If a windstorm has damaged your roof, you might be in a hurry to get it fixed. Sleeping under a damaged roof can be stressful since the weather can damage your house. So you might be wondering if you should hire the first roofing contractor that you come across. For this, we suggest you don’t take any steps in haste. The roof is the most expensive part of your house. It is better that you hire a good roofing contractor, even if it takes a while, rather than living under a shoddily repaired roof that might need to get repaired again.
This blog lays down some of the factors that you should consider when hiring a professional roofing contractor such as Excalibur Roofing.
1. Ask for Recommendations
It would be best if you talked to your neighbors, relatives, and the other homeowners you know for their recommendations. They might know or may have employed roofing contractors and can tell your their opinions on the process and who to contact. Moreover, some of them might have worked with these roofers before. This way, you’ll learn if they are reliable.
2. Ask for Proof of Insurance and Licensing
It would help if you worked with a roofer who has insurance and a compensation policy in place if an injury occurs to a worker while on the job. Without it, you might have to pay the injured worker’s medical bills. Moreover, your homeowner’s insurance might not cover these costs, and without roofer’s insurance, the circumstances can result in litigation.
3. Check Online Review Sites
One way of checking whether the roofer you are working with is reliable is to check their ratings. The sites relay the previous experiences of homeowners who have worked with these roofers. Moreover, the roofers are also rated based on their work. This will give you a good idea of the reliability of the roofer. Some sites that you can check for feedback are Yelp, Google, Angie’s List, and many more.
4. Check if your roofer is factory-certified
Ask your roofer if they have any manufacturer accreditations. Only 2% of roofers are able to get factory-certified. The certification is awarded to only those roofers who complete rigorous training on roofing under a factory manufacturer. As the percentage of people who finish this training is low, hiring a certified roofer can ensure that they are dedicated to their craft and are reliable.
5. Get an Estimate in Writing
All reliable roofers will provide an estimate in writing. Anything that you both agree upon should be in a document. This will ensure that they do not change the prices in the future and do the work as agreed upon.
6. Consider More than Price
It might be tempting to pay the lowest price, but you should also pay attention to the quality of the work. A few dollars can make a world of difference. Moreover, ensure that you do not pay the entire fees upfront. The standard payment is one-third of the total costs.
7. Get a Guarantee
Since there are different types of roofing and many factors involved while building or repairing a roof, things can go wrong. You must work with a company that provides warranties for the job done. They agree to redo the work if any problems arise even after the work is completed. This gives you peace of mind as well.
