What to ask before hiring a roofing contractor
What question have you ever asked a roofing contractor before hiring him? Have you even ever asked him any question? If not, then it’s time you begin preparing a list of questions to ask the contractor before hiring him to work on your house. Questions are crucial because they provide you with more information beyond the answers that the contractor gives you.
Questions help you to ascertain whether the contractor has a solid reputation or not. Questions provide a glimpse of the contractor’s mindset. Questions help you to learn what to expect from the contractor. Questions are important for determining the contractor’s competency and ability to do an excellent job. So, what questions should you ask?
Are you licensed?
Most states in the US don’t allow unlicensed contractors to work or offer their services. A licensed contractor has satisfied all the code requirements, thus able to extend his services to customers. The licensing requirement is crucial because it provides you with recourse in case things go wrong.
Have you paid for Workman’s Compensation?
Workman’s Compensation is mandatory. A contractor must have this insurance. Whether the contractor has more or fewer than three employees, the law now requires him to pay for the Workman’s Compensation insurance. The insurance is costly, thus the decision by many contractors to skimp it. Avoid hiring such contractors, as it could prove costly in the end.
Do you have General Liability insurance?
Workman’s Compensation provides employees with the cover and protection that they need while working on the property. General Liability insurance, on the other hand, protects the actual property. Without the General Liability insurance, you would have to cater for the damages that occur on your property. The contractors would be exempted from this.
Does the work require removing my old roof?
A complete removal of the old roof is often necessary in determining the full extent of the problem or damages. Some damages go deeper than what you can see on the surface. A visual examination of the roof is incapable of providing all the information required prior to working on the roof.
Does the new roof have a warranty?
A good roof should last around 25 years. Nonetheless, you need this piece of information to come from the contractor. Don’t rely on what you obtain from research that you carried out on the Internet or information gleaned from other contractors. Let the contractor say and even write the warranty down on the contract.
Can you give me a list of your last three clients?
A good contractor should have no problem sharing the list of references with you. In fact, most contractors have no problem doing this. What you don’t know is that they will share with you the list of references they know will speak well about them. Therefore, demand for the names of the last three clients that the contractor has served?
How much experience do you have?
Hire an experienced roofing contractor. An experienced contractor has worked on your type of roof all his working life, thus capable of diagnosing the problem accurately and offering proper solutions. An inexperienced contractor has probably never worked on your type of roof or encountered the problems that your roof has developed, thus the wrong one for you.
How much do you charge?
Finally, you should ask the contractor for a quote. The quote is crucial in helping you choose the contractor whose estimates are close to or suitable for your budget. Never allow the contractor to begin working on the roof before he shares the estimate with you. Otherwise, you would live to regret making such an obvious but costly mistake.