If the roof is leaking due to missing, cracked or warped shingles or due to old, worn out materials, then it is a high time that you considered a roof replacement. Such an upgrade does not come cheap unless you own an Amazon tiny home, and thus the need to hire the right residential roofing contractors who provide services and products that are value for money. For that, you should arm yourself with the following questions to ask the roofers before hiring them.
- Are You Licensed?
Roofers are required, as per state laws, to be licensed; however, the rules and requirements pertaining to the licensure differ from state to state. A code requirement in Vegas may vary from what is required in Utah. In short, you should research the set licensure code in your location or state and only hire roofing contractors that have met the established requirements. Also, ensure that the license is valid and up to date.
- Do You Have Workman’s Compensation Insurance?
The roofer should have the said insurance cover, which is a legal requirement. Nevertheless, not all roofing contractors adhered to this law mostly because insurance is not cheap. As such, most roofing companies will opt to take their chances, but that also means that those chances are taken on your home making you liable for any injuries an employee of roofing company suffers when working. So, professional and reputable roofing contractors will have the workman’s compensation insurance for the employees and will have no qualms showing proof of the cover.
- Do You Carry General Liability Insurance?
Once the workman’s compensation insurance check out, the other to inquire about is the liability insurance. It is meant to cover your property for any unexpected damages that may behalf your home due to the actions of the roofers when replacing your roof. The roofing company should carry the liability of any damages, and this is only by having such an insurance cover. Again, ask for proof rather than taking the contractor’s word for it; ask to be shown a valid liability insurance certificate that also states your name and address.
- Will You Completely Remove My Old Roof?
Structural inspections are necessary when repairing or replacing a roof. Some roofing contractors may claim to save time and money through such process but doing a simple structural skimming on the basis of having seen many issues over many years in the industry. But, the best inspection is one that takes a visual and physical approach; the roofer will have to get hands-on checking every inch of the support structures to ascertain the need to remove the entire roof or a section of it as well as to confirm that the new roof can be held up in place.
- Are You Going To Install Drip Edge With The New Roof?
The drip edge is metallic, most made of aluminum, and is placed under the area where the shingles stretch off the roof. The drip edge extends beyond the roof to allow a smooth flow or runoff into the gutters preventing it from flow behind the gutters thereby preventing water damage. The unscrupulous roofers will take advantage of the less informed clients and opt not to install the edge metals in a bid to cut costs. So, ask if the drip edge will be installed before handing the job to the roofing contractors. It will also show them that you know a thing or two about roof replacements.
- Do You Bring A Container For Refuse Material?
Tiring down the old roof means having to deal with a lot of refuse materials and these should have a designated area where they can be placed once the roof comes down. The roofers should have a container for the refuse and bring it to the job site. They can opt to empty it later to create room for other refuse materials when installing the new roof, that is if the container is not big enough. Otherwise, most roofers work with large containers that they will deal with once they complete the job.
- What Will You Do In The Case Terrible Weather During The Job?
Every roofer dreads the days when the prettiest of days turn in a windy and rainy day. But since they understand the possibility of dramatic climate change, they always have precautionary measures in place to protect the interior or a home from the adverse weather.
Nonetheless, it is wise to inquire with Armor Services – Cincinnati Ohio about such measures and get confirmation on the plans in place, such as a sturdy tarp or plastic sheeting that stretches overhead to ensure everything beneath it is shielded from the storm. Also, make sure that the roofers confirm that they will send someone to inspect the cover and ensure it is secure and doing is job over the period of the adverse weather.
- Do You Have A Local Phone Number And Address?
Before you hire the roofing company, visit their business premises for consultations and then accompany them to your property for them to do a site evaluation and determine to the scope of the job at hand. Sometimes an expert may be confident that they have done the job to perfection but may have missed a tiny detail that leads to complications. Call the same roofing specialists to come to rectify their mistakes is the safest bet.
- How Will You Protect My Landscaping During This Project?
Do not let the need to have a new roof over your head make you forget about the rest of your property. You have spent thousands of dollars over the years planting flowers, shrubs, and trees, changing the topography of the grounds in a bid to give your greenspace a personalized look. So why let all that go down the drain when having a new roof installed! Ask the roofing contractors of the measure they will take to protect your landscaping. For instance, how will they bring down the old roof securely and where will they place the refuse materials? Where will they station the new roofing materials? What will they do to fix any damages to the landscaping?
- Do You Provide A Written Estimate?
Agreeing to a contract without getting a detailed estimate for the work can lead to issues later on during the job. So, ask the roofers for accurate estimates of the costs of the work, from the removal of the old roof to the installation of the new one and every other thing involved in the roofing replacement process. It will help you have a definitive projection of the financial setback you will have from the roofing upgrade and also keep the roofers from shooting up the costs.
- What Is The Warranty On My New Roof?
Do not settle for having the roof replacement job started before you are guaranteed a warranty for the new installation. The tenure of the warranty will vary depending on the type of roof and roofing materials used. Nevertheless, you should expect to get a warranty not less than 25 years for the new roof.
