The dreaded time is here. Your roof has not been looking its best for several years, but now it is beginning to leak. You have put off looking for a roofing contractor for the past couple of years, but now you must have your roof either repaired or replaced and need to find a contractor. Where to begin?
Hopefully your roof is not leaking to the point where you are forced to do a frantic search for a roofer available to do the job quickly. You should take a bit of time to find a good roofing contractor with a great reputation. Check your local yellow pages, talk to neighbors and friends to find a contractor that has satisfied customers and that charges a fair price.
Once you have a list of possible roofers, take the time to evaluate them. A professional contractor is more than happy to answer your questions. A good contractor will also be willing to meet with you to discuss your roof and he will be enthusiastic about getting the job. Ask the potential contractors for specifics regarding roofing jobs they have completed recently and Roof Construction Steps for references. An honest roofing contractor is more than willing to share this information with you. You should ask for his business license number and for information on who is bonding him. Ask the contractor you are interested in to give you an estimate or a bid on the job at hand. Once all of your bids are in, narrow your selection down to one or two contractors.
A good roofing contractor knows all there is about roofs. He knows how to take care of problem spots on the roofs of buildings and knows all of the alternative roof covering products. A competent roofer will give you great advice on the products available to fix your roof and will explain the procedure to you, step by step.
A reputable roofer will also have worker’s compensation and liability insurance, so ask him about this. A contractor who gives you a very low bid on a roofing job may have incomplete insurance coverage. You also want to be very sure that he backs up his work. What will he do for example, if your roof begins to leak again after just a couple of months of him completing the job? If he says he will remedy anything that is a result of his work, have this put in writing. A money-back guarantee is no good without it being a part of the written and signed contract between you and the contractor.
An estimate should provide you with a price, a detailed description of the products being used and the individual charges for manpower. Product samples should be a part of this estimate along with the literature from the specific product samples. A contractor who provides you with a great deal of information is the contractor who is more than likely going to do quality work. The date of completion should be included in the estimate and the contractor should know all about the local building ordinances and rules. The contractor should know all about the latest techniques and products available, as well as new colors available and the specific warranty information on the products he uses.
Be sure that you make the working hours very clear. If you will not appreciate being awoken at 6 a.m. by the sound of pounding on your roof, be very clear of the times you want the work performed. If you do not want workmen working on your home over the weekend, let this be known. Be sure that Roof Cement Price the contractor agrees to and will respect your wishes, and get this in writing before you close the deal. Ask him what he provides you if he is not able to finish the job in the time that he estimates it will take him to complete your roofing job. Does he offer a discount or a partial refund?
You also want to be sure that the contractor tells you who is supplier is as well as any subcontractors who will be used on the job. Require that you be given a receipt proving that any subcontractors have been paid before you release the final payment to the roofing contractor.
Finding a great roofing contractor takes a bit of time, but considering that the roof is one of the most important parts of a building, the time you take now to ensure you have found a reputable roofer is well worth the effort.