The roof protects your home from harsh weather and the outside elements, and keeping it in good condition is part of keeping your family safe and comfortable. Quality repair and replacement jobs are required to keep your home protected long-term, so it is important never to cut corners.
Working on your roof is a considerable investment, requiring the best contractor for the job. Poorly finished workmanship and shoddy materials can leave your home vulnerable to expensive water and UV damage. When choosing a roofing company, it is essential to research who is the best roofer with whom you can work.
Ten Tips to Help You Choose the Best Roofing Company
There are several important factors to consider when looking at roofing companies. You must go beyond just browsing their website, make calls, ask questions, and do your research. Consequently, the first tip follows that idea.
- Ask Questions- Lots of them
Make sure you and the roofing company are on the same page. Do not be afraid to ask as many questions as it takes. Ask about timelines, estimates, and who will be onsite. For a complete list of questions to ask, click here. Asking the right questions will help you narrow down your options because you will know who is giving you definite answers and who is not, and the company that can provide what you require based on your budget.
- Independent Contractor or Roofing Company?
Both entities do roof work, but one could be better for the job than the other. Quick repair jobs are best suited for independent contractors. With one person and a small job, there is only one person of contact. It can be an issue if there are warranty problems, though, so be sure you trust the contractor.
Larger projects, like roof replacement, are much better suited to roofing companies. You are more likely to get greater deals and a warranty, and a bigger company means a larger team and a faster turnaround time.
- Get Everything Written
Each job needs a written quotation to help steer clear of hidden costs. There should be physical proof of an agreement to protect you and the roofer. The contract should include materials cost, payment terms, breakdown of the price, and insurance coverage. Even though each party is confident with the other, the written contract will give you assurance of how the job is carried out and the timeline is followed. It lessens the risk of potential complications during the project.
- Check References
Speak to people who have worked with this company before. Word of mouth referrals goes far when engaging professionals. Ask for three references the least from their previous customers. This gives you a clearer look at whether they could stay within budget, how they handled delays, or if other customers were happy with the work. Look up the roofing company at www.bbb.org and then scrutinize their business ratings.
Online reviews are also helpful and are considered as well as personal references or recommendations. These reviews will give you an idea of what to expect from the services a roofing company has to offer. Remember that a company’s credibility is key in choosing the right roofer for your home.
- Face-to-Face Meetup
Develop a good understanding or knowledge of the roofer by meeting them in person. Talking things over is much easier when it is not done over email or phone, where things are more easily misconstrued. Getting a feel for how they work and who they are will make it more comfortable to interact with them while they are at your home.
- Do not Just Jump at Lower Prices
Saving money and staying within your budget is essential, but it is not everything when choosing a company—the cost of a newly constructed roof averages just below $15,000. Different factors change the price, but a low price should not be your only goal. Research more about this to ensure you are getting an upright price and then consider factors like their customer satisfaction rates, experience, and availability.
- Do not Hold Back the Details
Your roofer needs to know all the nitty-gritty details of what is wrong with the roof to avoid surprises mid-project. You will not get an accurate quote if you do not tell them about the issues, past damages and repairs, and other more. They tell them what you know and schedule an inspection if you do not know.
- Licenses & Insurance
While not every state requires a roofer to be licensed, many do, so research your state’s requirements. Ask if they have any needed licenses and only hire companies with insurance. Insurance is there both to protect you and the contractor. At a minimum, they should have workers’ compensation and liability insurance.
- Agree on a Timeline
Projects rarely stay within expected timelines, but a three-day job should not take three weeks. Be sure to ask about estimated completion dates, prep work that needs to be done, and how you should be alerted about delays.
- Clean Up Strategy
Any construction or repair job is a messy business. Leftover debris and trash can be dangerous for family and pets, so discuss a cleanup strategy with your roofer. Include the agreement in the written contract.
Educate Yourself
The tips mentioned earlier are the essential list you need to work with the roofer you can rely on to build a quality roof for your home. However, educating yourself on how the contractor will do your roof is the most important way to understand the scope of the job. This would allow you to oversee their work, which is being done properly.
Remember that the roof protects your home from the scorching sun during the summer, the heavy rain during storms, the shield from hail and snow, and any weather there is. Roofing materials should be quality, and the structure should withstand extreme temperatures and conditions of weather. A professionally built roof makes your home weatherproof and resilient.
The Design – What Type of Room Do You Want?
Like any other part of the house, your roof needs design, too. Unlike the old times, when roofs commonly have one design, architects and engineers have also innovated different roofing styles and designs to appeal to your home’s overall look.
Here are some of the most common types & styles of roofs:
- The gable roof – also called the peaked or pitched roof, is the most popular and common type in the United States. You can easily distinguish it because it is the type you have been drawing since you were a child – the triangular shape. There are also three styles of a gable roof – the front, side, and cross.
Advantages:
- Allows structured drainage
- Affordable as it is not that expensive
- Easy to construct
- It gives space for an attic
- The hip roof has slopes on every side that are equal in length and does not have one vertical side. Its forms include regular or the simple hip, half-hip, and cross-hip.
Advantages:
- Allows an efficient drainage
- Provides substantial ventilation
- Can lodge wraparound gutters
- Better resistance to the wind because of its aerodynamics.
- A flat roof is a horizontally-leveled roof with a small slope to allow efficient drainage and it is the best type if you aim for future renovation and add a second floor for your home. Its types are built-up, modified bitumen, and membrane.
Advantages:
- Since there are few materials to use, it is relatively cheap
- Quite an easy installation
- It can extend your outdoor space
- Easier to maintain and inspect
- Mansard roof – or the so-called French roof, contains four sides and two slopes meeting on every side to create a low-pitched roof, wherein its lower slope is steeper than the upper slope, and the sides are either curved or flat. It also has its types – concave, convex, and straight angle.
Advantages:
- Allows extra wide living space for living quarters or attic
- It provides room for future additions to your home
- Adds to the aesthetic value of the house
There are more types you can choose from depending on your liking. You need to discuss this with the roofer you will be working with, so they know if your budget fits.