10 Factors to Hiring the Right Roofing Contractor
Replacing your roof can be a daunting chore. Whether it’s your personal home or business, hiring a roofing contractor comes with its fair share of uncertainties: who can you trust?
When it comes to hiring the right roofing contractor, keep these 10 factors in mind…
01. Never use a door-to-door roofing contractor. If they’re knocking on your door, it means there’s a good reason they’re not on someone else’s house. Go with a personal referral from someone you trust… like R&A Contracting.
02. Check liability insurance, property coverage, and business ratings from agencies such as Verified Service Reports, Angie’s List, or the Better Business Bureau. If you think a damaged roof is bad, you don’t want an uninsured roofing contractor falling off your roof.
03. Ask for local references and contact information if you’re not familiar with the contractor. Ask specific questions and look for detailed examples of their work.
04. Ask about permit requirements. Some unethical contractors skip pulling the required permits and homeowners can be pursued for negligent construction practices as a secondary result. Check with local authorities if you’re not sure what permits might be required.
05. Obtain multiple bids from locally recognized roofing contractors, such as R&A Contracting. Compare bids and pay attention to details.
06. Never contract a roofing company who offers to pay your insurance deductible in exchange for your business. Missouri Senate Bill 101 and Missouri Senate Bill 610 prohibit any roofing contractor from offering such exchanges and labels it as insurance fraud. Beware!
07. Get everything in writing, even if it seems insignificant. The peace of mind in an easy-to-understand written signed contract is worth the time and effort. Any objection from a contractor is a good sign they might not be a reputable roofing contractor.
08. Be prepared to pay a little up front, but never pay the full amount to start. Unscrupulous contractors ask for large payments up front for a variety of excuses, “Need to buy all the materials,” “Need to order,” “Secure our services,” etc. A good roofing contractor, like R&A Contracting, has the construction funds in escrow to efficiently cover most, if not all construction costs before completion. A small down payment may be required, but it should be fairly insignificant in amount.
09. Don’t pay the final bill until all work is to your satisfaction. It’s up to you as the owner to ask questions and pay attention to progress.