When you need a roofing contractor, who do you hire? Common sense says you should never hire the first contractor that agrees to check out your roof. You also shouldn’t hire the least expensive without finding out why that contractor is the least expensive. There are at least three things you should be doing before you ever agree to hire a roofing contractor.
1. Ask to See Proof of License and Insurance
Always ask to see the contractor’s license and proof of insurance. The contractor should never balk at providing you with this information. The license says he’s legally able to work on your roof, and the insurance covers him if he has an accident (or his employees have an accident) while working on your roof.
2. Ask About the Roofing Products the Contractor Uses
There are high quality roofing products and then there are the basic, generic roofing products that will get your roof by. Ask the contractor what products he intends to use and then do your homework to see what those products typically cost. If you want a durable and longer lasting roof, make sure the contractor is using better materials.
3. Check for Experience
Has the contractor just started the business in the last three years or less? If the contractor has a decade or more of experience doing roofs of all kinds, that’s the right person to hire. Hiring someone who has never done roofs before or just recently started may result in a roof that isn’t what you expected. Hire experience over lower cost.
Ask Around
The best contractors get the most praise. Whether it’s online reviews or neighbors that have all used the same contractor, there’s always someone that everyone recommends. Just make sure you check off the above list before hiring the most popular contractor.
