Choosing a Roofing Contractor
May 20, 2009 | Filed under: Roofing Help Podcasts
When you are choosing a new roof for your home, certainly choosing the right product is very key. However choosing the right contractor is very key as well.
Even the best roof system improperly installed will be something you will wish you never would have done. So you want to take the right steps up front to choose a contractor that’s going to do a good job, and be able to install the product properly. So how do you do that?
- Look at the credentialing of the contractor.
- Is the contractor properly licensed?
- Is the contractor properly insured to work in your area?
Ask for verification of those things.
Check For Experience
Are they experienced with the roof system that you choose to have installed? Do they have crew workers that either have years and years of experience, or perhaps have gone through a training program offered by the manufacturer of the roofing product?
Now the other thing you want to think about and talk to them about is… is it just a matter that they as the owner of the company have the experience and the training, or do their crew workers have the experience and training as well?
Don’t Be Afraid.
Don’t be too shy to ask your contractor who’s physically going to be up on the roof. How much experience do they have? How much training do they have? Feel free to ask because again, the roof has to be properly installed. And, you’re going to be living with these guys while they’re installing the roof, so you’ll want to know who’s going to be up there on your roof.
Furthermore, ask for jobs that they’ve done. Ask for the addresses of jobs that you can go see, where they have installed the product that you’re going to have to put on your home. Ask for addresses of jobs were they’ve installed in the past.
Don’t be afraid to get a little personal. Go up and knock on the door, talk to the homeowner, and ask them if they’ve been happy with the roof. Ask them what their experience was with the contractor?
Do Your Research
Buying a new roof for your home is a major decision. Choosing the right product is a major decision. However, choosing the right contractor is perhaps the most important decision you can make, so don’t take it lightly. Make sure they have the experience, the licensing, the insurance to be up on your roof, go out and look at past jobs they’ve done, and talk to past customers.
Todd Miller has spent his entire career in the metal building products manufacturing industry. He is president of Isaiah Industries, an organization recognized as one of the world’s leading metal roofing manufacturers. Todd is currently Vice President of the MRA (Metal Roofing Association) and a Past Chair of MCA (Metal Construction Association). Through his website, he strives to raise the bar on standards and practices to provide property owners with the best possible products for successful roofing projects.
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