Remember when your elementary teacher would tell you that there is no such thing as the wrong question? Well, when considering choosing a roofing contractor, we are giving you permission to act as an elementary student again and ask away! The three most important questions are almost always going to be debatable; however, we have picked out three that we feel are the most common and most definitely in the arena of most critical. We debated questions such as "how do you price your work to the differences between features of a product towards asking a contractor what their lowest price is?" The bottom line, we didn't any of those questions were as important as the following three.
Number one:
Are your trade partners local, licensed, and insured?
If the trade partner or subcontractor is coming from another area, how will they back up their work, and what will their response time be if something goes wrong? Licensed and insured are equally as necessary, and for that reason would put them in the same category. If someone got injured on the job site, who is responsible? They can't blame you, can they? Which brings us to licensing. Believe it or not, not all states require a license, but a license assures the homeowner that the contractor is suitable to do the work and not just someone who "says" they are qualified to do the job? Make sense?
You want a roofing contractor that is a big ol' yes to all three, hopefully for obvious reasons. Check out this article from GAF on “How to Choose the Right Roofing Contractor,” to see what they recommend.
Number two:
When do you guarantee to complete my project?
A week, a month, ten days, how long will it take once you begin? Will there be any interruptions? What if there is an issue with the weather, then what? These are all great questions. We're leaving a few out, I'm sure.
Here are a few things to consider. For a standard asphalt roof of 1500-2000 square feet, your roof should take no longer than 2-3 days. If, for some reason, it will take longer than that, I would want to know. Most roofing contractors will have the product dropped off ahead of the day of installation. For example, if your roofing contractor dropped off the materials on Wednesday, your contractor will likely install the roof the very next day. It's important to ask because that product is usually sitting in your driveway in front of your garage; you know where you park your cars! As for the weather, you would like to believe that all roofers plan accordingly, but you should still ask. Remember, the customer is always right.
Of course, there are variables such as your house size and roofing materials that take longer to install than others. Like metal and or slate roofing, which takes 6-7 days. It's essential to keep these things in mind when talking to your contractor. But always ask how long it will take. Not to mention what happens when they finish? Like, do you guarantee my roof will pass inspection? That answer should undoubtedly be a resounding YES!
Owens Corning asphalt shingles are some of the more popular products on the market today and one of the largest asphalt shingle manufacturers in the world. Check out what they have to say about roof replacement expectations.
Technology has opened the door for homeowners to know their project status at all times. Roofle has developed and will soon release a proprietary customer portal with features designed for support and transparency, such as a roof tracker, real time photo documentation of the installation, and a log of communications and records.
Number three:
What types and brands of roofing do you install, and what is your warranty?
For products, you likely want to know if the contractor is unbiased with their recommendation. Some types of products may be on backorder in some areas while comparable products are readily available. If the contractor partial to one specific brand, you may run into problems. You may have your heart set on Certainteed but can't figure out why your contractor insists on Owens Corning.
As for warranties, there are two schools of thought here. There's labor, and there are product warranties. If a contractor's crew/subs/or trade partner is not local, you may have to wait for simple labor repairs, but most contractors offer a labor warranty. Like missing shingles, or nails sticking up, or crooked flashing, etc. A two to five-year labor warranty is excellent and not uncommon, while a one-year labor warranty is relatively standard.
As for product warranties, now we are getting into the weeds. Almost every shingle manufacturer on the planet has one, and mostly all of them are "limited." Meaning, the warranty is probably a lifetime. It's just going to be prorated or depreciate with time. Some products carry additional warranties over a shortened period without any deprecations and warranties that are entirely transferable. Meaning, if you sell your home, the new owner takes over the contract (A pretty nice little selling point if you ask me). There are also those warranties that you can pay a little extra for that never depreciate. It's always important to know and to ask.
How to research roofing companies online
When it’s time to replace a vehicle most people start by determining what type of vehicle they want and then compare models and brands. Once they know the one that suits their needs and budget, they choose which dealer will give them the best price, service and convenience. Depending on their circumstances, they may be able to take their time or forced to act quickly. Now let’s apply this approach to replacing your roof.
Suppose you do some online research on multiple sites to compare the price, performance and look of different roofing materials such as asphalt shingles, steel, composite, wood and solar. Then compare brands within your chosen category. Then get quotes from a few reputable installers to ensure you will pay fair price. Until recently, that would have required a lot of time and effort. Now you can do the whole thing with a single visit to an interactive online platform.
roofle.com enables visitors to compare roofing products, choose colors and get a firm, guaranteed fair price quote and order your new roof all in minutes. The alternative is to contact a single roofing contractor and accept what they recommend, regardless of how limited the options. That too is easy but it may not ensure the best outcome. If the contractor only installs one brand or one type of roofing, that’s what you will get. After all, the Ford truck dealer is not going to suggest a Toyota sedan.
If you prefer to go old school, research products on multiple manufacturer sites. Then log onto Home Advisor, Angie’s List or Houzz to identify some contractors check their reviews and rating on these platforms and Google. Finally, browse the contractors’ websites to understand their professionalism, certifications and industry awards. You also can check the status of their license using your state’s online contractor lookup service. Each company’s license number should be displayed on its website.
If you use Home Advisor or Angie’s List to research contractors understand that companies pay for this exposure. Home Advisor charges contractors by the lead. Angie’s List charges contractors a monthly fee for exposure. If a contractor does not pay Angie’s List or Home Advisor these services will not recommend the company even if it is the best business in your area.
Are you ready for the roofing revolution? Visit roofle.com to see how we are changing the roofing game. Enter your address, choose your slope, and get a quote. It's so simple. It's Roofing Made Simple. This is Roofle.
