Roofing – Tips For Hiring Roofers

Hiring a roofing contractor can often feel frustrating. You don’t know anything about the company or contractor before you sign on the dotted line, and you are investing a significant amount of money in them, assuming they will do the job well. While you can do some research prior to hiring them to try to get the best possible service provider, there are many unknowns.

The unknowns are going to be there because of the nature of the work, but you can do a lot to take away some of the fear. First, take the time to get more information about the roofing business that is soliciting the job. Get a business card, learn where their actual offices are, and find out as much as possible about their identity. It is always best to work with a business that has a solid reputation in your area. While you are doing your research, make sure the business has licensure and insurance as required in your area.

Always check into a contractor or company before hiring them. You can use the Better Business Bureau for companies that are registered, or you can use third-party review websites that allow customers to rate and review their contractors, including those that work on roofs. Read as many reviews as you can, but keep in mind that there will almost always be someone who was unhappy with a job done. Some clients are impossible to please, while others may have had unforeseen circumstances surrounding the job, like a weather event, that they unfairly blamed on the roofers. The best thing to do is to look at all reviews, and take them as a big picture, when making your choice.

Always read the roofing contract thoroughly before you sign it, and make sure you understand all of the terms it uses. Do not accept spoken promises or guarantees. They need to be in the contract before you sign it. It’s easy to misinterpret something that is spoken, but not something that is written down that you can refer to later. Make sure that you are given a copy of the contract after you sign it, and hang on to this for your records during the process.

Never pay the full amount for the roofing job before it is completed. Paying around a third when you sign the contract is customary and usually safe, but if you pay in full, you are at risk of being scammed. The contractor may take off with your money without completing the job, or may do a shoddy job. Because you do not owe them any money, they have no reason to return and fix the job, other than protecting their reputation. Make sure you do not pay the full amount until you are completely happy with the job they have done.

With these tips, hiring a roofing contractor can be done with minimal stress, and you will be able to feel confident that you have found a solid company or contractor who will do the job well. Take your time before you sign, and you will be pleased with the results.