10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Roofing Contractor

A new roof for your home is probably one of the largest investments you will make. So it’s important to ask a few questions to make sure you get the most for your money with a job well done. Here is a list of some important questions to ask before hiring a roofing contractor in Texas.

Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Roofing Contractor in Texas

1. Are You a Licensed Roofing Contractor

Most states require that roofing contractors must be licensed. However, the requirements are different from state to state. Texas does not require licensing for roofing contractors. But, we cannot stress enough that you hire a licensed roofing company. Why? Your roof’s integrity is critical to protecting your property. You would not want just anyone to repair and/or replace it.

You want an experienced, licensed and insured company to work on your roof. Unfortunately, anyone in Texas can call themselves a roofing contractor, without actually being licensed, insured or even registered with the state. It is important to vet your roofing contractor. Working with a licensed contractor gives you a course of action in the event that things go wrong with your roofing project. Check with your local licensing agent and make sure everything is legitimate and up-to-date.

2. Can You Provide Proof of Workers’ Compensation and Liability Insurance?

Should an unfortunate situation occur during the roofing project, liability insurance coverage will cover your actual property and home. For example, your contractor may weld a component to your roof and your house catches on fire. Or, perhaps, an employee is injured while working on your property. If someone (worst case) fell off of a steep roof, the homeowner is responsible unless the contractor has workers’ compensation liability insurance. If the contractor has insurance, then the contractor’s insurance will cover any medical or property damage bills. Without these coverages, you could find yourself liable for these costs, because your home insurance policy may not cover damages.

3. Do You Provide a Written Estimate for a Roofing Project?

Before you sign any contracts, no matter how well written, you will want a written estimate first. This estimate should be itemized in detail. This should cover the removal of your existing roof, labor and material costs, and anything that may add to the costs of the original estimate. In addition, it should provide important information about the approximated project timeline and a full description of the work. You can learn more about what a roof estimate should include here.

4. How Will You Protect My Yard and Landscape During the Project?

The process of repairing or replacing a roof is messy. You do not want extra costs added to your roofing project budget for repairs to your lawn and landscaping. Have a discussion with your contractor about potential problem areas. This should include where the team will place equipment, patterns of traffic and more.

For example, at Elevated Roofing, our team makes sure the area that we have been working in is completely cleaned up at the end of every workday. Once a roof project is complete, we survey the perimeter with high-powered magnets to pick up nails and any other roof-related metal objects that we may have missed.

5. How Will You Protect My Home From Damage?

In addition to your yard and landscape, without the proper equipment, your gutters, and surrounding areas of your home are prone to damage from ladders. Be sure to ask what precautions your contractor will take to protect your home during the project.

6. Do You Provide a Waste Container? Where Will You Place It?

Material waste is part of any repair or replacement project. What should be important here are these two questions:

• Who will pay for the container?
• Where will the container be placed?

Many homeowners face expensive repairs once the roofing job is complete. These repairs may be for driveways and other areas of your home due to the intense weight of a waste container.

7. What Kind of Roof Warranty Do You Provide?

In general, warranties for materials are for 25 years or more, regardless of the type of shingles you use. Make sure your contractor is clear about coverages, and ask for a copy of the warranty in writing.

8. What Kind of Workmanship Warranty Do You Offer?

Roof warranties are in place to protect your investment. Similarly to having a warranty for materials, there will also be a warranty on the roofing contractor’s workmanship. These workmanship warranties vary by length, so you should ask your contractor what the company offers. For example, Elevated Roofing provides a second-to-none workmanship warranty of five years.

We can also offer additional exclusive GAF warranties that other contractors cannot offer. For example, we can provide GAF Silver Pledge™ and Golden Pledge® warranties, which are 10-year and 25-year no leak warranties. This means that any repair would be covered 100 percent by the manufacturer no matter who you choose to do the repair.

9. How Long Have You Been in Business and Are You Local?

A company with a short history is not necessarily a bad thing. Everyone has to start from somewhere. However, it is important to look into younger companies further to make sure you are going to get quality service and superior workmanship.

In addition, you want to make sure that the company you use is local to your home. Why? You want to ensure that the company you choose is nearby to take care of your roof. Many roofing contractors storm chase and then leave the area afterwards. At Elevated Roofing, we have been around for more than 20 years, and we are not going anywhere. We are local to Frisco and the North Dallas community, and we will be here for the long-run to stand by our workmanship.

10. Can You Provide Me With References?

When choosing a roofing contractor, you want to ensure that past customers have been satisfied with the work. Ask the company for the contact information for its last three roofing projects as references. Checking out a company’s online reviews and talking with recent clients can give you a great indication of what to expect from your potential roofing contractor.

Contact Elevated Roofing Today to Discuss Your Roofing Project

Elevated Roofing provides the assistance you need to repair roofing problems quickly and easily or provide you with a full roof replacement. We are happy to answer any questions you may have about hiring us as your roofing contractor. If you are looking for a local, licensed and insured roofing company in your area, take a look at our website to learn more about the residential and commercial roofing services that we offer. You can also call us at (469) 305-0010 today to schedule a free roof assessment with a photo inspection report.