Your roof is the crowning glory of your home, protecting the entire structure against unpredictable Indianapolis weather. So, before you hire just any old roofing contractor to handle your roof repairs or replacement, you want a team with at least 10 years of industry experience and glowing customer reviews.
With a little research, you’ll find a short list of local contractors with outstanding reviews, but how do you know they’ll do an outstanding job? Give them a call and ask the following six questions before scheduling them to provide a free estimate.
1. Are you a preferred contractor for any leading brands?
As the saying goes, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. And there’s more than one way to install a roof. There are roofing companies who install roofs based on their own criteria and roofers who are certified and trained by a leading shingle brand like Owens Corning. Manufacturer-approved roofers are trusted to follow the precise installation process that prolongs the life and enhances the performance of your roof. So always choose a preferred contractor to ensure the roof installation follows best practices and the performance of the roofing materials is fully guaranteed.
2. What type of guarantee do you offer for your workmanship?
That brings us to the next critical question: The guarantee. We can tell you there really is a right way and a wrong way to install a roof. Unfortunately, we’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of roofing. You really want to make sure your roofing contractor stays well within the realm of the good.
You know a contractor is good if they offer a lifetime warranty on their workmanship. This tells you they stand behind their work and know their team will follow best practices to prolong the life and integrity of your roof. If they don’t have enough confidence in their own work to stand behind it, how can you feel confident hiring them?
3. Are you insured?
Accidents happen. However, if an accident happens on your property, you’re liable for that accident, including injuries to people working in or on your home. Ask the contractor if they have workers’ compensation and liability insurance to cover their team’s injuries. You also want protection if the roofer causes damage to your property during the roofing installation or repair process. You don’t want to find out the hard way the roofer isn’t insured and that your homeowner’s policy doesn’t cover the damages.
4. Are you licensed?
Don’t just ask if the contractor is licensed. Ask specifically if they are a licensed roofer and ask to see their license. This is important because if you just ask if they are licensed, and they have a general business license, they wouldn’t really be lying if they say yes. Take it one step further and check with your local licensing office to confirm their license is current and violation-free.
5. What process do you use?
A lot of contractors tackle projects in a haphazard way, so you don’t know what to expect. The next thing you know, there are a few guys climbing on your roof at 6 am, with no warning or supervisor in sight. Or worse, they might ask for a deposit and not show up at all. If the contractor can’t explain step by step what you can expect, you haven’t found the right contractor. Your contractor should offer:
- An assessment with a free detailed estimate
- Date the work will be started, as well as a deadline (most jobs are completed in a day unless your home is massive)
- Design assistance to choose the right color and style of roof to suit the look of your home
- Installation with complete property clean up
- Final inspection and approval before they leave
6. Who performs the work?
Make sure the roofing company that impresses you is also the roofing company that performs the work for your Indianapolis area home. Many contractors use their charm to find new customers, and then you never see them again. Instead, they subcontract the work, and you have no idea if the team they hire is insured, licensed, trained, or experienced.
At Craftsman Exterior Remodeling we can answer these questions to your satisfaction and be the best contractor for the job. Learn more about our roofing services or schedule your free assessment today.
