As a homeowner, you can’t afford to hire somebody offering a service without doing a background check. You spend good money on your home improvement projects and on keeping your home safe, secure and presentable. If you have to hire anyone, make sure it is a reputable contractor and share your vision of what your house should be like. Whether you’re installing new siding or replacing your old roof, it’s important to hire a reputable contractor to prevent wasting time and money and dealing with further problems in the near future. 

Roofer

When you need to replace your roof, it’s a good idea to get quotations from different contractors so you can compare services and prices. Ask at least three contractors for quotations. However, that is only one of the steps you have to take if you want to make sure you’re hiring the right person for the job. Another step is to ask the most relevant questions.

Here are the most important questions to ask a residential roofing contractor before hiring one.

1. How Long Have You Been in Business?

It’s a bad idea to hire an inexperienced roofer to work on your roof replacement project. There are so many things that could go wrong, and inexperienced contractors might not even know how to resolve a problem. It’s best to work with an experienced professional that knows how to do the project better than you. A company owned by someone who’s been in the industry for at least 10 years should be a safe choice.

2. Can You Show Me Your License?

In most states, a contractor should carry a license before the person can offer roofing services. In some states, a contractor should also be bonded. You can probably verify this online, but make sure by asking prospects to show your license. If they can’t show you one or if they make up excuses, just thank them, and hang up or walk away.

3. Do You Have Workers' Compensation and Liability Insurance?

Roofing is a job that comes with risks. What happens if someone get hurt while working at your home? Or what if a worker accidentally drops a hammer and damages something else? You don’t want the headache. Workers' compensation insurance will cover an injured employee and liability insurance will cover your home or your property if the roofing crew cause any damage to it.

4. Do You Have a Surety Bond?

In case the contractor fails to complete the job, and you have to hire someone else to continue, you should be compensated. If your contractor is bonded, you have one less thing to worry about during the process. A surety bond should also keep you away from issues like if the contractor fails to pay the crew or subcontractors, doesn’t pull the permit and you get billed for it, or causes damage to your property.

5. How Much Experience Does Your Crew Have?

You have a right to know how much the crew knows about residential roofing replacement. Even if your contractors are experienced, you can’t allow them to let an inexperienced crew to work on your roof.

6. Where Are You Located?

A reputable roofing company should have a physical address and not just a post office box for receiving mail. One trademark of legitimacy in this line of work is having a brick-and-mortar office. If prospective contractors don’t want to tell you or can’t tell you where the office is located, don’t work with them. 

Visit the address that the contractor gives you to verify it's legitimate.

7. How Will You Protect My Property?

A reputable and experienced residential and commercial roofing contractor will make sure that parts of your property - decks, patios, gutters, flowerbeds, etc. - are protected by covering them with tarp, drop cloths or plastic sheets. Experienced roofers will also bring a dumpster where they will deposit the old, torn-off roof. They will also clean the work area when they’re done.

8. Can I Watch You Work?

A reputable roofing company will have no problem if you want to observe the crew working on a different house. Observe how they conduct themselves and how they take care of the property where they are working. Look at how they deal with the homeowners. Do they show respect and politeness, or are they rude and condescending?

9. Can You Provide References?

If your roofer is good, they should readily give you a list of references that you can call to verify their work quality and their relationship with customers.

10. Can You Walk Me Through the Process?

Your roofing contractors should be able to walk you through the roof replacement process without a problem. If you notice that they don’t really know what they’re saying, and they’re just stalling, they probably don’t have a lot of experience. It’s best to choose another contractor. 

11. Are Your Products Covered by a Warranty?

Reputable contractors typically carry products from reputable manufacturers. Such manufacturers offer warranties as a sign that they trust the quality of their products. In case your roof fails prematurely, you will be covered by your warranty within a set period. The best manufacturer warranties are those that will cover your roofing system even if the roofer is already out of business.

You should also ask the company about its own warranty. This is the workmanship warranty, which is your protection in case the roof fails not because of a material defect, but because of a workmanship error.

12. How Much Will It Cost to Repair or Replace the Roof Deck?

You may or may not have to replace the roof deck, but it’s best to ask this question just in case the roof deck turns out to be in need of major repairs or replacement once the old roof has been torn off. The roofer should give you an estimate of the cost, which is better than being told by the roofer that your roof deck needs major, expensive work while your house is exposed to the elements. That is a pressure tactic because you might not have a choice but to pay the hefty sum just so your contractor could install the new roof as soon as possible.

It pays to do your own research first so you know which questions are relevant to your situation.

Get in touch with a professional residential and commercial roofing contractor. Reach out to Hershey Exteriors, Inc for your home improvement needs. Call us today at (302) 569-9039, or fill out this form to tell us about your project.