You go outside after a storm and notice that a lot of your roofing shingles are now laying on the ground. You may want to replace your old roof before the next nasty storm brushes through. Your roof is your first line of defense after all.
Unless you have some roofing experience you’ll need to call a contractor to come in and get the job done. You will need to get quite a bit of information from each company that you call before you hire them.
To help you get the information that you need so you can make sure that the job gets done right the first time, here are ten of the main questions that you need to ask.
1. Are You Licensed?
A vast majority of states require roofers to have a license. There are some that don’t. It varies from state to state so, you may want to look up code requirements in yours before you ask this question.
If your state does require it then the answer you want to hear here is yes. It means that they are following state codes and it allows you to take legal action if something goes wrong while they’re working too.
2. Do You Have Worker’s Comp and Liability Insurance?
There are two major types of insurance that you want to make sure your roofing contractor has. These are worker’s comp insurance and liability insurance. Worker’s comp is required in most states but there are some employers who elect to do without.
If your contractor doesn’t have it and something happens to a worker on your property, you could be held liable for all their medical expenses. Worker’s comp will cover you in the event that a worker is hurt but what about your property?
For that, there is liability insurance. It ensures that if your roof is damaged in any way you won’t get stuck paying for it. So, it’s worth it to ask contractors for proof of liability insurance.
3. Do You Use Subcontractors?
In some cases, contractors will hire subcontractors to work on your roof. You want to ask if these subcontractors also have worker’s comp and liability insurance.
On top of asking about this, you should also get lien waivers. This will protect you if the contractors don’t pay the subcontractors.
4. Are You Going to Remove My Old Roof?
There are some contractors that will do a visual scan for roofing damage and then decide place shingles over your old roof. The problem with this is that it takes a bit more than a visual inspection to notice rot and other physical issues that will cause problems on down the line.
To make sure that no issues arise, it’s better to have the old roof removed and a new one put in its place.
5. Will You Install Drip Edge Metal on the New Roof?
If water and moisture are allowed to sit on your roof it will cause water damage mold, and rot over time. That’s why you should ask your contractor about drip edge metal.
It’s small pieces of aluminum that are installed under your shingles. It allows for water to run off into your gutter instead of staying on your roof.
6. How Are You Going to Protect My Gutters?
Contractors will have to use ladders to reach the top of your roof and work. The problem is that could lead to hundreds of pounds leaning on your gutters. This pressure will cause them to bend and break.
Standoffs and stabilizers can prevent damage from coming to your gutters so you want to ask your contractor if they use them. If they don’t, ask them how they do plan to protect your gutters.
7. What is Your Physical Address?
When you’re looking around for contractors you want to rule out any company that doesn’t have a physical address. If they just have a PO box then that’s a huge danger sign.
The reason why you want to ask about this is that you want to know if they are local. If the contractor isn’t local and they make a mistake then you may be stuck with it because they can’t get back to you to fix their slip up.
8. What Will You Do In the Event of Bad Weather?
Mother nature is an unpredictable force. It’s not unheard of that a storm brushes through while contractors are working. If the contractors have to pick up their things and leave half-way through the job the hole that’s left behind will leave your belongings vulnerable to the elements.
Most of the time workers will use some sort of tarp to stop rain from getting all over your belongings. Ask your contractor about their bad weather plan.
9. Will There be Someone on Site That Can Answer Questions?
So, you’re coming home from work while the roofers are packing up to go. This wouldn’t be a problem if there wasn’t a huge hole in your roof. You’re going to want to ask someone if they plan to cover it up before they head out.
A lot of times contractors will send out a team of workers and a supervisor to your home to do the job. You should know who this supervisor is so you can ask them little questions in scenarios like the one above.
10. Can You Give Me a Written Estimate?
You don’t want any hidden costs to creep up and surprise you later. This being said, before you have a contractor start on the job, you should get a written estimate of how much their services will cost.
This estimate should have a complete break down of everything you’re paying for from the old roof removal to the materials that are used to place the new one.
Questions to Ask When You’re Having Your Old Roof Replaced
When your old roof starts showing it’s age, it’s important that you have it or replaced as soon as you can. If you don’t you’ll leave your family and belongings vulnerable.
Call up contractors in your area and ask them these common questions. It’s the best way to find the right company for the job.
So, your roof is old but you’re not sure if it needs to be replaced yet. Contact us for a free inspection and we can tell you.