Doing a little digging may appear time-consuming but what is a lot more time-consuming not to mention costly would be to fix a botched roof job. So how should you decide on a roofing contractor? Strategies for selecting a roofing contractor fall into three categories: the contractor's qualifications, the contractor's work, as well as the contractor's past. Browse the tips below.
Qualifications
First, do not hire a roofing company who is not licensed. However, just because a contractor is licensed doesn't imply the contractor is really a committed professional that will do excellent work. You are able to tell more about a contractor's commitment by seeing when the contractor is a member of a trade association of course, if the contractor has taken any training training. If the contractor says yes, call the trade association and get to see certificates with the continuing education.
Make sure they have a permanent business. When picking a contractor, you need to be confident that the contractor should be able to complete the job they promised to accomplish. One of the best ways to have this confidence would be to select a contractor who is able to financially commit to finishing any project. The contractor needs to have a permanent phone number and address. Visit their business to find out if they have the apparatus and employees to finish your project successfully.
Ask if they have insurance policy and how much. Because they have insurance, it might not be very much coverage. Possess the contractor explain to you a certificate of insurance. Contractors will get a certificate of their insurance that shows coverage dates and policy limits from their insurance carrier. Also inquire if they have workers' compensation coverage. Because home owners can be accused of accidents that occur on the property, it is vital that all contractors have workers' compensation insurance.
The Contractor's Workmanship
All contractors also need to have a safety plan so ask your potential contractor to provide you with one. Safety plans are important for making sure projects get completed and therefore are required by the Occupational Safe practices Administration (OSHA).
Learn how long the contractor's warranty on work performed is. An average time period is a year or longer. Along the warranty is irrelevant so much as whether or not the contractor promises to stand behind the warranty. Good contractors often will continue to work beyond an itemized contract. Take into account that the manufacturer provides product warranties and quite often warranties are just valid if your contractor is "certified" to set up the product. Make sure to talk to your contractor about following manufacturer specifications that are necessary for product warranty.
The contractor should thoroughly discuss your home improvement project with you. Areas to discuss with your contractor are the color and sort of products you need to use, how to get a permit if necessary, what the daily clean-up procedure is, and the way the work will probably be paid for.
Past Performance and Customer support
Find out how long the contractor has been around business. Though a contractor in business to get a year or two might do excellent work, it might be better to select a contractor who has been in business for around five years. Usually the longer a contractor has been in business, the harder experience they've, which often means more choices and better workmanship to your roof.
Ask to determine pictures of the contractor's work and for references from past customers. Understand this information on the contractor's website or by calling previous customers and asking what they thought.
Lots of the best contractors have experienced to handle complaints. Complaints usually are not necessarily bad, however the way a contractor has handled them could be. Ask the contractor how they have managed complaints in the past or call the higher Business Bureau to find out.
In addition to the above advice, another worthwhile tip for picking a roofing contractor is to have three contractors you are looking at submit three bids on paper. Having three bids written is useful to compare prices and items the contractors will use to complete the work. If one bid is significantly higher or less than the others, this might be a red flag. Again, roofing directory sites will help streamline the process here, by putting you in touch with three roofing contractors by filling in just one estimate request form.
Remember, what it all is dependant on is what your instinct is letting you know about the contractor. Even if the contractor seems to meet the above tips but something is letting you know not to hire the contractor, don't. With a home improvement job as essential as repairing or replacing a roof covering, you need to work with a roofing contractor whom you feel very good concerning the work getting done.