When the time comes to replace your roof, you’ll need to make a number of important decisions. However, there may not be a more important decision than which roofing contractor you use. Choosing a good contractor is so important—a good contractor will make sure the job is done right, that your roof is built from quality materials, and that the crew completing the job will be friendly, respectful to your home, and provide you with the best overall experience.
Unfortunately, there are those contractors out there who aren’t so good, and don’t have your best interests in mind as the customer. These companies and people are simply in business to make money, and they could often care less about the results of their work so long as they get paid. Obviously, this means you’re more than likely not going to get the service you want from them, and could wind up with more headaches down the line.
So how can you prevent this from happening? By making sure that you hire a good roofing contractor. And it’s easier to do than you might think. Here are three different ways you can tell if the roofing contractor you’re considering is worth your time.
Any good roofing contractor is going to have a long history of satisfied customers, and those who can attest to their skill and ability. Any good roofing contractor will not only be licensed, bonded, and insured, but be more than willing to provide you with a list of references from previous customers who can speak on their behalf.
You can also check other resources for information as well. The Better Business Bureau is a great place to start your search, and they make gathering information about a company simple and boil it down to a simple letter grade. Online reviews posted by previous customers are a great way to get a sense of a company’s reputation. Look at the customer’s comments and of equal importance, the company’s response. All that said, the best resources are your trusted family, friends and colleagues. What roofer have they used?
Do you know if your contractor has their roots in the local community? If they have a physical address that they use as their main office and supply house, then they have somewhere to return to, and somewhere you can find them in the event something goes wrong. Unfortunately, we’ve heard horror stories of things going wrong and people suddenly having their contractors vanish on them without a trace, taking their money and leaving the job incomplete. How do they do this? Simple—they don’t have a physical address, which means tracking them down can be nearly impossible.
However, if a company you’re considering has a physical address, you’ll know right where to go in order to hold them accountable for the work they’ve done (or not yet done, for that matter). Don’t be afraid to ask your roofing contractor for their business address—if it’s local and legitimate, then you can have more confidence in them. If they don’t have an address, or if their address is a PO Box, then we would strongly advise seeking a different contractor.
There’s no shame in shopping around and finding the best price on the market. Especially when it comes to your roof. This is a huge investment, so if you can save money on it, why wouldn’t you? That being said, saving too much is more than likely a sign that you may not be making the best decision. One of the ways that inexperienced or less-reliable contractors who don’t have the same history of satisfied customers are able to still book jobs is by doing it on the cheap. Money talks, and customers everywhere are more than likely thrilled to jump at the idea of saving several thousand dollars on what’s already an extremely expensive service.
However, here’s a bit of advice—if a contractor is saying they can do the same job for thousands less than all of the rest, there’s a good chance they’re cutting corners or shaving costs elsewhere. The materials they use will probably be cheaper, their tools won’t be as reliable, and their crew may not be licensed or insured, which means you’re taking a lot of risk by letting them work on your home. As the old saying goes, if the price is too good to be true, then there’s a good chance it probably is, and that absolutely holds true in home services.
If you need a skilled roofing contractor who can help you with your roof replacement, call Lyons Roofing at (520) 447-2522 today to request a service estimate!