You wouldn’t allow just anyone to operate on you or a family member, right? Of course not, you would ensure that the doctor was properly licensed Residential Roofing to practice medicine and that he or she was qualified to perform the procedure. The same can be said about your roof. If you take the time to choose a qualified roofer, one who is bonded and insured, you can eliminate the headaches and problems that are associated with choosing just a guy with a truck and a ladder to handle your roofing needs.
There are many fly-by-night ‘roofers’ out there who will promise you the moon and come in with cheap estimates for the work needed. But do they really know what they are doing? What happens should one of them get hurt while on your property? Can you sue them if they do a shoddy job? If you choose a roofer that is not properly insured, bonded and licensed then any problems that occur will come straight to you. The ‘roofer’ can in fact sue you should he fall while on your property and because they are not licensed, who are you going to call if they take off, leaving the job half-finished or don’t bother to show up at all?
Like with most things, finding out about a contractor before they start any work on your home is the key. Look for clearly written proposals, ones that are detailed and thorough, and ones that are easy to understand and straightforward. Ask for the roofer’s credentials and to see his license. Being properly licensed means that tests have been passed to ensure the company knows the local construction codes and laws, knows how to safely work on a roof and knows which tools and techniques to use. Make sure they are insured, if they are it means that should a worker get hurt on your property, he will go through the company’s insurance and not to your door demanding compensation. And lastly, ask around. See if your neighbours or friends would recommend a particular roofer and ask why.
Keeping everything above board and legal is what professional roofers do on a daily basis. If you think a proposal is too good to be true, it probably is, and if a proposal is misleading or confusing, don’t sign it.
Roofers know their job, how to do it properly and safely and know the laws about licensing in your city. Anyone with a ladder can say that they’re a roofer, but it’s better to be safe than sorry and really find out the deal, before anything is signed.