Four Tips to Choose a Roofing Company
One of the main reasons you should get 3 estimates is finding a qualified contractor with good references and good industry practices. Unfortunately, this characteristics are only found in a few companies and often homeowners find themselves trying to qualify the adequate contractor to trust them with one of their most important investments without knowing what to look for.
Here’s a few pointers to help you make a better selection:
1. Educate yourself about the subject
There’s multiple sources with very valuable information about all the technical stuff. IKO provides very valuable and easy to understand technical information on a simplified format. Owens Corning, GAF and Certainteed also provide detailed descriptions and schematics to make it easy for you, the consumer.
2. Interview your potential contractors
You can’t choose a professional roofer by looking at an estimate and comparing prices. Allow yourself an hour, more or less, to sit down with each contractor. You might be speaking with a salesperson or even the owner. Both of you need time to ask questions and explore the possibilities. You will be amazed at how many options are available.
Good contractors take pride in their work, and so should their sales representatives:
• They should show pride and enthusiasm in discussing other jobs.
• The salesperson should be knowledgeable about other jobs (which shows his amount of involvement in the actual work).
3. Know the scope of work
Familiarize yourself with what is to be done. Most insurance companies provide a detailed reports and scope of work. If you’re paying out of pocket for the project ask for a detailed description of every line item. Not doing so will put you at a disadvantage when negotiating.
4. Ask about their process
All situations are different. Make sure the roofing company’s process fits your needs and doesn’t disrupt your daily activities. Have the contractor provide you with the itinerary and payment schedule. If the roof replacement is part of an insurance claim make sure the pertinent paperwork is filed and provided to your insurance carrier.
Remember every situation is different and the best thing to do is to meet with your potential contractors instead of collecting estimates. Get to know them and qualify them!