Hiring a roofing contractor can be complicated, and the last thing you want to do is choose someone who doesn’t finish the job or does poor-quality work. This is why it’s important that you do a bit of research when looking for a roofing contractor and get a quote from several companies. Asking all these questions from any contractor you’re considering hiring will also help to ensure that they are honest, experienced and will do the work correctly.
1. Is Your Company Licensed and Insured?
The very first thing you should find out before hiring any roofing contractor is whether the company is licensed by the state and fully insured. Any company can claim to be licensed and insured, so you don’t just want to take their word for it. Instead, you should ask them to show you proof. Another option is to check with the state licensing board since any company that is licensed by the state also must be fully insured.
Choosing a licensed is essential for several reasons. If a company is licensed and bonded, you can file a complaint with the state licensing board if they fail to fulfill the terms of the contract. If the job is bonded, the contractor’s bonding company will often be able to help you get back any money you paid if the contractor fails to complete the job as originally agreed. If you hire someone who isn’t licensed and bonded, you’ll likely have a much harder time getting your money back. In this situation, your only option will usually be to hire a lawyer and file a lawsuit.
Making sure that the contractor has both liability and worker’s compensation insurance is equally important. The contractor’s insurance ensures that you won’t be held liable should any of the workers get injured while on your property. If the company isn’t insured, the injured person could potentially sue you and you could be forced to cover their medical bills.
Insurance also protects you if the contractor causes any damage to your home or property. If the company does cause any damage, their insurance should cover the costs of repairing it. However, you will usually need to be able to provide proof that the company or their workers caused the damage. This is why it’s a good idea to take pictures of your home and property before having your roof repaired or replaced or when any other major work is performed. If the contractor performs negligent work or doesn’t do the job properly, their insurance may also cover the cost of getting everything fixed.
2. Does the Project Require a Permit?
Although the laws vary in each region, many roofing projects require a building permit. Minor roof repairs don’t always require one depending on what percentage of the roof is being worked on. However, a larger repair job or a roof replacement almost always requires this step to be completed before the project can begin. This is why it is also important to find out if your roofing project requires a permit. If one is required, you also need to determine whether the contractor will get the permit or if you need to get it yourself.
If you hire a local contractor, they should be the one who applies and pays for the permit and the necessary roof inspections. These costs will be added to the total price for the project and should be clearly stated in the quote the contractor provides to you.
Failing to get the required permit before the work starts will usually result in you receiving a fairly steep fine. You will also typically be forced to halt the work until this step has been completed. Most places consider the work to have started when any materials are delivered. As such, you need to make sure that the contractor can show you that they have the permit before you let them get started on the project.
3. Who Will Be Performing the Work?
Some roofing contractors are essentially just middlemen who find clients and then subcontract out all the work to another company. This can be a major issue since it means you may not know who is actually doing the work. Even if the contractor you hire is licensed and insured, you can’t always be sure that whomever they subcontract your roofing project out to is as well. As such, you should always make sure that the roofing contractor you hire is the one who will be doing all the work. It’s also a good idea to try and find out more about the roofers who will be performing the work and who will be overseeing the project. A reputable, trustworthy contractor should have a project manager who is always on site when the work is being performed and completely oversees the job from start to finish.
4. How Much Experience Do You Have?
Roofing work is more complicated than many people realize. Lots of things can go wrong if the contractor and their team aren’t experienced and don’t know exactly what they’re doing. This is why it’s also a good idea to find out how many years the company has been in business and how many years of experience their roofers have. Some roofers simply travel from place to place doing shoddy work before moving on, so it’s a good idea to make sure that the contractor you hire is local and has a proven history in your area.
5. Do You Guarantee Your Work?
Shingles and most other roofing materials typically come with a manufacturer’s warranty. However, this warranty only covers the roofing materials themselves against manufacturing defects and not the workmanship involved with repairing or replacing the roof. Any reputable contractor should provide a complete satisfaction guarantee and stand by the work they perform. If the company guarantees their work, they will fix any issues that occur due to improper workmanship for a specific period.
6. What Certifications or Associations Do You Have?
Roofing manufacturers generally want to ensure that their products are installed correctly. As such, they certify contractors who have been proven to do quality work. Hiring a company that is certified or associated with a roofing manufacturer is another thing that can help to ensure that the work will be done properly. Another advantage is that many manufacturers also offer additional warranties on their products when installed by one of their certified contractors.
7. Do You Have Examples of Your Previous Work?
Another way to determine what kind of work a contractor performs and to ensure that they are experienced is to ask to see examples of their previous projects. Any reputable contractor should be able to give you addresses of homes they’ve previously worked on so that you can drive by to see what the roof looks like. Reading reviews online is also an easy way to quickly determine the quality of the contractor’s work and how satisfied their previous customers were.
8. Does the Quoted Price Include All Fees?
Unfortunately, there are some unscrupulous roofing contractors that add in extra fees so that the final price you must pay is much higher than the price you were initially quoted. For instance, the quote may not include the price for renting a dumpster to collect all the roofing materials or the fee to dispose of them. As such, it’s important to make sure that the quoted price includes everything.
Transformation Roofing & Home Services has years of experience providing professional roofing services in Marietta and the Northwest Atlanta Metro area. We are fully licensed and have an A+ rating from the BBB. We are a CertainTeed Select ShingleMaster, and our team has experience working with most types of roofing materials. When you hire us, you can also trust that one of our project managers will always be on site. If you need a roof inspection or your roof needs to be repaired or replaced, contact us today to see why we’re the most trusted roofing contractor in the area.
