QUESTIONS TO ASK ANY

ROOFING

CONTRACTOR

If you’re starting you’re first roofing project, you should

have a number of questions for your prospective

contractor. A new roof is a huge investment, and as the

homeowner, you’ll want to ensure you’re only getting the

best product and workmanship for your money.

Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to find a great

contractor. Almost anyone with a truck and the right

equipment can claim to be a roofer, but rarely can they

offer more than a long lasting roof and a taillight

warranty.

On the flip side, signing a contract with a roofer before

knowing all the fine details can lead you to a number of

costly problems down the road.

The best secret is to ask the right questions and

interview your contractor. We will show you the right

questions to eliminate potential issues.

INTRODUCTORY

QUESTIONS

As with sports and applying it to contracting, “Choose your team first, then choose your equipment.” Almost anyone with a truck and tools can claim to be a roofer, but that doesn’t mean that they will do a good job. A trustworthy and reliable roofer may take longer to find, but hiring a team that prides itself on quality work will always pay off in the long run.

Before getting into the fine details of your roofing project, the first step is to get to know your contractor and to start interviewing your contractor.

—— QUESTIONS TO ASK ANY ROOFING CONTRACTOR ——

1. What is your full company name, phone number,

physical address and website?

As with any project, buyers need to take every precaution to ensure

they’ll be able to hold the contractor accountable for the finished

product. Knowing the contractor’s basic information is an essential part

of securing your home against poor craftsmanship and even fraud.

Consider these possibilities:

●Installed incorrectly - What leg do i have to stand on?

●Roof is unfinished - What do i do, I already paid?

●Roof leaks or is damaged before the warranty expires

If something goes wrong, you need to know the company will be

available to fix it. Even if the project goes perfect, having all legitimate

contact information will allow you to contact with the company. Good

contractors will make themselves easily available to ease your mind and

respond to all of your questions, comments, concerns and even service

calls.

It’s also vital to get the contractor’s address. Any reputable roofing

business will be more than happy to have you come in to meet with a

representative and see examples of past work. Beyond being a good sign

that the company is legitimate, a physical address will also give you the

option of showing up and speaking with someone in person if no one is

answering the phone. (This is also part of the reason why it’s always

better to find a local contractor.)

If the roofer uses a P.O. as their mailing address, make sure you get the

address of the company itself. And if the roofer won’t provide you with a

physical address or if their physical address is listed as their personal

home, or doesn’t have one, it’s time to look elsewhere immediately.

2. How long has your roofing company been in business?

After getting all the necessary contact information, find out

more about the business itself and its history. Find out how

many years the company has been in business and ask the

representative to tell you about some of the projects they’ve

completed in the past.

Longevity is a good sign but just because it may be a newer

company doesn’t mean it will have substandard service by

any means, but a company that has been in business for

twenty years or more wouldn’t have been able to survive

that long without providing work and creating lasting

relationships with its customers, but even a long lived

company still needs investigated and a solid track record.

—— QUESTIONS TO ASK ANY ROOFING CONTRACTOR ——

—— QUESTIONS TO ASK ANY ROOFING CONTRACTOR ——

While hearing about the company’s history in their own words is an

important part of familiarizing yourself with your contractor, it’s equally

important to see things from a client’s perspective. A trustworthy

contractor should have no problem providing you with references of

past customers; after all, if they did a great job, why not get some free

endorsement?

Ask your contractor for local job sites you can visit to see examples of

their previous work in person. If possible, follow up with the

homeowners directly and ask them about their experience working with

the roofer.

Any business will naturally want to portray itself in the best light and will

likely recommend only their best and most-satisfied customers. While

this certainly does not invalidate their input, hearing only from the

happiest clients may not give you the full picture. Consider asking for

some of their most recent clients as well in order to get a better idea of

what you can expect from the company if you were to hire them today.

Likewise, you might also try asking for references from a few older

clients that the roofers served three or more years ago. In addition to

giving you a better overall perspective, these clients will help you gauge

how well the contractor creates roofs that are built to last.

3. Can you provide past project references?

LICENSING, INSURANCE

AND QUALIFICATIONS

Getting to know your contractor is part of the battle, but it does not stop there. Before signing any documents, you’ll also want to find out the companies qualifications, including how the company is insured and what licenses the contractor holds. This is very important in verifying that you have found a legitimate contractor.

A contractor may answer yes to all of these questions, but can they provide the documents in person? Protect yourself from an unqualified and unlicensed contractor.

—— QUESTIONS TO ASK ANY ROOFING CONTRACTOR ——

4. Does your company have valid and current

contractor license?

Many cities and counties will require a contractor to get a

license in order to work in the area, so be sure to ask your

prospective contractor if he or she qualifies. Contractor

licenses help safeguard homes by ensuring that only tested

and certified roofers are allowed to operate on them. If you’re

unsure of what regulations are in place where you live, or to

confirm that the contractor’s license is up to date and

legitimate, check with your local licensing office.

5. Are you certified by the manufacture to install

the materials?

This is one of the most important questions to ask and one of

the biggest question that most contractors cannot produce

on the spot. To receive most manufacture warranties, you

must be a certified installer with the manufacture.

—— QUESTIONS TO ASK ANY ROOFING CONTRACTOR ——

6. Does your company have workers

compensation?

Yes you should ask this question. No matter the years of

service, accidents do happen! A contractor without workers

comp leaves you the homeowner liable for medical bills and

expenses and some homeowners policies will not cover

those leaving you to pay for these damages out of pocket.

If your prospective contractor does NOT have workers comp,

keep searching.

7. Does your company carry general liability

insurance?

General liability insurance should also be addressed. While

worker’s compensation will cover your contractor’s

employees in the case of an accident, general liability

insurance will help cover damage to your home.

Ask to see your contractor’s insurance certificate. If you’re

still not convinced, don’t be afraid to ask for a copy of the

contractor’s policy, call their insurance company directly, and

ask to see the credentials. Remember, you can’t be too

careful.

ESTIMATES AND

SCOPE OF WORK

You may feel like you have found a great prospective contractor, but here is the last few things to watch out for to make sure you are getting what you pay for. Just because a contractor appears to be legitimate doesn’t mean they will give you the best roof with the proper components.

—— QUESTIONS TO ASK ANY ROOFING CONTRACTOR ——

8. How does the estimate appear?

If the contractor provides you with a paper hand written

estimate and is not broken down with specific line items and

brands, you may be getting grade b, left over materials that

may not qualify for the manufacture roofing warranty. This is

important and this will stand out on the cheapest estimate

you receive. Remember if someone can do it cheaper by

thousands of dollars, How? Where are the shortcuts being

taken?

9. What is the scope of work?

The scope of work is important, this will tell you if they are

removing the old roofing components in their entirety, how

they are disposing of the debris, if they are installing new drip

edge, if they are installing ice and water shield as required by

code, the type of felt they are using, if all old flashings are

being replaced, if new ventilation is being installed, and if

specific hip and ridge shingles are being used. The scope of

work will inform you the nature of the work in full detail to

make sure you are not getting taken for your money .

THE RIGHT QUESTIONS WILL PAY

OFF IN THE LONG RUN

Finding the right contractor may not be easy, but asking the right questions with the right research will save you in the long run. Thoroughbred Construction Group wants to be your local contractor providing you will the right answers with Honesty, Integrity and Dependability.