From Seattle to Portland, the weather in the Pacific Northwest is often rainy and cloudy. Homeowners have been dealing with the wear and tear on roofs caused by rain. Without proper roof maintenance and regular repairs, your house can soon turn into an absolute soggy wreck and be susceptible to leaks. Many homeowners may not be aware of the importance of hiring a professional roofer to fix damage caused by extensive water exposure. Finding a roofer can become a challenging process. You have to ask yourself several questions, such as: “will they be reliable?”, “what’s their customer service like?”, “how much do they charge?”, etc.
There are many roofing companies out there, such as Vancouver’s top window replacement company, and many of them aren’t the right fit for you. That’s why it’s essential to research roofers before hiring one. Read online reviews, ask family and friends, and be prepared with a question checklist.
Here is a list of 7 tips to find the most qualified roofer for your home.
Remember, you’re paying these people to help you replace your roof, so it’s your job to make sure they’ll do a good job! You can quickly get what you need if you follow these tips:
- Ask Around
Friends, family, and coworkers are great places to start your search for a reputable roofing company. Ask them if they have used anyone local in recent years. If so, were they satisfied with the work? Were they happy with the final cost? Would they use them again? Also, consider checking reviews on Google+, Yelp, or Angie’s List.
- Do Your Research
Once you find a few potential companies, do some online research to make sure you get some basic background information on them – is the company local? How long have they been in business? Do they carry insurance, etc.? Most reputable roofing companies will have a website that will list all of this information for you to review. If not, it’s cause for concern and could be a red flag that you should move on to another company.
- Call Them Up
It can also be highly beneficial when researching a potential roofing contractor to talk with them over the phone before meeting with them. It will allow you to understand their professionalism and experience right away. You may want to ask them:
- Are they local or out of state?
- Are they licensed and insured?
- How long have they been in operation?
- Check Online Reviews And Social Media
Search online, but be cautious when reviewing reviews. Please do not base your decision on online reviews, as they can be fabricated by untrustworthy roofing contractors seeking to boost their credibility online. Instead, use online resources like Angie’s List or the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to find reliable information about potential roofers in your area. Review the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website (bbb.org). You can review complaints and other data about contractors on this site, including licensing and insurance information and how well they respond to complaints filed against them by homeowners. They will let you know of any litigation pending against them by homeowners or subcontractors who have worked with them in the past.
- Get At Least Three Quotes
Get at least three quotes from reputable roofers, even if you have a referral. It will allow you to see if there are any red flags with the company or the contractor. If you find one or two drastically lower quotes than the others, be cautious as this could mean cutting corners or using inferior materials. Not all roofers are alike. In any industry, there are good companies and bad companies. Don’t assume that all roofers will be good because you know one good roofer!
- Check Their License
Make sure that any contractor you hire is licensed and insured. It will help protect both parties involved if anything goes wrong during construction or repair projects. If they aren’t insured, then there’s no guarantee that damages will be covered, costing more money than either party initially paid out when everything was still going smoothly (assuming nothing had happened).
- Find A Local Roofing Company
When researching potential roofers, it’s essential to find a local company. It will ensure that the contractor thoroughly knows the area’s building codes and climate conditions that could impact your roofing project.
The most important thing to remember is that your homeowner’s insurance rates will usually be much lower if you have a reliable roofer who maintains good customer service. Once you find a good roofer and feel comfortable enough, ask them what they would recommend for an insurance agent. You can then ask your insurance agent how important it is to have a reliable roofer and which insurance company may be able to match up with your roofer’s attitude and level of service.