What to Look For When You Are Hiring a Roofer For Your House or Building |
Posted: November 29, 2011 |
Your roof has a leak, and on top of that, your wallet could weep, if you choose the wrong roofer. If you have to replace the whole roof, fixing the wrong roofer's work, could be enough to make a credit card cry. You need the right man for the right job. From contract to clean up, hiring the right roofer is critical. Here is what to look for when hiring a roofer. Insurance A reputable roofer, orroofing contractor, carries plenty of insurance. The insurance is suffiecient to cover his work, the materials, and his workers. Further, it covers any property damage incurred through accident or negligence. If someone should get hurt on the job, his insurance covers it, not your home owner's policy. Licensed and bonded Allmost every state requires roofers and/or roofing contractors to be licensed to work in the state they are located in. Some licenses extend to a few surrounding states. For instance, a roofer located in Massachusettes may have working priviliges to include New Hampshire and Maine. Call your state capital to verify, if in doubt. Written estimates Search out at least three roofers in your area for estimates. Compare all three. Be aware roofing materials differ in cost. For instance architectural shingles are more expensive than plain asphalt shingles. By knowing which type you want, see what the prices are among the three for the same type. Further, make sure the estimate includes tar paper for underlay. All materials for the job need to be listed on the estimate. Compare labor costs, too. Somewhere in the middle is usually a good choice. Warranty A written warranty is your documentation against poor workmanship or a leak that was not fixed right, It should include how long the roof is covered for. A good roofer is happy to cover his own work because he wants a good reputation in the area. He is not nervous about extending a warranty that guarantees against defective materials, and is eager to make corrections, if needed. A reputable roofer, or contractor, knows he can stand by his work Referrences All roofers and contractors should be willing to produce references of satisfied customersone. It is good business sense to do a drive-by and see the roofs that were repaired. Ask for a few references, not listed on their website. It is possible those are not fully legit. When hurricane Katrina hit, there were roofing scams galore. Some painted a name on the side of their truck, put a few ladders on it and scammed the most vulnerable, the elderly. The contract The all-important contract needs to include an itemized list of materials, labor, and total cost. It also needs to include a starting date and a reasonable projected completion date. Check to see if cost includes clean up of old roofing materials. Read any fine print. It is customary for roofers and contractors to expect half the price to be paid up front, and the other when job is finished. Attitude and manners Most times, good business people present with a good attitude, know how to listen to what the customer wants, and shows good motivation. They are thorough in their explanations, and encourage questions from the customer. In other words, they want a satisfied customer when the job is done, and they are willing to do what it takes to make it happen
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