A Homeowners Guide For Choosing The Right Roofing Contractor
It isn’t always easy to find a reliable roofing contractor to meet all of your needs, whether big or small. With so many companies to choose from it can be very overwhelming as a homeowner to try to choose the right one. Here are a few tips to hopefully help you find the perfect match.
1: Ask for referrals
Probably the very best indicator that a contractor is proud of his work is his willingness to offer referrals. A company that is proud of their workmanship and their service will most likely be extremely delighted to refer you to past clients. Reading reviews online is helpful as well but seeing some real work in person and talking to real customers will give you the best feel of what to expect from your experience with the company.
2: Make sure the company is insured
A contractor should carry comprehensive liability insurance and workers compensation insurance to protect you in the event of an accident. A contractor who does not pay insurance will usually be cheaper but as the homeowner you could be liable if a worker was to get hurt or your house was damaged. Alternatively, if a contractor is following the proper steps and is insured they are much more likely to do your project properly.
3: Ask what the companies warranty on workmanship is
Finding a roofing contractor with a great workmanship warranty is very important but a workmanship warranty can only be as good as the contractors intent while offering it. A lot of contractors say they have a good workmanship warranty but very few stand behind completely behind it and manufacture warranty for the products are only for defects in the products. People aren’t always honest so you should also ask your referrals a few questions like:
- Did they preform their duties on a timely basis?
- Did they respond politely and in a timely manner to requests for information and changes?
- Did they seem to care about your wants and needs and how willing were they in implementing changes that you wanted?
All of these questions will help when decided if the company is trustworthy and if they’ll stand behind their work.
5: never give any money upfront
In Alberta a contractor needs to obtain a license in order to receive prepaid payments. Generally if a contractor is asking for money up front it should be a huge red flag. That licence is required in hand to request prepaid payments so generally if they don’t have that its a sign of a scam or an unstable business. Trustworthy and stable contractors will only ask for payment once a job has been completed and you have inspected the work and are completely satisfied.
6: shop local
Your best option when looking for a roofing contractor is to find someone local, they will usually be much more responsive and care more about the job if it is in the area they call home. If you deal with a local company you are more likely to be dealing with the owner himself and even if you’re not dealing with the owner initially it will be easier to get in touch with them if you have an issue. Its also much easier to get referrals from a local contractor.
7: make sure they offer free quotes that you get in writing
you need to get a detailed quote in writing to make sure theres no discrepancies when it comes time for payment.
8: price is important shouldn’t be your number one concern
A combination of good references, trustworthiness, ability to accommodate and, warranty need to go along competitive pricing. If you get a few bids and one contractor is way lower its a sign that they are cutting corners or don’t have proper licensing and insurance