10 Questions to Ask Your Residential Roof Contractors

People are always getting new roofs. According to Roofing Contractor, over 5 million of them are installed annually. You might be one of those people, but you want to make sure that you hire the right residential roof contractors. That means you need to ask them the right questions before you sign any contract with them. Here are 10 important ones to keep in mind.

1. How Long Have You Been in Business?

You want to make sure that the residential roofing contractors you hire have been doing the job for a long time. That way, you’ll know that they have seen all kinds of roofing situations and know how to handle them. Yes, people do have to start somewhere, but if there are inexperienced roofers on the job site, it’s important that they have someone with some years under their belt supervising them. By asking this question, you’re making sure that you will have the best chance of getting the best roofing work done.

2. Who Will Be Working on My Roof?

While a lot of roofing work is done by the people at the company that you originally hired, there are some that subcontract their work to others. That’s not the best situation, since you don’t know how well these people have been vetted in terms of having a license and insurance. If something happens to them, who will be on the hook? Knowledge is key here and you need to know who exactly you’re going to be having around your home and walking on your roof for the near future.

3. What Is Your Timeline?

It’s good to be optimistic. It’s not good to be unrealistic. The best thing to be is somewhere in the middle. When you ask residential roofing contractors about their timeline for doing the job, you don’t want to hear about an extremely short turnaround. That can mean that they might do things like cut corners. Also, it means that they don’t factor in things like severe weather. It can also mean that they run longer than they originally promised. On the other hand, it’s better that they underpromise and overdeliver. A smart contractor will build in time to allow for things like rain or other weather events that could lead to a work stoppage for the day. That bit of buffer room will let them still finish on schedule.

4. Are You Licensed and Certified?

Don’t think of this as asking the obvious. Yes, a reputable company will be upfront about their license and insurance status. They will also gladly provide you with the proof. There are also less-than-reputable roofers who will hide that to get the job. Don’t be fooled and don’t let them dismiss the question. If they are reluctant to show anything, then you need to look elsewhere. You want people who are recognized by the state to know how to do their job. You also want to make sure that they are covered in case of an injury.

5. Do You Need a Permit?

This depends on the state that you’re in. Some allow workers to get started right away and some require a permit. If you do need a permit, then you need to see if you’re the one who must get it or if they are. That can prevent any possible legal issues later down the road.

6. What Will You Do if There Is Inclement Weather?

This one’s a two-pronged question. The first part is to see how fast they will be able to react if a sudden rainstorm blows through. The second part is to see what they will do if the forecast calls for nasty weather and how they will prepare the day before. You want to have people who aren’t going to unnecessarily leave your roof exposed to the elements and create more damage. They should have a plan and be able to execute it quickly.

7. What Sort of Warranties Do You Have?

You want to make sure that you’re hiring people who stand by their work. They can have warranties of varying lengths, but make sure to get them in writing either way. That way, you’ll be able to show proof if they do happen to try to back out of it for some reason. Reputable companies don’t do that, though. You need to cover yourself if there is damage due to regular weather activity, then you can get a repair or even get a whole new roof. Read the warranties carefully and ask them to clarify anything you don’t understand.

8. Who Will Be My Contact?

When it comes to jobs like this, there is usually a central contact. They are the point person, and they can answer any questions you might have throughout the process. See if it’s going to be the same one every day. That will make things easier for both you and any workers that are there. All you’ll have to do is locate them. Communication will be simple.

9. What Is Your Payment Schedule?

You want to know how much you’ll have to budget at certain times. First, go through the quote and see what they are charging for each thing. Have them go in more detail if you need to. Then you need to find out if you’re going to need to give an initial deposit for them to start the job. Then you might pay in various increments or pay the rest at the end. Make sure that you have a firm schedule. That point person that we mentioned earlier can be valuable here. You’ll know how much you must pay and on what date. Knowing this will relieve a lot of stress.

10. What Could Cause the Price to Change?

There’s nothing worse than getting a final invoice and seeing a higher total than you expected. Find out what they consider necessary to change that. You may have upgraded to a certain material halfway through. You might have had an addition. Be diligent and don’t be afraid to ask. They know that you are looking out for your bottom line too. As a result, you won’t break into a sweat when holding the invoice.

Don’t feel embarrassed to ask these questions. It’s an important way of making sure that you’re hiring the right people, and that you’re going to get your money’s worth. You don’t want to make a very expensive mistake that you’ll wind up regretting for a long time. These are just a few of the many questions that you could ask. Other things include why they think you need a new roof, what their safety protocol is, how they will inspect the final product, and whether your attic needs to be ventilated. Whether you’re getting a new roof or having an old one repaired, it’s a process. You want to make sure that you hire the right people for the job. Then you can relax and watch them do the work. Do you need residential roof contractors? We provide all kinds of services for fair rates. Contact us today at All Star Contractor LLC to get started with our services! We look forward to hearing from you and working with you in the near future!