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5 Steps to Finding the Right Contractor

In most cases, roof repairs are a necessity rather than a choice. Roofs are essential to provide structural integrity to your home and safeguard the contents. A quality roof can enhance the appearance of your home and maybe even save money on utilities and energy costs. To ensure you receive a quality roof, you must find a reputable roofing contractor to do the job.

Roofing is one of the most expensive repairs that a homeowner can make. Therefore, it is important to ensure that you find a qualified roofing company that will get the job done on time and stay within budget. A skilled roofer can provide you with expert information about the best materials for your roof. These six steps will help make it easy to find a contractor that you can trust to expertly get the job done.

Ask Friends and Neighbors for a Referral

One of the best ways to find a qualified contractor is to ask friends, family and neighbors who they use. If you notice that a neighbor is getting a new roof, ask them about their experience with their contractor, even if you do not yet need a new roof. Eventually, you will need one and it is good to have the information when needed. Ask the person if they were satisfied with the job done and whether or not they would hire them again. If you do not know anyone who has had a roof replaced recently, you can ask at local hardware stores and lumber yards.

Do Your Research

Once you have a list of three to four qualified contractors, research each one. First, verify their contact information and consult your local Better Business Bureau to ensure that there are no glaring red flags. Review Yelp or other reviews. Ask each roofer for a list of references and call each one.

Request to See Proof of Insurance

It is a must that your contractor have liability insurance and worker’s compensation. Ask to see proof of insurance and contact the insurance carrier to confirm that the instance is still valid. Using an insured contractor helps protect you from liability if they are injured while working on your property.

Obtain an Estimate

Once you have chosen a couple of prospects, ask each one to come out to your home and provide you with an estimate. Pay attention to whether or not they arrive on time for the estimate. Chances are that if they are late, they will not bother to complete the job on time. Talk to the contractor about roofing materials. Ask about the extent of the job, as well as the time needed to complete it. Remember that the cheapest bid is not necessarily the best one. Knowledge, enthusiasm and expertise are also very important. If you are unsure of anything, clarify any questions that you might have with the roofer.

Draw Up a Contract

A roof is likely one of the most expensive home repairs that you will make. You must have a contract to protect your investment. A detailed contract should be drawn up. It should cover liability, safety procedures and workers compensation. Cover things like payments, schedule, clean-up methods and warranties.

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Roofing Blog

Homeowners: Why You Need Roof Repair Contractors

Something’s wrong with the roof, but you are not exactly sure how to go about correcting the problem. Instead of trying to figure it out on your own, the smart move is to call roof repair contractors and get some help with the roof. In the long run, this approach is in your best interests. Here are a few things that the roof repair contractors can handle without you trying to manage them on your own.

How Roof Repair Contractors Will Help

Roof repair professionals have extensive knowledge on roof repair, and will be able to help you. Whether you are in need of emergency roof repair, or a standard inspection, they can help. Here are the most common things a professional will help you with.

Properly Assessing the Situation

You know something is wrong and you even have an idea of what type of repair is needed. What you don’t know is the extent of the damage and whether what you have in mind will produce the desired outcome. There’s a good chance that more is going on than you realize.

The best thing to do is call a roofing contractor and arrange for the roof to be inspected. If the problem is more complicated than you realized, rest assured the roofer will identify every issue that must be addressed. As part of the process, the professional can tell you if it’s worth your money and effort to make the repairs. Depending on what’s wrong, it may cost you less to have the roof replaced.

Learning About All the Repair Options

Some roofing issues can be remedied with more than one approach. This is where the expertise of roof repair contractors comes into play. You may be familiar with one way of correcting the problem, but the roofer knows of three different solutions that would work in your case. The professional will sit down with you and explain how each approach works. You’ll learn the pros and cons of each solution, and have the chance to weigh the probable outcome of each strategy. That allows you to make the decision that you think is best.

There’s Less Danger Involved

As agile as you happen to be, working on a roof is a little outside your wheelhouse. The odds that you could slip and sustain a serious injury are real. While it’s true that a professional does assume some risk by ascending to your roof, that individual has the right equipment and knows exactly what safeguards to take. The potential for an accident to occur is considerably less when the roofer is dealing with the repair.

Your Home Insurance Provider Will Love You

By extending coverage to you, your home insurance provider is taking on a certain amount of risk. Any action on your part that helps to prevent further damage to the house is beneficial. The fact that you chose to hire a pro to make the roof repair will generate some love, since roofing professionals usually provide some type of guarantee for their work.

In addition, roof repair contractors will complete all repairs in compliance with local standards. That further helps to minimize the risk that your provider takes on by continuing to provide you with coverage.

As tempting as it may be to tackle the roof repair yourself, resist the urge. The best approach is to have a professional take a look at the roof. Once it’s clear what is wrong and what can be done to remedy the problem, it will be an easy decision to authorize the roofer to take care of everything.

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