The roof of your house is crucial to ensuring the safety of the structures underneath. Therefore, needless to say, roof replacement is a huge project that requires the work of experts.
Hiring a qualified roofing contractor can maintain the quality of your new roof. This is especially true if you live in an area like Whiteland, where humidity and high rainfall can speed up the deterioration of your roof. A qualified roofing contractor with a history of dealing with roofs in such areas can choose a suitable design, structure, and materials that can withstand these conditions.
But do you know what to look for when hiring a suitable roofing contractor for your project? If not, we have provided a list of tips to help you choose the right roofing contractor.
1. Experience in replacing roofs
You probably won’t want to work with a roofing contractor who has been in the business for just a few weeks; after all, there is so much at stake when replacing a roof. A shoddy roof replacement job can compromise the safety of the rest of the house. Therefore, it is better to be particular about the experience of your roofing contractor.
Hiring a qualified roofing contractor is especially important if your roof has particular issues, such as moisture accumulation due to high rainfall and humidity. In areas like Whiteland, temperatures reach 85F in summer, and the average rainfall is 44 inches (the US average is 38 inches). These weather conditions provide an ideal environment for algae and moss to thrive on the roof. Furthermore, mold, mildew, and rot can also develop. In this situation, you should only consider an experienced Whiteland roof replacement contractor to replace your roof without impacting the integrity of the rest of the house.
2. Check the license and insurance documents
Roof replacement is complicated and dangerous; not everyone is suitable for this job. Therefore, homeowners are never recommended to replace or even tackle major repairs through DIY.
Even in the case of roofing contractors, only those meeting the insurance and licensing requirements are fit for this job. Therefore, when hiring a roofing contractor, double-check their license and insurance documents to gauge their eligibility for working on the roofs.
Furthermore, an experienced contractor will carry insurance documents for its workers on roofing projects, providing them coverage for any injury during roof installation. So, make sure your prospective contractor has fulfilled all the insurance requirements of their workers, too.
If a contractor does not share the required documents, looking for someone else is better than facing issues down the line.
3. Look at their portfolio
The portfolio of a prospective contractor can reveal a lot about the quality of their work. It is a window into their past work and a visual depiction of their expertise in handling various projects. Therefore, be particular about checking the portfolio of all the contractors under consideration.
Ask for the pictures of the contractor’s previous assignments; they may have photos on their phone or posted on their social media profiles.
If possible, visit job sites where your prospective contractors have worked previously to assess their work quality. By examining their work, you can evaluate whether the contractor has handled similar projects, especially if you have a specific roofing design or style in mind.
Additionally, visiting your potential contractor’s previous and current job sites will enable you to assess the material they use and their time management and punctuality.
Besides introducing you to a contractor’s previous work, a portfolio can be a source of inspiration and ideas for your own roof. You can visualize how different styles, designs, and materials look in real-world applications.
4. Request multiple price estimates
If you have renovated your house before, you will know that one price estimate is often not enough as it gives you nothing to compare it with. So, when you are hiring a roofing contractor, request price quotes from multiple companies to compare their rates, work quality, and services.
Most people will advise you to get three price estimates. But no one knows where this idea of getting only three estimates came from. In fact, you should investigate and research potential roofing companies until you have collected sufficient information.
When asking for quotes, make sure the bids include labor costs; some companies give a quote for materials only and charge extra money for labor fees when you sign the agreement.
Asking for labor fees upfront will prevent surprises at the last moment.
5. Check their social media
Social media, including Yelp, Facebook, Houzz, etc., is a great source of getting to know someone and their reputation. When hiring a roofing contractor, you can use social media to check their reputation and clients’ comments about their services.
Social media can help you understand how well a roofing company communicates with potential clients. Dissatisfied and disgruntled people often comment, “Why don’t you reply to your inbox queries?”
If you feel something is off about a potential contractor after scrutinizing their social media profiles, quite possibly more will be hidden beneath their superficial displays. This is where you must seek help from your intuition before deciding and avoid taking a risk.
6. Interview the prospective contractor
Once you have found a few contractors who seem fit for the job, interview them in one-on-one meetings and compare their responses. Observe their body language. Are they confident about their claims? Do they understand your design, material, and quality requirements? Can they complete the project within the required time? All these are important questions, giving you insights into their thinking and mode of operation.
7. Discuss unplanned repairs
Unfortunately, most home remodeling projects have to address unplanned changes and repairs; as soon as you remove a few structures, new problems surface. Instead of fretting over them later, make them part of your planning process.
The same applies to roof repairs and replacement; for instance, the workers may discover water damage or rot in the decking. After finding them, you cannot ignore these problems, so it is better to ask your potential roofing contractors how they will handle these unexpected issues. This way, even if you discover these problems during the project, you will know how to manage them instead of stressing over them.
8. Get referrals
While searching online and visiting social media profiles of potential contractors has its benefits, the best way to find a great contractor is through word of mouth. Ask your friends, neighbors, and acquaintances about roofing contractors they know and can refer. You will most likely find a few options or at least a lead to start your search, making your search easier.
Conclusion
Finding the right roofing contractor is integral to ensuring high-quality roof installation. An experienced contractor brings their experience and ideas from previous jobs, ensuring you get the best results with your investment. Therefore, you thoroughly investigate the background and previous work of all your shortlisted roofing contractors before selecting one for your project.
