Bad weather is an eventuality and when the time comes, you are going to want a high-quality roof over your head. To put that roof over your head you are going to want only the best, licensed roofers to work for you. Continue reading to find out the defining factors it takes to hire a roofing contractor for your roof repair job.
Steps To Take Before Hiring a Roofing Contractor
How to choose a roofing contractor is explained with some preliminary steps. These include aspects like verifying a roofing contractor’s credentials, reviewing testimonials, comparing your estimates to even inquiring about warranty coverages. Figuring out these aspects before cutting a deal will help to narrow down the best choice for putting a roof over your head.
Verify Contractor Credentials and Licenses
An important fact to know is that not all roofing contractors are licensed. When hiring a roofing contractor, be sure to ask for proof of their license. Hiring workers without a license puts you, the workers, and your home at risk especially when lacking the necessary documentation.
A great way for this would be to get word-of-mouth recommendations from former customers that will help to give a better understanding of where your contractor performed. This can be regarding whether they stick to a budget to even general satisfaction with the project. Companies like Larson & Keeney Home Services offer homeowners a speedy, professional service with years of experience in areas like Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Review Customers’ Reviews and Testimonials
The best form of information is the prior experiences of customers just like you. For example, when finding roofing replacement services in Kenosha, Wisconsin, it will help to ask around your neighborhood. Have your neighbors tell you their own experiences with the company. This helps find out how your potential roofing contractor performed during prior projects down to certain important aspects and whether or not they may cause any issues.
This can include answers to questions like:
- Did the contractors stay within budget?
- Were there any delays regarding the project?
- Was the customer satisfied with the project?
Getting answers to aspects of the experience will help refine this important decision. You cannot risk yourself or your home with a contractor that cannot be trusted to do the job correctly and timely.
Request and Compare Detailed Written Estimates
A big aspect to consider when choosing a roofing contractor is the price tag. A new roof does not have to be a hole in your wallet so it is important to find estimates from multiple companies. It would be helpful to get an estimate from at least three different companies that way you have a range of what the price may look like. Estimates also play a part with independent contractors as they hire subcontractors to speed up the process of the project.
The estimate will base itself on aspects such as:
- The level of experience of the workers
- The price of roofing materials
- Any additional business expenses
Ask for Proof of Insurance and Safety Practices
When deciding on a roofing contractor, you will get a feeling for how they proceed regarding safety, and if an injury does occur, what the company does regarding insurance. If the company’s policies are not immediately clear on their policies, it would be a good idea to follow up with these questions:
- What roofing insurance do you have and what is the level?
- How do you guarantee the safety of the workers?
- What do you do under harsher weather conditions?
- What kind of warranty do you have regarding the roofing process?
Discuss Payment Terms and Financing Options
The payment aspect of the roofing process is just as important as the actual project itself. In negotiation with a contractor, you will always want to have a written quote as this will help avoid the possibility of hidden costs. The payment breakdown includes aspects such as:
- Cost of roofing materials
- Applicable taxes
- Payment Agreement
- Any insurance coverage needed
It is important to also discuss a payment timeline as this will give a clear indication of when payment is needed and avoid any problems regarding payment times.
Inquire About Warranty Coverage
While you may be focused on getting the roof put in right away to have peace of mind, you also want to think about the time afterward. A good roof will last years if not decades. A good contractor will give a policy for warranty coverage. The coverage to look for will be a lifetime warranty which covers you as long as you own your home. Another coverage, while rarer is the full coverage warranty which will be full value replacement of the roof in a stated length of time.
Assess Contractor’s Experience With Similar Projects
One final recommendation is to assess their prior experiences with projects just like yours. Reading customer testimonials helps to better understand the quality of the end product or the pricing timeline. You want to hire a roofing contractor being fully confident that the work can get done efficiently and produce the best of results.
After Hiring a Roofing Contractor
While preparing to hire a roofing contractor is very important, what comes after hiring one is just as important. Many factors go into this, like reviewing your contract before finalizing, the materials going into your new roof, how communications will be established, and even the payment plan. Keeping these parts in mind will help to ease the stress of having contractors come to your home.
Review and Finalize the Contract
First and foremost, you will want to review the terms of your contract. The terms should be clear and concise as to what the project will be like, what processes will take place, and when they occur. This should also sort out any concerns regarding payment and the timeline of the project as well. After reviewing, if the contract is good to go, it is time to finalize and the project to commence.
Confirm Project Start Date and Schedule
Your project should have a clear start date and detailed timeline of estimated progress. A schedule helps to keep you in the loop regarding the roofing process. This will also link to your payment plan as you can make sure you are not paying for work that isn’t getting done If the start date and schedule appear to be clear and set to your terms then the project can get going.
Discuss and Agree on Material Choices
A good roofing contractor is prepared to work with the materials that are usual for residential homes such as shingle roofing. You can discuss with the contractor what materials should be used for your roof specifically but also bring up the advantages and disadvantages regarding each type of material. These materials can range from:
- Asphalt shingles
- Metal Roofing
- Solar Paneling
These are only a few of the options, as any other options depend on your contractor and the options available.
Establish Communication Channels
Before any actual work commences, you want to have a communication link during the project. This should be someone who will be at the project site consistently to give status updates regarding the project’s progress and if any issues arise. The best case scenario is you can keep in contact with multiple people as a way to have an ear to the ground at all times during the project. You want to be in the loop regarding your own home!
Set Up Payment Terms and Milestones
A good contract with a roofing company will allow you to set up clear payment terms and milestones per a plan. This will allow the project to progress smoothly while giving a clear indication of when payment is needed and how much each payment will be at each step of the plan. This will give a progress plan to see if any issues arise that could disrupt any payment regarding the timeline given.
After Work is Done: Final Steps for a Successful Roofing Project
When all is said and done, your new roof or repair is in place, there are steps to take afterward. As the customer you will want to make one final check on the roof itself, check the quality of the work, and make sure there was some form of cleanup and restoration to the site, so your home is back to its normal great state.
Perform a Final Walkthrough Inspection
When the project is wrapping up, make sure to take your final inspection of the completed work. This allows you to make sure everything is in line with the contract and terms you agreed on. If there is anything not in line with what was agreed, please bring attention to the contractor immediately so the issue can be resolved.
Check for Quality and Completeness of Work
Inspect the roof itself and ensure there are no gaps regarding the work done. If it was a repair job, inspect closely to ensure that previous issues have been addressed and resolved in line with the agreed-upon terms. If it is regarding new materials placed onto the roof, investigate to be sure that what was placed down is 100% correct.
Verify Cleanup and Site Restoration
A big part of these types of projects is the messes they can create. A good contractor will take strides to make sure that the site has been cleaned accordingly and that the work site, your home, is brought to its original state. Bring any sort of mess that remains at the site after project completion to the attention of the roofing contractor so that it may be resolved.
Professional Roofing Replacement Services
If you are looking for quality roofing services, look no further than Larson & Keeney Home Services. With roofing experiences going back to 2009, they are prepared to give you the best service for your roofing needs.
From giving clear and fair estimates to providing the best roofing materials, consistent communication to customers, and timely project completion, Larson & Keeney helps give you peace of mind regarding your roof’s integrity and safety. When you need a roofing replacement company, give us a call at (262) 587-6592.
