top of page

How to choose a good roofing contractor

Writer's picture: Jay LundeenJay Lundeen

Andrew shares his insights on how to choose a good roofing contractor


Hey, it's Maddie and I'm here with my husband, Andrew. Andrew has a remodeling company, Eclipse Remodeling, and today we're going to be talking about some frequently asked questions when it comes to roofing.


So, these are the questions that I get asked the most from homeowners and then just from friends and family, also questions that I don't get asked from homeowners or friends and family that I think are important to ask.


The first set of questions is about choosing the right roofing contract. contractor.


What should homeowners look for in a reliable roofing contractor?

So, there's several factors to consider. I think the biggest ones were for me would be that they're licensed, that they're insured, and then digging a little bit deeper into the insurance and making sure the level to which they're insured. Is it an umbrella policy? Does it cover the crews? Things like that would be my big ones.


How can people verify a contractor's license and insurance status?

That's a great question. Most states have a home improvement commission. Those websites are easily findable online, and you can verify their license through that. The biggest thing is that good roofing companies should really bring that stuff to you. It should be very early in the conversation. They should provide you with their license and their insurance um policy number, which you can also verify online.


What are some critical questions to ask before hiring a roofing professional?

For me, the big ones I would ask are, did the crews work exclusively for you? I would ask to see photos of other projects. I would look at um online reviews, things like That would be the most critical right off the bat.


How can homeowners evaluate a contractor's past work and reputation online?

Online reviews are going to be a good indicator. Spending some time looking at those reviews and really seeing what people talk about. Did they highlight the things that are important to you? Not just they did the roof, but communication was great. The cleanup was done very well. They took real good care with my plants. Giving a little bit more time to actually sift through the reviews. Asking them for photos of installs is going to be the best indicator because you should be able to see from before and after the level of care that they take, the level of finish that they bring to the project as a whole.


When I'm considering roofing, how do communication and project timelines impact the contractor client relationship?

For a project like roof roofing, it's going to be the most critical element of it. Having a good, open, honest line of communication is going to be critical. And you should know that pretty early on when talking to whichever companies you're talking to because as the project goes on, you want somebody that's going to be quick to respond, is going to hear any concerns or criticisms that you have and respond accordingly. You don't want it to be a one-way street.


What are some red flags that homeowners should be aware of when selecting a contractor?

The nice thing about red flags is that they're obvious. I would say ones that aren't for me is that they're that the people you're talking to are not providing you with some of this information, some of which we've already talked about the insurance, the licensing, but that you're feeling like you're having to get more out of them than they're giving to you. They should be really handle even things you wouldn't have ever thought to ask. They should provide you with that information.


What are the pros and cons of hiring local versus national roofing contractors?

The biggest advantage of a local company is going to be their relationship to the crews, the actual people that are going to be doing the work on your home. With a national company, they don't necessarily have those relationships, or they're touch and go. They don't do a ton of work. Local companies are going to have long-term robust relationships with these people and thus they're going to know their quality rather than: ”Hey, I just have a guy.”


What steps should home homeowners take to resolve disputes with a contractor? 

You're again your state home improvement commission is going to be the best bet for you. They have people there that can answer your questions, because sometimes people don't even know if they actually have a problem. They think they might. If communication has broken down, they're not getting feedback from the company. The home improvement commissions can answer things like: “Is this actually a problem?” If it is, they have both the personnel to mediate disputes and then also some protections built in for homeowners in the event that something does go wrong, which obviously everybody wants to avoid.


Why are industry certifications and training important in choosing the right contractor?

A primary thing people are purchasing when they get a new roof are the warranties and those generally come hand in hand with different levels of certification. If a company you choose doesn't have the proper levels of certification, the warranties you think, you may be getting or your neighbor got or you read about may not actually be coming to you. It's critical.




10 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page