There are a lot of different roofing companies out there, and sometimes, they aren’t the most reputable. Unfortunately, some people find this out too late. The cheapest isn’t always the best, and the quickest isn’t always the nicest option. What may seem quick in the moment may take up more of your time in the future trying to remedy the faulty project. It is important to choose a skilled contractor with lots of experience in his business and his product. Here are some top questions to ask a contractor you’re looking to hire.
Questions to ask
- Insurance
- Local
- Warranties
- Years in business
- Will I be able to contact the owner if needed
- How will my property be protected
- Certified by shingle manufacturer
- Who do I talk to for updates & questions
- Your Project Pipeline
- Troubleshooting
1. Are You Insured?
This is a very important part of being a business owner. Having insurance protects the customer from any damages that happen to the property during the construction project. Do not sign onto a project with a contractor who is uninsured.
2. Are You Local?
Is your roofing contractor local or from out of town? It can be very hard to deal with storm chaser roofing companies when things get tough. How can someone from out of town provide you with the best service and warranties if they don’t even live in the same state? Will out of town contractors be there to help you with your warrantied repairs? If they don’t, the repair is coming out of YOUR pocket. Additionally, a local contractor will know the most about weather related problems when it comes to your project. Make sure you hire a local professional who has a good reputation and knows the area.
3. What Is Your Workmanship Warranty?
Warranties are one of the most important aspects of a roofing project for a customer. Warranties ensure that customers gets the most out of their project. Should the product fail, the customer gets free labor and replacement covered. This is what a warranty is to a customer, a promise. Make sure your contractor has warranties that protect you and your home so you are provided with the best possible service.
4. How many Years Have You Been In Business?
It’s hard to say one question is more important than another, but this is yet another very important question to ask your contractor. Years in business generally refer to a contractors experience in the industry. However, there is a difference between combined experience and one persons total experience. Take this statement, for example, “12 years of combined experience”. This statement implies the experience is split between multiple people. One individual could have 3 years of experience, another 5 and another 4. Or this could be 6 people with two years of experience each, combined totaling 12 years experience. However, 2 years of experience per person is not the same as 20 years experience per person. Make sure your contractor has a lengthy amount of experience behind his belt-and his alone. This ensures better quality for your roofing project.
5. Will I Be Able To Contact The Owner Directly?
In any project, there is the possibility of something happening that would make you want to speak with the owner of the company directly. No shenanigans, no passing the buck, you want answers and you want to talk to the big man himself. Whether it be a little problem, or a big one, you should know if the owner will be accessible when it comes to your project. Talk to your contractor and make sure you will be able to reach the owner should you have a problem you’d like to take up with him.
6. How Will My Property Be Protected?
Another great question to ask your roofer is how they plan to protect your property during your project. Make sure you are available to talk to your roofer because you will need to help with this part. You may need to instruct the crew on where to place martials, and specify any fragile places of your home. This is a good conversation to have with your contractor before your project starts or before you sign with them to ensure you are on the same page with your expectations.
7. Are You Certified By Your Shingle Manufacturer?
Becoming certified by your shingle manufacturer requires advanced training that takes anywhere from months to years to complete. Ensuring your contractor is certified means your are getting someone who knows their products very well. They will know how it’s installed, they will know about it’s warranties and they have dedicated lots of time and effort into learning how to use it. Ask your contractor if they are certified by their shingle manufacturer. In addition to verbal confirmation, it should also be easily found on their website.
8. Who Do I Talk To For Regular Updates & Questions?
Don’t get left in the dark when it comes to your home. Make sure to have a clear line of communication established between you and your project manager so you are always up to date on what’s going on. You should always be informed of important happenings in your project. There is no shame is asking your potential contractor who you will be able to contact for your important questions BEFORE you sign with them.
9. How Will My Project Process Look From Start To Finish?
Before signing with any contractor, you should ask them how their project pipeline works. Take time to ensure you are on the same page. Should you disagree with the process explained to you, express that clearly to your contractor. Order of business varies contractor to contractor. Because of this, there is a chance you may not like the way your contractor will handle your project. Address this question from the beginning to know if you’re a good fit for each other or not.
10. How Do You Troubleshoot?
This is yet another, really good question to ask your potential contractor. What happens if problems arise? How will the problems be handled? What can I expect from you? It’s never fun to run into unexpected complications during a project, but it happens more often than not. Regardless, your contractor should be able to handle problems in a professional and ethical way. Whether it be a delay in your project start date, a delay in material pickup, or a problem with your roof itself. You need to be confident in your contractors ability to handle all sorts of hiccups. So don’t be afraid to ask your roofer how he intends to handle these types of things.
Other Questions To Ask
To conclude, there are many different questions to ask your roofing contractor, these are just a few we find most important for this article.
Check Out Your Local Roofing Contractor In Sheboygan, Wisconsin– Gellings Roofing & Siding
Here at Gellings Roofing, we can answer all of these questions for you, and we even have articles written on all of these topics so you can learn all about us before working with us. Gellings Roofing is Sheboygan local, insured, and certified! Read some more about us to find out how long we have been in business and what we are about! You can also check us out on youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzXH_owA5Tf1pPmjMT6tUpw.