Whether you’re getting ready to repair or re-roof your home, choosing the right roofers is essential. Knowing what to look for, however, can be a lot harder than it sounds. While there may be many roofing contractors available near you, not every contractor will be the right fit for your job. Here are a few things to consider when picking a roofing contractor.
Experience and Job History
One of the most important things to consider when choosing a contractor is their level of experience and proven record of prior jobs. Most qualified contractors have a portfolio of completed jobs they can show you whether you’re in person or looking at their website. Browse through to look at the types of jobs they’ve completed and how much experience they have.
Experience
When talking to the contractor or browsing through their website, ask questions like these to determine their level of experience:
- How many years of combined experience do the owners and crew have?
- How long have they been providing roofing work in your area?
- Do they have experience with repairs and whole-house roofing?
- Have they done projects similar to your roofing needs?
In general, the answer to these questions should help demonstrate their background, experience, and abilities as roofing contractors.
Job History
Look through their website or ask for examples of jobs they’ve performed in the past. Understanding more about the types of jobs the company can handle is always beneficial and helps instill confidence that they can handle your roofing needs. This is especially true if you have a particularly large home or a roof that has some unusual elements to it.
Qualifications and Reviews
Roofing contractors don’t get to wake up and decide to be a roofer. Many pro roofers start as an apprentice and most of them get certified by the manufacturer whose products they are installing.
Qualifications
Any roofer you consider should be licensed to perform roofing work in your area. Licensed contractors know all the local codes and regulations and will make sure your roof is built to proper specs and code. The last thing you want is for your roof to be out of code, requiring major repairs or a complete do-over!
Another critical qualification is insurance. Make sure they have up-to-date liability insurance. Otherwise, if something goes wrong – say, a worker hurts himself or roofing material falls and damages a work truck – they could end up charging you to fix it.
Reviews
Today, reviews and recommendations are essential if you want a clear picture of the kind of quality and customer service your potential roofing contractor is known for.
Look through numerous reviews to establish how the company handles positive – and negative – customer responses. Positive reviews show you a lot about what the company does well. Negative reviews show you where the company may come up short – and how they respond to customer criticism or try to make things right. Stay away from companies that blow off criticism and don’t bother addressing issues.
To get a complete picture, look through popular sites such as Google, Yelp, TrustPilot, and the Better Business Bureau.
You can also seek recommendations from neighbors and friends who have had roofing work done that you – and they – are happy with. If you see someone’s roof in the area that you particularly like, find out who did their work and give them a call.
Choosing the Right Roofing Contractor
Choosing the right roofer doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Armed with these straightforward considerations, you should be able to pick a qualified, experienced, and licensed contractor that is just right for your job.
