When it comes time to employ a roofer, you may be in a rush to make a selection. Acting rashly might result in you making a bad decision or not gathering enough information from the start.
Before you select a roofing contractor, be sure you ask at least the following five questions:
This may appear to be an odd question, yet it is a loaded one. Because businesses may sell under a different name or have a legal "doing business as" in place, you should obtain their legal name so you may conduct some investigation.
Excellent Responses:
Their precise name
The formal name of the corporation, however they do business as (another name).
The formal business name, but we promote online as (another name).
False Answers:
Hesitation or perplexity
Defensiveness
refusing to respond to the question
Once you've determined the legal business name, go online to see if the firm is founded and listed in federal and state directories.
Any respectable contractor must have roofing insurance. While state laws differ, your roofer contractor should have workers' compensation insurance (even if they have no employees) and general liability insurance in California.
If your state does not have a minimum need for general liability insurance, verify sure the contractor has a policy that covers your property and house in the event something goes wrong.
Excellent Response:
Meets or exceeds the state's minimal standards, and they're glad to give a copy of the policy to prove they're legally insured.
False Answers:
Anything that does not satisfy the state's minimal requirements.
Only provides a basic "yes, we're insured" response without offering any figures.
If the contractor hesitates or seems strange when you ask the inquiry, consider it a red flag until you can show true proof of insurance.
Some roofing firms work on numerous jobs in a single day, so the owner may not be able to visit every site. You should be introduced to a project manager in this scenario.
Excellent Responses:
The proprietor of the business
A skilled and experienced project manager
The company's owner
Incorrect Answer:
There is no oversight or professional in charge.
You might be tempted to get an estimate over the phone in order to expedite the process, but this is a terrible idea for both you and the roofer. However, it is a smart question to ask before hiring the contractor to determine their legitimacy and honesty.
You won't be able to receive an exact estimate over the phone since the roofer will need to check your property, evaluate the roof, question you about materials, and potentially inspect your attic area.
Excellent Response:
We are unable to provide an exact quotation over the phone due to (reason), however a new roof costs (price range).
False Answers:
A quotation for your roof without inspecting it.
A quotation for your roof may be obtained just by driving past your house.
This is another one of those enticing yet deceptive queries. You don't want a roofer to give you a price per square foot that doesn't take into account the specific issues your roof may provide or the material choices you may choose.
Ask this inquiry, and if you get a price, you should be concerned.
Excellent Responses:
If the roofer provides you an average pricing on labour or supplies to give you an idea of how much it will cost before going to your house.
If the roofer inspects your property, asks you questions about the materials you want, and spends time getting to know the project, he will offer you a comprehensive pricing per square foot.
False Answers:
We charge ($$) per square foot without ever inspecting your property.
We price according to the amount of layers on your roof.
We price according to the pitch of the roof.
We price dependent on the size of the roof.
Essentially, you want your roofer to be knowledgeable of the various elements that go into pricing a work and not simply offer you the lowest quotation possible without ever inspecting your roof or knowing about your property.
Similarly, if you're anticipating repairs but the roofer insists on a roof replacement, that should be a problem. Before making any major decisions, get a second assessment from another roofer or learn how to examine your own roof.
When you're ready to choose a roofing contractor, ask these questions and note down their replies. While these questions will not provide you with all of the answers you want, they are a good starting point for establishing a company's validity.