Roofs are vital elements in ensuring your home’s structural integrity. They are also one of the more expensive home maintenance projects that homeowners undertake. When it’s time to replace your roof, finding the right roofing contractor can be the difference between a wonderful customer experience and a nightmare.
The best way to choose a roofing contractor is through a referral from a neighbor, relative or friend.
They can give you honest feedback on whether the price was fair, whether the work was completed in the time stated, whether the crew and the materials were as stated, and if the clean-up was done to their satisfaction. Clean-up of a roofing jobsite is very important as screws, nails and other metal debris lying hidden in the grass can injure people and pets.
Also, many roofing manufacturers have tear-off plastic strips on roof shingles as well as outer packaging materials that can litter the property where the roof is installed. Most roofing contractors will bring a dumpster to the jobsite. If your roofing contractor doesn’t mention a dumpster you may wish to ask how they plan to dispose of all the old shingles, drip moldings, nails, screws, wrappings and other roof debris.
If you don’t have neighbors, friends or relatives that have had a roof done in recent years, check out any testimonials on the websites of potential roofing contractors. If there are no testimonials, ask the roofing contractor for referrals to previous clients and make sure you talk with those past customers.
You can also talk to the folks at your local lumber yard or hardware store and ask if they can provide a referral to a good roofing contractor. Check out online home services websites to find local roofing professionals with reviews from other local homeowners. Also pay attention to the ads that may pop up online as you are searching. A solid roofing company probably has a healthy advertising budget and invests in their business.
If you know what brand of roofing shingle you wish to purchase, you can also go to the manufacturer’s website. Manufacturers like GAF provide a factory-certified designation which verifies that the contractor is licenses (where required), insured and that they have been in business for the years stated.3 Certainteed, another major shingle manufacture, offers their ShingleMaster™ credential.4 Only roofers who have this credential can be listed on their “Locate A Contractor” website.
Check out all online reviews that you can for the roofing contractor you are thinking about hiring. You can usually find reviews on their website and their Google Business Profile. If they have an updated website that provides an good user experience and have an established business profile in Google, it’s a good indicator that they are a reputable contractor. This also includes going to the website of the Better Business Bureau (BBB).5 A BBB accredited business has been screened by the BBB and these accredited companies are held to higher business standards than non-accredited businesses, however, the BBB does have ratings for non-member businesses.
When you call prospective roofing contractors be sure to ask some important questions, including:
How long have you been in business, how many full-time employees do you have, and where is your business office located? Having a local company with a brick and mortar office is important as it establishes credibility that the company will be around to take care of any warranty or other issues. A business that has actual employees, rather than subcontractors, is also more advantageous as it means that the employer is responsible for those employees.
Are you certified by any manufacturers? Not all roofers carry certifications, but the larger manufacturers such as GAF and Certainteed offer programs which ensure that those installing their products are qualified to install their roofs as well as that the roofing company agrees to ethical business practices.
Are you licensed and insured? For a roofing contractor to receive GAF’s factory-certified designation GAF requires the roofer to carry at least $1M in liability insurance, workman’s compensation and state licensing where required. It is good to see evidence that the company has at least $1M in general liability insurance as well as seeing evidence that they have workers compensation insurance, which is required in most states.6 Workers compensation insurance covers the costs if an employee becomes injured or ill due to job-related tasks.
What is the warranty on the shingles and what is the warranty on the work performed by the roofing contractor? Most roofing products come with manufacturer warranties, but this doesn’t include issues due to installation of the roofing products. The roofing contractor generally will offer a workmanship warranty of one year or more.
CertainTeed 5 Star Contractor
Excel Home Improvement in Romulus is an experienced roofing company that provides a lifetime warranty on shingles and a 10 yr warranty of workmanship so that you can feel good about investing in a roof replacement. For all our roofing projects, we use CertainTeed’s Designer Landmark PRO shingles, a brand that can be trusted.
Our clients are our #1 priority, and we cover every detail ensuring complete customer satisfaction with results that will exceed expectations. Our home improvement services go beyond roof installations and repair, we also offer siding installation, gutter installation, and address issues with trims and soffits.
Call and get Free Estimate on any of our home improvement services for your Michigan home!
______________________________________________________________________________________
2 HomeAdvisor
Link: https://www.homeadvisor.com/?gclid=e956b16086fb1b5945d9d5d902444e6c
3 The Right Roof Starts With a Reliable Local Roofer
Link: https://www.gaf.com/en-us/for-homeowners/how-to-find-a-contractor
4 Credential Programs
Link: https://www.certainteed.com/pro-center/education-credentials—shinglemaster/
5 Better Business Bureau
Link: https://www.bbb.org/
6 Roofing Insurance: Cost and Types Contractors Need, Jason Metz, 10/31/2022
Link: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business-insurance/roofing-insurance/