If you’re a commercial property owner or manager, you know that keeping your roof in good condition is crucial to protecting your investment. But finding a qualified roofing contractor to do the work can be a challenge.
When you need a new roof, the process can seem overwhelming. It’s important to understand all of your options and make sure that you hire the right company for the job. There are many things to consider when choosing a commercial roofing contractor — make sure you know what they are to give you peace of mind.
With so many options out there, how do you know who to trust? Keep reading for 5 key tips to help you find a reputable roofing contractor who will do the job right.
1. Contractor Reputation
As you start to search for a roofing contractor, look for companies that are well-known in the community. Check out their websites and see if they have any reviews on the Better Business Bureau site. If you know anyone who has used one of these contractors before and had a good experience, ask them about it.
If you don’t have any recommendations from friends or family, check out reviews from other customers on Google Maps – these can give you some insight into how people feel about a particular company’s customer service and quality of workmanship.
As you learn about different roofing professionals, narrow the pool of roofing companies to choose from by looking at qualifications and years of experience.
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- How is their communication? This can be determined during the consultation process.
- What’s each company’s commitment to quality roofing?
- How are the teams of each prospective company?
- Do they specialize in commercial or residential roofing, or both?
By considering these points, you’ll learn which types of roofing projects each contractor has experience in installing.
2. State Licensure and Insurance
Sure, you want to get along well with your roofing professional, but there’s more to it. Licensing and insurance are two more important factors that can help you determine whether a contractor is qualified for your job.
Licensure Leads to Quality
State licensing is generally a good indicator of quality, but it can also be a red flag if the contractor has been suspended or revoked from the program.
It’s helpful to check if contractors need to register with your local municipality. For example, Youngstown, Ohio mandates roofing contractors have to register with the city, along with being bonded. Across the state, however, Ohio doesn’t have licensing regulations. Requirements are left up to local government and vary.
Is There Insurance?
You’ll want to ask about insurance coverage before hiring a commercial roofing contractor, as they are required by law to have this in place. Insurance helps protect you from liability in case an accident happens on the job site or during installation, so make sure you have all of your bases covered by asking about it, along with worker’s compensation.
Don’t be afraid to ask any of these questions, whether you’re talking with certified roofing contractors or independent roofing contractors. During the consultation process, you’ll also find out some of these as you talk with roof contractors.
3. Warranty to Back up Their Workmanship
Verify that your commercial roofing contractors options offer a strong warranty. Warranties can vary depending on the size of the project, but 20 years is always a good starting point. Make sure that your commercial roofing contractor covers both materials and labor, as well as all weather conditions and types of damage that may occur on your roof throughout its lifetime. The longer the warranty period, the better!
Have the contractors explain how to redeem a warranty. Are roof replacement, lost roof shingles or roof coatings included in the warranty if they are damaged by weather or faulty HVAC system or gutters? Knowing the kinds of roof repair included in a warranty can help you save money in the long run.
Talk about roof inspection, too. How many times throughout the warranty period does roof maintenance need to be verified?
4. Use of Quality Products
While it’s true that some contractors may not have access to the best materials on the market, it’s important that your contractor offers high-quality materials, whether they are roof shingles, a metal roof, or other roofing materials.
Research the types of work contractors offer. Look for manufacturers who make durable and long-lasting materials as well as products with good warranties and environmentally friendly components. It also helps if they use roofing products made in America; this ensures quality control from start to finish.
5. Local References
Before you sign on the dotted line for new roof installation, make sure you talk to at least one or two references from previous customers.
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- Ask for references from previous customers. It could be a red flag if a potential contractor doesn’t have any. The best contractors should be happy to give you names of people they have worked with in the past and can vouch for their quality of workmanship.
- Ask for references from other local businesses (like roofers, painters and electricians). This will help ensure that your commercial roofing contractor is experienced enough to complete your project efficiently and on time without hiccups along the way.
- Ask people who know about roofing but aren’t necessarily familiar with this particular contractor or company yet — and vice versa! This will give you an opportunity to get some impartial information about how reputable the business is among its peers in the industry while also allowing them some insight into whether this particular company is right for your needs as well as theirs if needed (i.e., what kind of roofing system installations do they prefer doing: asphalt shingles or tile roofs?).
Keep in mind that talking with connections outside of your geographical region likely won’t help. You won’t have the same roofing needs in Northeast Ohio as someone in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, or Orlando.
TEMA Can Help With Your Roofing Needs
There are a handful of ways to verify qualified roofing contractors for new or existing commercial projects. If you have questions after reading those suggestions, contact TEMA Roofing Services. We’re a family-owned business in Girard, Ohio. To say we understand Northeast Ohio’s temperamental weather is an understatement.
