Fountain Hills Roof Replacement

Someday You'll Need Roof Replacement

If you need your roof replaced and you don’t know who to contact to do the job, your friends and acquaintances will probably at least tell you who not to get a quote from because everyone has at least one horror story to tell about a roofing job gone bad..

When hiring a roof replacement contractor, finding a company online that has great reviews can help a lot in narrowing down your search.

There are a lot of inexperienced contractors, giving themselves the label “professional roofer.” Some rip people off on purpose, using bad materials and high-pressure sales pitches. Others do shoddy work because they don’t have the experience and necessary skillset or they just cut corners to increase their profits. The issue is, most property owners don’t know when a roofer is cutting corners or using poor installation methods. But, if you’re ready with the correct questions to ask and you make yourself familiar with the points below that we’re describing, you should be able to disqualify the “scammers” from the jump. You’ll save yourself a lot of money, headaches and wasted time because you’ll have the knowledge you need to help find a reputable, experienced roofing contractor.

What You Need to Know Before Getting a Quote

• Don’t Shingle Over Existing Shingles – Don’t hire any roofing contractor that recommends shingling over existing shingles. If they recommend this, they aren’t interested in doing a good job. You can never know the integrity of the decking under the shingles without completely “ripping off the roof” – even if  you can see the underside of the decking from the attic. It puts stress on your roof because of the added weight and there are too many potential issues that could be hidden under the old shingles. Don’t be swayed by saving a few dollars upfront because it will cost you more in the future when you have problems.
• Know if You Need New Decking – A good roofing contractor will want to strip the roof down to its decking to make sure there aren’t any hidden issues. The price you’ve been quoted for the job could change after the roof is stripped down to the decking. Once the condition of the decking is checked, your roofing company will could proceed in several ways – If the decking is still good, it can be re-shingled. If damage is slight, it can usually be repaired. If the decking is shot, it will probably have to be replaced. This could be the only way to ensure your new shingles stay nailed down. Nailing down into soft, rotten, wood is a recipe for disaster later.
• Know How Much Your Materials Will Cost – Once the roof work is started and the roof is exposed, if prices haven’t been agreed upon and put down in writing, your roofer will be in control…and you could be shacked when they tell you it’s going to be an extra $2,000 to finish the project. When your roof is open and exposed to the elements…that’s a bad position to negotiate from. In the roofing industry, the customer’s cost for the plywood is usually included in the cost of installation. It’s in the customer’s best interest to negotiate that price before agreeing to the job, otherwise you’re at the mercy of the roofing contractor. You could ask the contractor up-front, “what’s the best price you can give me on new plywood, if I end up needing to replace the decking?” The more you need, the lower the expense should be.
• Know Your Warranties – It’s important to know what brand of shingles will be used and what the manufacturer’s warranty is. Going with established brands like GAF, Owens Corning and CertainTeed is a safe bet. If your roof installation contractor is certified by a reputable manufacturer, it’s another indicator that they take their work seriously and will stand behind it.
• Make Sure They Have Proper Insurance – When you meet with a roofing company, ask if they carry proper “roofing liability insurance” . Then ask them if all of their employees are covered with workers’ compensation insurance. Here’s why this is important – liability insurance will cover the homeowner or business owner if the contractor does something that results in damaging your home or property. Workers’ compensation insurance will cover the contractor’s employees if they injure themselves on your property. Without “workers comp” insurance, the property owner could be liable to cover those medical expenses. If you get a yes on both types of insurance, ask the roofing contractor to fax or email you proof of both types of insurance with their estimate. Asking for proof of insurance is standard practice for serious roofing jobs.
• Ask if They Use Subcontractors – Always ask the roofing company if they use their own employees or if they hire subcontractors. One of the ways big roofing contractors are able to take on many roofing jobs at one time is by subbing out work to others. These subcontractors can be smaller companies or individuals hired from pools of roofers with different levels of skill and experience. Quality could suffer because it’s not the priority. Contractors that hire subs usually have shorter waiting lists and better prices, but beware…You really won’t know who is actually working on your roof and you won’t know if they’re properly insured unless you get proof.
• How Much Should Your Deposit Be? – Many roofing companies will require 10% of the total job cost to be paid upon delivery of the materials, which is usually the day the job starts. If a contractor does require a deposit from you to secure a commitment, if you trust them, we recommend no more than 10% down. A request of anything more for a roof replacement could be a red flag for you as the customer. A company without cash flow might not be around in the future. So if you ever have a warranty issue, you wouldn’t have any recourse.

Find a Roof Replacement Contractor You Trust

Mikku and Sons Roofing (623) 465-1068 provides quality roof replacement, roof installation and roof repair services to Fountain Hills and the surrounding Phoenix communities. We’ve been a reputable, quality roofing contractor since 2001. When you need an honest opinion about replacing your roof, give us a call.