Important Tips When Hiring a Roofer
Having to hire a roofer is probably one of the most dreaded aspects of being a homeowner. Though there is no such thing as a "pleasant" repair for anything in the home, roofing is an exceedingly difficult thing to get repaired, and it is a prohibitively expensive proposition.
Even finding a roofer who is honest, dependable and does good work can be a difficult proposition in its own right. Here are a few tips to help you select the right roofer for your roof repairs.
Get Recommendations From Your Family, Friends And Colleagues
Be sure to tap your extensive network of associates. Ask around, compile a list of at least three (five would be better) roofers that come with good recommendations. Then, from this list, start making phone calls and setting up times to have quotes written up for you.
Get References From The Roofers
Make sure you always ask for references from the roofers' past clients. If they do good work at a fair price and meet deadlines, they should have no problem coming up with many names and contact phone numbers for you. If they balk, or hesitate, or are unable to produce several references for you, look elsewhere for a roofer. Also, with the references there should be addresses included. Feel free to drive by these houses to see what kind of work the roofer has done.
Find The Roofer's Paper Trail
When you have your list narrowed down to one or two roofers, check out their credentials, licensing and liability coverage. Ask to see proof of liability coverage, contractor's license and workers' insurance coverage.
The first step is to put together a list of roofers to choose from. The best Level 5 Roofing place to start is by asking friends and family for a referral. This referral should be based on people having worked with a roofer, not just knowing one. Happy customers are always eager to share their positive experience, so ask for details...how was the work, was it done on time, was it done on budget and did the price seem competitive.
Other sources for roofers include websites (not necessarily the classified websites like Craigslist.org, but more like the sites where customers rate their experiences and recommend, like AngiesList.com), other contractors you may have worked with previously, and the yellow pages.
I'd be less trusting of short term ads, whether online or in local papers. Better to deal with an unknown roofer who plans on being around for at least the 12 months they have to commit to with the yellow pages.
So, by now you should have a short list of potential candidates. It's always nice to have 2-3 bids to choose from, and that will likely require contacting at least 4-6 contractors, so start calling and setting appointments to get bids.