were you shown the full range of good, better, best shingles by brand or manufacturer name? Have the shingles’ differences been explained to you from an aesthetic and technical perspective (not merely color differences but texture, build, style, UL ratings and reinforcement)? Is the warranty for your choice of shingle highlighted for you to understand?

The Schedule of Your Roofing Project

The weather can play its part in the start and finish times of your roofing job, but this doesn’t mean you can’t negotiate a “no-later-than” clause. So long as both you and your roofer are clear on the terms and that you’ll enforce them while being reasonable about it.

Let the contractor know that you aren’t looking for the cheapest quote, but a company that will provide the best value. Always inform the contractor how you found them, especially if you’ve seen their work in your neighborhood or if you were referred. This shows a roofer that you have the potential to be a good client and well worth working for. After all, it isn’t just you that’s looking for the best roofing contractor, the roofer is also looking for good jobs that makes a decent profit and can be a good referral source. There are also unscrupulous homeowners out there, so the interview process can highlight any potential warning signs. It’s far better to deal with an informed customer that is thinking of both their and the contractor’s best interests.

By following these specific tips you can ensure that a roofing contractor will want to take on your job.

Local Roofing Information

If you’re looking for further help on choosing a roofing contractor, feel free to get in touch with your local Better Business Bureau or roofing trade associations. You can also get in touch with your city, county and Maryland state licensing authorities for further information about local roofing contractors.

Hopefully, you should now be more informed in the process of choosing a roofing contractor. If you’d like to choose us as a potential roofing contractor, please don’t hesitate in getting in touch with us at E.R. Roofing Company and we’ll be happy to give you our considered professional opinion.