How to Assess the Best Roof Repair Contractor

You’ve decided to have roof repair work done, but now how do you determine the best contractor to hire to do it? Hiring the wrong contractor can lead to a nightmare of delays, dissatisfaction and added expense. Fortunately there are effective ways to screen contractors to weed out the high risk contractors and single out the best and most reliable ones. Here are some tips on how to assess a roof repair contractor before you hire them:

1. Take Your Time

Unless you are facing some sort of crisis regarding your roof, there is seldom reason to rush to hire someone to do the work. If a potential contractor appears to be pushing you to choose them, that can be a serious warning sign. True professionals are glad to give you all the information and all the time you need to make a decision.

2. Attitude Matters

A good roof repair contractor is genuinely interested in your problems and will seem enthusiastic about doing the work. Does the contractor appear to take pride in their work and are they forthcoming with information, references and explanations about the job? Gauging a contractors attitude towards their work is a pretty reliable guide to how well the job will get done if you hire them. Uninspired workers do uninspiring work!

3. Experience Matters

Someone who has already done work similar to what you want done is bound to be a better risk then someone who is doing it for the first time. Ask how old the company is, since a contractor that has been in business for a while must have had at least some satisfied customers. Remember, you goal is to have professional work done, not provide practice for amateurs!

4. Licensing and Bonding

In many states contractors are required to have special licenses to do roofing work so ask whether they have them. Also find out the company that bonds the contractor. If a contractor is not complying with all the regulations then what other short cuts will they take while doing your job? Plus if complications arise you may be held responsible for hiring a not fully legal contractor.

5. Check Insurance Coverage

Every reputable roof repair contractor carries worker’s compensation and general liability insurance. You need to know the name and address of the contractor’s insurance company and should be shown a copy of their insurance company certificate. Sometimes unscrupulous contractors don’t carry insurance and then use the savings to lower the costs of their work. However those savings can be lost plus much more if something goes wrong, and then it will definitely not be worth it.

6. Get References

What your roof repair contractor has done in the past is a pretty good indicator of how you will be treated in the future. Get the names and phone numbers of some of their previous customers so you can call and ask about their work. An inability or hesitancy to provide such references is a major red flag that something is wrong.