Are they licensed?
Having of contractor’s license is one of the pieces of the puzzle required in selecting your roofing company. Having a license means they have posted a bond so that if your roof does not get completed correctly, you can use the bond to pay for the completion of the project. It also means that they have insurance so that if there is a catastrophic failure of the installation or damage to the interior of your home, the insurance can be used to pay for the damages. The licensing bureaus also track whether there have been problems with this licensee, and you should be able to look up any complaints registered with the Oregon Construction Contractor’s Board. You can check out a roofing company’s license here at the Oregon Contractors Board.
Do they have worker’s compensation?
This may seem like an academic question that should be part of the licensing, but it is not. Roofers are working in a hazardous situation. Sole proprietors are not required to carry insurance on themselves, and corporate principles are also not required to be covered under workers’ compensation. Hiring a company that does not have worker’s compensation for their employees can lead to catastrophic consequences for the business and the owner of the property for the work that was occurring. You can check out a company’s license here Oregon Contractors Board.
How long have they been in business?
A roofing company that’s been in business for less than five years is still learning the trade and getting its legs under its feet. Hiring a roofing company like this is a gamble because they learn about your roofing project. Chances are they need clarification and will have to work through it; having the potential of something not being entirely right is more excellent. Plenty of very experienced roofing companies are out there, and it’s best to check them out and go with one that you know will do the job perfectly the first time. What good is a warranty if the company is not there to back it?
Check with the Better Business Bureau
Like the builder’s board, the Better Business Bureau also keeps tabs on how the company treats the public. The records go back for three years, and you can gain a great deal of insight as to how a roofing company is treating its customers. This is a good register; however, fewer and fewer people are using the Better Business Bureau these days. Since fewer people are using the Better Business Bureau, the information regarding complaints needs to be more accurate. It should be used as the only reliable way to check out a company.
Check with Google
A simple search online with the search engine can return vast information regarding how the company deals with its customers. By typing in something like Roofing Company reviews, you can get a great idea of how many people are saying things about a company and what they’re saying. Keep in mind, however, that nine people post a negative remark for every person that posts a positive remark. But you can get a good idea about how the company has handled the situation and what you can expect if you run into a snag on your job.
Ask Your Neighbors
While this may seem like the most reliable means of getting a recommendation, putting complete trust in a roofing company just because they did a roofing job in your neighborhood, the whole trust part usually ends up being the problem. It’s human nature to go with what others have done because it looks like it turned out OK. However, we can only get you an accurate picture of the company’s operation by checking out the items listed below. For example, your neighbor’s job might look good, but has it rained yet? Have there been any problems? Yard signs can be lost leader.
Use Only Authorized Applicators
By comparison, most roofing shingles look about the same. Some are different styles, different shapes, and different colors. But only by using an authorized applicator can you get the manufacturer’s warranty. Comparing one roofing company to another, just because the paperwork states that there is a warranty does not mean that that applicator is authorized to issue the workmanship warranty associated with that roofing shingle or roofing type. This is the entire top of your house, and we’re discussing it. If there’s some sort of issue like the shingle is falling apart or there’s a leak, you don’t want to find out ten years down the road that the installer you hired was never an authorized applicator and that the manufacturer won’t stand behind their warranty due to this fact.
Compare All of the Components of Your Roof System
Naturally, when comparing roofing estimates, one of the concerns is going to be price. And while all the roofing companies want your business, only one will get it. To lower the price and attract your business, a roofing company estimate may change some parts around to make it a little less expensive. Neoprene pipe collars, plastic vents, woven valleys, etc., are all parts of a roof that will last a while, but if you’re buying a lifetime warranty roof, what is the sense of having a party that is going to wear out and five or ten years? How much is it going to cost to replace it, then? Before signing a contract, verify you’re getting all the components necessary to make your roof last a lifetime.
Online Testimonials
Every business in every field has competition, and some of those competitors, while trying to get more business, can stray outside of the lines. Of course, there’s always a typically competitive spirit, but some competitors will be stooping to new lows by posting their testimonials online. Attempting to fool potential customers and the online search engines, to some, will write bogus testimonials about their experiences or work. When looking for roofing companies, check out how many testimonials are written about a company. Getting one or two testimonials a year is problematic because it’s hard to ask someone for a testimonial, let alone get them to do it. But if a company has 65 glowing testimonials and no bad ones, you should consider that there’s more at play than what meets the eye. Maybe the company is paying someone to write articles, or they’re doing it themselves. And while the testimonials may be honest, you should use your judgment and ask the company to call some of those testimonials listed. Then you’ll have your answer.
Craftsmanship
As mentioned earlier, we are discussing tearing off the entire top of your house or building. This is no small task and should not be taken lightly. The potential for an issue to occur on top of your roof where it is exposed to the weather is absolute. The slightest pinhole or mistake can mean tens of thousands of dollars in the cleanup. The weather will constantly be knocking on your roof, the wind trying to rip it off, ice is trying to climb its way through, bugs, birds, raccoons, and squirrels trying to enter your house to get out of the weather, and mold trying to set up shop in your attic. Your roof is exposed to the weather 100% of the time. When interviewing your roofers, please consider how they enter your questions regarding details. If you’re not getting emphasis on quality, the roofing company may not care about quality as much as you do.
