How to Choose a Roofing Contractor: Making Good Decisions

Your roof is on the frontline of protection for your home. It shields you from the elements and keeps you secure and warm. When something goes wrong with it, it’s important to pick the right professionals to help you remedy the situation. There are many jobs that you might consider taking on yourself. When extensive repairs are required, or a whole renovation or new roof is required, you’ll want a trusted contractor.

Picking that contractor can sometimes feel like a shot in the dark. You might not have needed a contractor before and are using one for the first time. Where do you even start? What should you be looking out for, and what are the questions to ask?

In this article, we’ll cover the core elements that you should be considering when hiring a roofing contractor. Bear these in mind, and they’ll guide you toward asking the right questions when making a decision.

Why Choosing The Right Contractor Matters

The roof over your head is a major part of the fabric that makes up your home. It’s not to be taken lightly. When you pick the right contractor, you’re able to receive quality workmanship that delivers a reliable installation. The last thing you want is for the works to fail, and suddenly you’re facing early wear and tear, or worse still, further damage.

That might be precisely what happens if you were to pick an inexperienced or underqualified roofer. They might seem affordable or have quick availability, but is your home worth the risk? It’s not. Is it worth risking serious damage or construction failures that could cause dangerous issues such as collapse? Certainly not.

Doing Your Research

Seeing how important your roof is, you’re not going to pick up the first card you come across and book them in to work on your home. Instead, it’s time to conduct thorough research. Gone are the days of relying on the Yellow Pages. You’ve got the internet in your pocket, and you shouldn’t be afraid of using it.

Spend time searching for contractors in your area and explore their website and their reputation. You’ll find information about their skills and services, their work methods, and information about previous work. The best companies will share testimonials and case studies that have come from previous clients.

You can also visit independent review sites such as Google, social media, and Trustpilot. There, you can check out what the general public thinks of their offering.

Online is a great way to find contractors quickly, but don’t forget about your own network. Recommendations from friends and family can be worth their weight in gold. Ask for recommendations and then follow up with your own research.

There are also websites such as HomeAdvisor or Better Business Bureau that will give you a genuine insight into what a business is like. It’s worth noting that you shouldn’t necessarily be dismayed by a single one-star review. As long as the business has responded to that feedback positively, chances are it is explainable.

Licenses and Insurance

Paperwork isn’t everyone’s priority when getting construction work done, but it should certainly be on your radar. In fact, in most instances, it is completely essential to have it in place before any work can be conducted legally. A legitimate contractor won’t be phased when asked to deliver paperwork.

Across the US, you’ll likely find that roofing contractors are legally obliged to be licensed. This isn’t only a demonstration of their capabilities. It also protects you and your home from any issues that arise from legalities or financial liabilities. Especially should someone get injured while working on your home. This should be an easy-to-share document that you should ask to see and potentially get a copy of.

Feeling particularly conscientious? You might even check that their licenses are up to date with local authorities and regulatory bodies.

Experience And Expertise

A contractor’s experience and expertise are everything. They need both to be able to deliver quality work and look after your home. It’s the foundation that their business is built on. Without it, they’re unlikely to complete successful works, at least not without third-party assistance.

A well-established, long-running company is a good indicator that a company has a wealth of experience. Presumably a decent track record too. That isn’t everything, though, and it certainly shouldn’t be the only factor that you consider. The contractor also needs to prove that they have the expertise to deliver the specific work that you need to be completed.

Remember, a roofer might specialize in a particular style of roofing. That means someone who can capably install asphalt shingles might not be an expert in installing slate. If in doubt, as for case studies that are relevant to your installation.

Ask for references from their previous clients and see what they say about the installation process and the finished work.

Communication And Contracts

Always ensure that you can get written estimates and a contract in place before the work starts. This should be communicated to you as soon as possible and should ideally include:

• Materials
• Projected timeline
• Labor cost
• Warranty
• Scope of work

This guarantees that both you and the contractor are on the same page right from the start of the work. If in doubt, work from a roofing contractor checklist.

The best contractors will also be well-versed in communicating with their clients. That means clearly discussing the project scope before work starts, keeping you updated during the project, and delivering a completion statement at the end.

You should expect to get a detailed contract that outlines precisely what you’re paying for, and what you’ll receive during the process. This is your bible and should outline what happens if there are delays, unexpected issues, or any disagreements that arise.

Key Takeaways

Picking the right contractor can be the difference between getting your home back to normal and extending an already stressful situation. Spend time conducting your research, and you’ll thank yourself later.

• Experience and expertise go hand in hand, don’t purely look for the company that has been around the longest.
• Paperwork is a must-have, not a nice-to-have.
• Recommendations are great, but make sure you do your own research too.

Looking for a quality roofer that has both experience and expertise, with the credentials and paperwork to match? Look no further than Trenton Roofing. Call today for a free, no-obligation quotation.