7 Tips to Choose the Best Roofing Contractor
A roofing contractor is any individual who specializes in the construction of roofs. These contractors have the ability to install, repair, and replace roofing of all different materials, which means that you can contact them if all you require is the repair of a few damaged shingles.
Replacing a current roof is always going to be a large investment. Even though this investment can significantly increase the value of your home or business, it’s important that you contact a reputable roofing contractor to get the most out of your money.
A poor job can lead to the development of leaks in the roofing as well as the need for costly repair work. To avoid future issues with your roof, it’s recommended that you do your research before selecting a roofing contractor, which should help you choose the best contractor for the job.
This article will go into more detail about some of the things that you can do to narrow your search and find the best roofing contractor around.
Choosing the Best Roofing Contractor Summary
| Tip #1: Double Check Licensing and Insurance |
| Tip #2: Get Local Referrals |
| Tip #3: Research Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings |
| Tip #4: Get Financing Agreements in Writing |
| Tip #5: Look at Past Work |
| Tip #6: Price Isn’t Everything |
| Tip #7: Be Concerned About Safety |
1. Double Check Licensing and Insurance
Roofing is among the more dangerous construction jobs, which is why you never want to hire a roofing contractor that hasn’t received the proper licensing and insurance. You need to be confident that the contractor you hire has all of the necessary safety equipment, materials, and tools to adequately perform the task at hand. You can separate the reputable roofing contractors from the disreputable ones by asking them if they have the right licensing and insurance for the job.
The best roofing contractors will have insurance that provides coverage to all employees who work at the company. Before you even consider hiring a roofing contractor, it’s important that they’re able to provide proof of their insurance. In order for a roofing contractor to operate in California, they need to hold the C-39 roofing license. If the contractor you have in mind for the job won’t verify that they have this license, you should consider another.
2. Get Local Referrals
Another important factor to consider when attempting to choose the best roofing contractor is that you should get local contractors. Make sure that you ask your friends and neighbors about the roofing contractors that they’ve done business with in the past. If you choose a contractor that is based out of your own community, there’s much less of a chance that you will be scammed or that there will be issues with the work that you receive.
Local contractors should also be more familiar with local code regulations and rules, which should allow them to avoid any problems during construction. In many cases, local contractors will also have relationships with nearby suppliers and crews, which could keep costs low.
3. Research Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings
To find the best roofing contractors in your area, you should research company ratings at the Better Business Bureau. The Better Business Bureau focuses on the overall trustworthiness of businesses while also reporting any frauds or scams pertaining to the company in question. Nearly all of the most reputable and trustworthy roofing contractors will have high BBB ratings.
If you go to the Better Business Bureau website and can’t find any information on a contractor that you’re interested in hiring, this is a sign that the contractor may not be reputable. On the other hand, you can trust contractors that have a good rating on the website.
4. Get Financing Agreements in Writing
When you hire a roofing contractor, it’s very important that you get any financing agreements in writing before going forward with the project. In general, it’s important that every facet of the job and what it calls for is written down before you hire the contractor in question. If you’re financing the roof, the details of the financing agreement will be highly important. There’s always a possibility that the interest rates for the financing plan are far higher than you anticipate or that the terms aren’t justifiable in some way. Going over the written financing agreement should allow you to spot any problems with the deal before you sign the contract.
If you don’t understand some aspect of the documentation, the roofing contractor should have someone on hand who will provide you with assistance in understanding the paperwork. Financing for a roof can be structured in a variety of different ways, the primary of which include short-term financing with higher payments and long-term financing with lower payments but higher interest rates. The financing documentation should be relatively straightforward and mainly include a loan agreement with the terms of the loan. Make sure that you fully understand the length of the financing, the interest rate, and your monthly payment before you sign one of these agreements.
5. Look at Past Work
Likely the most important thing to consider when trying to find the best roofing contractor is their past work. Reputation is everything when it comes to choosing a roofing contractor, which is why it’s recommended that you only select a contractor with a sterling reputation. There are a variety of ways that you can find out about the past work of the contractors you’re considering. While it’s possible to ask your friends and family members for recommendations, a better way to find out about past work is to look online for customer reviews.
Whether you look at Google reviews or Yelp company profiles, there are numerous websites you can go to if you want to see reviews for the contractor you wish to hire. These reviews are unbiased and can help you learn everything you want to know about the contractor and the work that they’ve done. You can also ask the company if they have a small list of past customers you can contact directly to inquire about their work. Keep in mind that even the best of roofing contractors will have a negative review here or there. If the roofing contractor you’re about to hire only shows you perfect five-star reviews, you should consider other options since they likely aren’t being truthful.
6. Price Isn’t Everything
When searching for the right roofing contractor, many homeowners make the mistake of selecting the contractor that offers the lowest price among all options. However, this is a bad way to make a decision on a roofing contractor since you should never choose based on price. In order to make sure that you’re getting the best deal available, it’s recommended that you seek at least two estimates for the roofing job. While these estimates can serve as a price comparison, it’s still important that you take the reputation of the company into account.
If a roofing contractor with a poor reputation is offering you the lowest prices, there’s a very good reason for this. On the other hand, if a highly reputable contractor provides you with a pricing estimate that’s fair, there’s no reason you should continue seeking estimates. As long as price is only one of many factors that you take into account when choosing a roofing contractor, you should be able to make a good decision.
7. Be Concerned About Safety
Roofing contractors that know what they’re doing will always have the right safety equipment for the job. Before you hire a contractor, you should make sure that they have safety training and understand how to keep the work area safe while the project is ongoing.
You can double-check the information you receive by going to the Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence to identify if the organization has received training. Contractors that take the safety of their employees seriously are more likely to perform the job without making numerous mistakes along the way.
Finding the Best Roofing Contractor for Your Project
There are many great roofing contractors in and around Los Angeles that can provide you with all of the roofing services that you require. Some of the top roofing contractors in the area include The Best West Roofing, Selah Roofing, Shea Roofing, AAA Expert Roofing, and Roof Repair Specialist.
No matter which company you’re thinking about requesting services from, the most important factors to consider when searching for the right roofing contractor for your project include checking licensing and insurance, getting local referrals, researching BBB ratings, looking at past work, and making sure that the contractor has extensive safety training.
It’s important that you look at all of these factors because workmanship of poor quality can lead to you spending much more money on repairs. A roof that has been properly installed should last for at least 15 years, which is why finding the right roofing contractor is essential. The aforementioned factors should make your search much more straightforward.
Jason Somers, President & Founder of Crest Real Estate
With over 15 years of professional experience in the Los Angeles luxury real estate market, Jason Somers has the background, judgement and track record to provide an unparalleled level of real estate services. His widespread knowledge helps clients identify and acquire income producing properties and value-ad development opportunities.
Learn more about Jason Somers or contact us.
