How To Select A Contractor

Selecting a Professional Roofing Contractor 

If you are a homeowner ready to re-roof, follow these steps and guidelines to save yourself time and money and assure the installation of a quality, durable and appealing new roofing system. 

 

First, put together a short list of contractors to seek bids from. 

Referrals from friends and neighbors are the best place to start.  Next try referrals from local distributors of roofing materials like Beacon, companies that are in business to sell to professional contractors as opposed to from large home centers or retail chains. 

 

Then, interview two or three contractors when you are ready to proceed. 

Tell each of them you are only talking to a few qualified contractors and planning on proceeding with your project within a future timeframe imminent enough to warrant their immediate attention.  Get them to discuss your needs and recommend solutions and products and discuss their experience with those products—good and bad.  Discuss application techniques and workmanship guarantees. Does the contractor stand behind his work?  Discuss any structural repairs or improvements that could or should be part of the project, such as installation of a roof vent or replacing deteriorated roof decking. 

 

If you are comfortable with the first meeting, invite them to submit a proposal for your reroofing project. 

 

Follow these steps to check out each contractor and consider the specifics of each proposal.

1. What is their permanent place of business, telephone number, and tax identification number?
2. Have they complied with all state licensing requirements, which differ from state to state?  Check with your state’s board of professional regulation/certification.
3. Have they included proof of insurance in their proposal?  This proof is typically liability coverage and workers' compensation certificates. Will the coverages be in effect through the projected completion date of your project?  (You may be liable for accidents that occur on your property, if your contractor is not properly insured.)
4. Be sure the written proposal is detailed, and includes descriptions of the work and specifications, including start and end dates and payment procedures.
5. Get list of former homeowner clients (6-10) and call some to find out how satisfied they were with the contractor’s work.
6. Is the contractor financially stable? Any referral from a Beacon local branch would be an indication of their professionalism and creditworthiness.
7. From which roofing system manufacturers does your roofing contractor have licensed or approved applicator status? Good roofing systems require application expertise to assure long-lasting quality and durability.
8. Is the contractor is a member of any professional associations, such as NRCA (National Roofing Contractors Association), or your state or regional roofing contractor association or NAHB (National Association of Home Builders).
9. Call your local Better Business Bureau to check for any complaints filed against the roofer.
10. Scrutinize any roofing warranty attached to the proposal for provisions that would void it.
11. Ask the contractor about the crew that will be working on your roof and what type of safety training they have received.
12. Be extra careful with any lowball bids. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Some contractors can be uninsured, have low-paid, inexperienced crews or simply be trying to scam you out of your deposit money.