What to Look for in a Roofing Contractor

When selecting a roofing contractor in Minnesota, you should be very careful with your choices because not all roofers are made equal. If you employ an experienced and reputable roofing contractor, who offers the best price, workmanship and reliability, potential problems or disputes will be drastically reduced. Here is what you should look for in a roofing contractor.

The cost

If you are looking for a contractor for your roof, you should not always take the lowest bid. This is because a low bid could be an indicator of sub standard work or poor quality materials. However, there are instances where a contractor offers a low bid because they are privileged to get high quality materials at a lower cost. In case you are in doubt, you should ask how the contractor arrived at the bid.

Length of time in business

Roofing contractors who have been around for several years are most likely to be available whenever you require them. This is more so when you have a warranty that requires someone to be around to honor it. Also, those who have been in business for many years have some level of expertise and problem solving skills which their counterparts don't have. This can be of tremendous benefit whenever you hire them for your roofing project.

Insurance and licensing

You have to ascertain whether the roofing company has a valid insurance and license. In Minnesota and most parts of the United States, it is illegal for roofing services providers to work without the requisite license. This is a safeguard for contractors as it ensures that they are protected against service providers who don't hold the requisite experience in the building industry. A roofer without adequate workers compensation and liability insurance can leave you exposed to all sorts of financial risks-from personal injury to property damage claims.

References

A roofing contractor of repute will not find it hard providing you with a list of their past customers. However, you have to be aware that a contractor will most likely to provide you with a list of satisfied customers because it isn't in their bets interest to provide a list of their unhappy customers. Use the list of references that you have been given to ascertain the ability of the roofer to provide you with the quality of service that you want on time and within budget.

Contact the Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau is where you get most of the unhappy customers if indeed there are some. However, you have to comprehend that a company that deals with many customers will most likely have some complaints leveled against them. What you should find out is how these complaints were handled.

Good communication skills

Inadequate or complete lack of communication is one of the reasons for disputes between roofers and their customers. It's of paramount importance that you hire a roofing contracting company that you can talk about concerning the project, answer your questions and let you know of what to expect. Poor communication may lead to unfinished roofing job that you will not be happy about and may bring about surprises in your final bill.

Guarantees/warranties

It is quite beneficial working with a roofer that offers warranty on your project. In most instances, the manufacturer of the roofing materials will offer a product warranty, but this doesn't always cover the installation work. You have to get a written warranty so that if a problem arises, the contractor can take care of this problem.

Cleaning of the job site

The crew of the roofing company should clean up the job site after they are done with their work. Find out if cleaning up the site is covered in the cost of the contract or you have to part with some more cash. There are contractors who clean up the mess everyday while others will leave it dirty until when they complete the roofing project, therefore making it potential hazard.

A written contract

While the old fashioned-handshake is expected from a courteous contractor, it's of essence that you have every agreement in writing. This should include the project scope, the materials that are to be used, the date of commencement of the project and date of completion. The itemized cost of all these should be listed. This will help to reduce disputes or disagreements in the end.