Re-roofing is something you may not be familiar with until you need to replace your roof. Even at this point there
is so much to learn about, which products to use, what procedures are best and most effective and most
importantly meet your needs. When making such a vital decision it is important you can trust the roofing
contractor to give you great advise about the products and procedures that may be new to you. The key
is to find the right roofing contractor for your job.
These questions are designed to help you experience of the contractor, reputation and reliability. Also
it will help you determine their dedication to providing you with the best roofing system for you home.
A professional roofing company should provide you with these answer in the estimate proposal,
or if they are asked, to be happy to supply you with these answers.
Being confident that you have selected the right roofing contractor will help assure that you have a
quality roof overhead and that your hard-earned money has been wisely spent.
We’ve also outlined some important points to consider as you evaluate the terms
of your proposed roofing contract.
First step is to make sure you interview your roofing contracting. You cannot choose a
professional roofer by looking at an estimate and comparing prices.
Good contractors take pride in their work, and so should the salesperson representing the company.
- The salesperson should show pride and enthusiasm in discussing other jobs.
- The salesperson should be knowledgeable about other jobs (which shows his amount of involvement in the actual work).
Questions to ask
1. Is the business Licensed & Insured.
Ask the company if they have a business and contractor’s license, and then request to see it.
Verify that it is an active license. Next, check on their insurance and get information regarding
the policy. You should call the insurer to make sure the policy is active. Ask for WSIB clearance,
at any time to make sure they are always up to date on this. Be aware that if a worker is injured
on your property, the homeowner might can be held liable for all costs unless the employee
is covered by WSIB.
Uninsured contractors. Roofers who do not carry insurance will mostly always be cheaper to
hire as they do not have the large burden of insurance costs. Between Business insurance & WSIB
premiums these can increase wage costs about 25% There are a variety of reasons why full insurance may not be carried by a
contractor, such as:
- Not a full-time contractor
- New in the business
- Can’t afford insurance premiums
- Doesn’t stand behind work
2. Roofing System Proposal.
You should always know what type of roofing system and exactly what materials you are being quoted for as well as the installation process. Some roofers will offer lowball bids, but that is because they are using subpar materials and re-roofing over your existing roof which may be a red flag.Make sure you know exactly what the bid is for, what it covers, etc., when comparing companies, it is not always a good idea to take the cheapest estimate, especially for one of the most important portions of your home, your roof.
3. Providing you with references and referrals on previous work.
- Ask for pictures from previous and recent work the company has performed, or check out there website for a gallery.
- Ask if there are any homes in the area they can go see to check out some of your recent work.
- Ask for a list of names and phone numbers of recent customers you can browse through and call at any point.
4. Business Website/Facebook Page
If you can not find on your own, ask them to provide you with a URL for there website, or facebook page. Look at the professionalism of the website and check facebook for number of likes, and positive reviews based on previous customers experience. If the company can not provide you with either, this should be a red flag.
5. Full Address & Name of the Company
Checking documents for businesses complete address, or asking them to provide it can be an important factor when determining the companies security. If they are trying to keep this private this could be an indication they may have something to hide. Try to hire a contractor that is nearby.
6. Warranties
With a new roof installation, there will be 2 warranties involved. A workmanship guarantee given from the company directly(sometimes backed by the manufacture), and a manufacture warranty for the products installed. Although both of these warranties cover the shingles on your roof they are different and make sure you understand them both. Generally a contractor who stands behind there work will offer a more lengthy workmanship guarantee because they are certain they should no be any problems to arise. A very short workmanship guarantee or no workmanship guarantee should be a red flag about the company you are considering.
Hire a Keswick roofing company you can trust. Above All Roofing & Contracting Ltd. has been providing roofing services to local homes and businesses for years. With services offered in Georgina, York Region, Simcoe County and surrounding area's, give us a call today for a free home evaluation!