When it comes to choosing a residential roofing contractor, it’s important to select an experienced contractor who will give your roof the detail quality it needs to keep your family and personal belongings safe from the outside elements. When selecting a roofing contractor for your roof replacement project, you must seek out contractors with the proper licensing, insurance and great business reputation in your area. The following steps will assist you in choosing the best roofing contractor for your home:
Steps:
- Verify that the roofing contractor you hire has the required applicable business licenses for your state or local area. If you are unsure of the business licenses required for roofing contractors in your area you can contact the State of Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation at www.dllr.state.md.us Maryland Home Improvement Commission Division.
- Verify that the roofing contractor or business is legitimate by asking for their tax identification number, a business address, business website and contact phone numbers.
- Ask the roofing contractor to provide you with proof of insurance, including Worker’s Compensation and General Liability coverage. The State of Maryland (MHIC) requires minimum $500,000 General Liability coverage; however you may want to hire a roofing contractor with higher coverages.
- Ask the roofing contractor for a list of references and past clients you can contact to find out if they were satisfied with their roofing replacement project. You can also research the roofing contractor’s reputation by contacting the Maryland Home Improvement Commission at (410) 767-2830, contacting your local BBB at www.greatermd.bbb.org An alternative way you can research the roofing contractors reputation is by contacting Angie’s List at www.Angieslist.com
- Ask your roofing contractor for proof that shows they have been approved or certified by the roofing manufacture to install the products you have decided to use. The roofing contractor should have certification such as GAF Certified Roofing Contractor or CertainTeed Shingle Master.
- Ask the roofing contractor how many people will be working on the roofing project, who will be supervising the project, and how long will the project take to complete.
- Read the warranty information for your project in full and check for understanding with the roofing contractor regarding any actions or expectations that may possibly void the manufacture warranty. Manufactures of roofing materials such as GAF or CertainTeed have upgraded warranties that can be offered to the homeowners; only if the roofing contractor is certified by the manufacture to install the products.
- Obtain a contract or detailed proposal in writing from the contractor that will provide detailed information regarding the project. Information to ask for should include the length of the project, daily start / end times, materials to be installed, safety procedures, the amount of payment / payment schedule and clean-up methods.
- Research and obtain the services, fees and warranties provided by a few different roofing contractors before selecting / hiring. Do not hire contractors based solely on the lowest pricing bids because they may not provide the same value as contractors with slightly higher pricing and credentials.