How Do I Find a Good Roofing Contractor?

Finding a good contractor in any field can be a tricky quest. Every person, including contractors, want to find work and make a living—even when they may not be trustworthy or skilled at their job. It’s important to find a contractor that’s reliable, so that you’re not left with a big bill and bad work on your home—or worse, a liability issue.

First, make sure that the contractor you’re considering has all of the proper paperwork. Research their business license, roofing credentials, warranties, and more. Ask about the training and certification of the installers that will be working on your home. Some companies are out to make a quick buck and don’t go through all of the necessary processes to receive the right credentials and training. This means that they could make changes to your home that aren’t up to code, or that they could make simple mistakes that cost you in the long run. Also be sure to check for the right insurance, so that there’s no way you’ll be held liable for any issues that may happen while the workers are working on your roof.

Next, check customer reviews. We all know that the occasional bad Yelp or Angie’s List review could just be because someone was in a bad mood or had a score to settle—but a long list of bad reviews is usually a bad sign. Contact recent customers of the company through Yelp or other review services to see how they felt and what advice they can offer. You can even ask the contractor for recent customers that you can contact, or for a list of recent testimonials.

Also, it’s often best to hire an established, local contractor. Contractors that just moved to the area may not have the necessary expertise or know the local building codes to work on your roof. Even if the other branches of a company are successful, the quality of work can vary greatly city by city. Your area may be more or less humid, have varying temperatures, and may have other factors to consider that a newer contractor isn’t familiar with. The longer a contractor has been around, the better. They’re more likely to know all of the quirks of your area and be able to predict any issues common to your city or town. They also will have the best contacts for any other home improvement needs that you may have. Hunters Roofing has been around for over twenty years, which means that we know the area and that the local community has trusted us for this long. A long record is a great sign that a company has been in business this long for good reasons.

An honest, dependable company will also give you everything in writing. Pay close attention to your contract and make sure that your company is giving you a written agreement and not just verbal promises. Make sure that the company is reasonably good about returning calls and sending over necessary documents. Another good sign of a trustworthy company is whether or not they have accreditation with the Better Business Bureau, which can be found through the BBB website.

Finding a good contractor may be difficult, but it’s well worth the peace of mind in the end. A little bit of investigative work up front can save you a big headache, and a big bill, down the line.