Goodyear Roof Replacement

Hiring the Best Roof Replacement Contractor for Your Roof

Hire the right roof replacement contractor for your project to ensure it goes as smooth as possible.
You need to hire an experienced, professional roofing contractor. View some of the new roofing jobs completed in your neighborhood and then check around online and before you know it, you’ll locate the right contractor.

Call and talk to the owners of the companies you pick and to get quotes from. They should get back to you with an estimate after sending their estimator to inspect your roof. Make enough calls that you’ll have, at a minimum, 3 contractors to consider.
The challenge is to choose the best one for your project. How do you do that? By following three main rules for hiring contractors:

Look for professionalism and a long business track record
Surfing a contractor’s website, you’ll want to see signs of professionalism, such as Better Business Bureau affiliation, trade magazine rankings, or maybe industry awards. Also, elite or master certification from a leading manufacturer or two shows a commitment to training and quality. If you really want to avoid surprises, pay close attention to the companies whose work has been officially recognized by the institutions that matter in the construction field.

Check all the references they provide
Go with a well-established company that supports its claims to quality and supplies you with recent and past references. Online testimonials are good, but they’re not as credible as speaking directly to someone thats had experience working directly with a roofing contractor. Positive reports on a site like Angie’s List, Home Advisor or Yelp shouldn’t be ignored – just remember that not every good contractor worthy of consideration has been reviewed online. If possible, go out and personally visit roofing jobs completed by the companies on your short list.

All quotes are not the same
A contractor must inspect the roof being considered before they can submit a credible bid. Expect each company being considered for your business to offer insights on the work that needs to be done, including your best options and the time that will be needed. If you interview a contractor that is not willing to explain their quote in as much depth and detail as you need, eliminate them and move on to the next prospect.

Next, here are five questions to ask the contractor you choose:

• Is there a roof currently being installed by their crew that will be similar to what they’re doing on your roof? – No matter how smooth the salesperson is, it’s the work of the crew that matters. This gives you a chance to evaluate their workmanship and how they set up and maintain a job site. It probably means the company rep is going to assign you one of their better crews, because they are the ones that are going to best sell you on hiring their company.
• What exactly will they be replacing? – If you have a couple layers or more of existing roofing, building codes will probably require require you to tear them off before installing your new roof. This will add to the mess and expense, no matter who you hire to do the job. Some roofers might try to cut corners by not replacing the flashing. Unless it’s a thick material with a lot more life in it, now is the best time to replace it. The contract should be specific about what material they are going to be using. Also, the roofing contractor, if you have a tile roof, should specify what exactly is going to be done about the underlayment, and if being replaced, exactly what type of materials will be used to replace it.
• How will you the job site be left at the end of each day? – The best practice is when the roofer removes only as much as they can re-roof that same day, which reduces the chance that your property is left open to the elements until the next day. At the end of the day, the crew members should tarp any open roof areas and clean up any stripped shingle – including running a large magnet over the lawn and landscaping to make sure they pick up stray nails before leaving the job site. It would be a good idea to make sure these procedures are written into the contract.
• Will their insurance company provide confirmation of their workman’s compensation and liability coverages? – It’s not enough for the roofing contractor to just tell you that they have the proper insurance, or even to just show you a form letter. You need to get a document from their insurance company, addressed to you, and there’s nothing at all offensive about asking for one. In fact, its a big red flag if the contractor seems offended or hesitates to provide you this info if you ask. After all, if one of the crew members falls off the roof and they aren’t properly insured, the injured crew member could sue you for medical costs and lost wages because they won’t be covered by the employer.
• What sort of workmanship warranty do you provide? – Manufacturer warranties usually do not include labor because that’s up to the individual contractor. One or two years should be standard, and having it in writing, even as a simple clause in the contract, is obviously preferable.

Sometimes Your Roof Just Needs to be Replaced

To get all your questions answered and have a free consultation and estimate from one of the Phoenix area’s top roofing contractors, give Mikku and Sons Roofing and Repair a call at (623) 465-1068.