A View From the Top – Choosing a roofing contractor
What makes (common) sense for YOU.
Everything under the roof. That’s a lot. In fact, it’s everything you own! So who you choose to repair/replace a roof on your home or business is literally helping protect everything of value you have.
So as a “Roofologist,” I know consumers can be driven nuts trying to find a trusted roofing contractor. The bad news? My chosen field has its fair share of fly-by-night operators. The good news? There are plenty of reputable, professional roofing contractors.
So, where do you begin the search when looking for a roofing contractor? Some try an internet search. A recent Bing search for “Picking a roofing contractor” came back with 13,900,000 hits! Hey — it’s raining, the roof’s leaking — think you have THAT much time for research? NO!
How many tips is enough?
One thing this search turned up is the easy (lazy?) trap a lot of writers fall into these days: assigning a number to their writing — the “how many things do you look for” in finding a roofing contractor. Angie’s List says there’s “6 tips for choosing a roofing contractor.” InspectAPedia says it’s “5 Easy Steps to Getting a Good Roofing Job at a Fair Price.” Yet another source puts the number of steps at 9. How many is the right answer is less important than – how pertinent are the tips.
In the plethora of tips out there on the internet, you can boil down the important elements of finding a roofing contractor as:
- Be sure they’re well-established in your area
- Be sure they’re licensed, bonded and insured
- Look up reviews/check references
- Get a guarantee of their work in writing
- Be sure your contractor is certified by the manufacturer of the product(s) they use (a warranty can be void if the roof is improperly installed)
- Get an estimate in writing!
Which is the most important tip? That’s up to you.
Are you willing to roll the dice on a roofing contractor who’s not licensed, bonded and insured because they present a low bid? One slip on your property, and a “cheap roof” could cost you your house.
Perhaps the #1 tip for finding the right roofing contractor:
Find your comfort level.
You need to talk to your roofer. Yes! Talk — it’s a little old-fashioned. It’s not as easy as texting, but it’s more telling.
Does he hesitate with the tough questions? Or even the easy ones? Can he point you to completed jobs and/or client testimonials? Simply put – does he sound like he knows that he’s talking about?
A new roof system for your home or business – even a minor repair – can be a substantial investment. Talking to a few roofers will tell you what you need to know to establish a rapport.
Talking to Jon our Roofologist at Roof Iowa, will ally all of your fears while he answers all of your questions.
We Roof, but we also do much more like windows, siding, remodels, carpentry and handyman work! We service all of Iowa, primarily central Iowa and the Des Moines communities of Johnston, Ankeny, Bondurant, Altoona, Pleasant Hill, West Des Moines, Waukee, Grimes – give us call for your free inspection. You won’t be disappointed with our quality and price!
Call 515.612.3889. Or visit us online at <https://roofiowa.com/contact>
I do love all the articles about “5 Tips For This” and “10 Tips For That” – it all kinda makes me laugh. They all boil down to the same basic things. Find someone you trust. If you are unsure get another opinion. Get things in writing. Same goes for just about any major expenditure whether it be a roof or an elective surgery.
I really appreciate that you have a specific list of things to look for in a roofing contractor such as reputation, accessibility, etc. My husband and I are looking for a company to redo our roof, and we want to make sure we find the best one possible. I think it is interesting that the number one tip you gave is doing something that makes you feel comfortable. It definitely is important to trust your gut when it comes to these things. Thanks for the information!
Thank you for the tips. I think after you find out if the company you choose to work with is licensed and insured, you should be sure to get a quarantine in writing. Another key point you mentioned was to make sure the company is certified by the manufacture. It would really stink to have the company install a new roof only to find out it wasn’t installed correctly, and that they warranty is void.
My wife and I need to find a good roof professional to take a look at our roof. I know that we have some damage, but I am not sure if we need to repair a little bit of it, or if we need to replace the whole thing. I like your ideas to finding a great roofing contractor. This gives me a good place to start looking for some help with my leaky roof. Thanks for sharing!
My husband and I have a friend who recently mentioned that they were going to start looking for a roofing contractor so I will need to pass this on to them. I like how you point out here the importance of looking for a company that will give you an estimate in writing. I imagine that not only will that help you have a better idea of what you are looking for, but it will also show that they care about informing their customers. I have also heard that it is a good idea to make sure that they are accessible so we will have to tell our friends all of these things.
It’s good to be reminded that everything is under your roof and by repairing or replacing it, you are protecting everything you own. My roof is leaking and I want to find the best contractor in town that can fix it permanently. It’s interesting how you mention that you should find a roofer that doesn’t hesitate with tough questions. Having a roofer who knows the solution to any problem will ensure your roof is repaired permanently.
I appreciate the acknowledgement that it can take a lot of time to find a roofing contractor using just an internet search. I have heard that asking for referrals can also be quite helpful. I would look to a building contractor and find out which roofing service they would recommend. They are in similar fields and likely have pretty good ideas about the work that the other one does.
I agree that when you are looking for roofing help you would want to find someone who is established locally. I would imagine that finding someone who has a strong local presence would ensure they do a good job. I’m looking for someone to help me with some timber roofing so I’ll have to consider people that are well established in my area