Are you looking for a roofing company in your area? Perhaps, you’re even searching online with tag lines like roofing contractor near me or with your local Central Florida municipality plugged into the phrase?
When you have a leaking roof or need another roof repair, you have a truly urgent need. Or if you are getting ready to re-roof your home, vacation home, or business property, you want to rely on only the most reputable and experienced contractor.
But what are the most important qualities to look for in your next roofing expert? What sets one company apart from (and above) the rest?
Here are the top sixteen factors to base your decision on the next time you contact a local roofer for a repair, re-roofing job, or a professional roof inspection.
1. Local To Your Area
When it comes to roofing and re-roofing buildings, the climate, typical type of local housing, county and municipal building codes, as well as other relevant laws, come into play.
There is no substitute for local experience. And the nearer your contractor’s office is to the home to be repaired or re-roofed, the easier it is to communicate. This also makes it easier for the crew to arrive on time and be maximally efficient from start to finish.
2. A Contractor Who Does Emergency Calls
The risks of delaying roof replacement or repairs are too great to neglect making the call and getting it taken care of promptly. You want a contractor that makes it easy to schedule a time convenient to you regardless of the job to be done.
But when you have a roofing emergency on your hands, you need help ASAP. The best roofing companies accept roofing emergency calls and can prioritize jobs where delay would be especially risky or detrimental.
3. Best Equipment, Training, & Experience
Another point is that you want a company that is fully up to date. That means roofers on the team have adequate training, plenty of experience, and access to state-of-the-art equipment.
The better equipped your roofer is, the more efficiently they are going to be able to “get it done right.” Experience over a number of years in the local area means knowledge of how to handle all manner of “roofing woes” and to make them go away.
4. Able To Handle A Variety Of Roofing Materials
There are many different types and brands of roofing materials in today’s market and atop central Florida homes. It’s best if you can find a single contractor well able to handle them all.
Whether it be asphalt shingles, wood shakes, or metal roofing – and whether it be roof replacement or a minor repair – it’s good to know you have a single phone number you can go to. Look for a one-stop shop for all your roofing needs!
5. A Company That Always Observes Proper Safety Measures
No matter how urgent the task, it’s critical to always “put safety first.” That applies to roofing work as much as to anything else you can name.
Roofing can be a dangerous job, which is why it’s not advisable for most people to try to tackle it on a DIY basis. But you also want to know that the contractors you hire will keep themselves safe, watch out for others (especially kids and pets), and will be careful to avoid any risk of property damage.
6. A Contractor That Keeps It Neat & Tidy
Another key factor when choosing your ideal roofing contractor is about keeping the job site clean.
A messy job site is unattractive, and it can sometimes take a week or more to a major roof job. You don’t want your premises bestrewn with old shingles and nails for days on end. Plus, a mess can actually be dangerous. And it’s especially important that any stray nails be picked up out of the yard (with a rolling magnet.)
A dumpster should be present during the tear-off stage, and tarps should be used to catch shingles and debris and make disposal easier and faster.
7. Ask About Hurricane & Post-Storm Restoration
In the aftermath of a major Florida storm, your roof and other parts of your building can get pretty torn up. You need a local contractor that offers post-storm restoration work and not just only roof work.
It may be that a tree limb smashed through your rooftop and you need that repaired at the same time as the roofing. Or it might be that flooding caused by the storm has left serious water damage in your basement – or a roof leak has caused interior water damage.
It’s far more convenient if you can bundle all of these repair needs into one simple package. And it is likely to cost less, too, and take less time to complete when one local contractor handles any and all post-storm home restoration needs.
8. A Contractor That Can Tackle New Construction
Sometimes, you may be adding a new addition to your home, shed, or garage that needs to be roofed. For that reason, it’s helpful if your roofer also handles at least a limited amount of new construction work.
A good contractor will be able to match the roofing on your new addition as closely as possible with the roofing on your existing (old) part of the building. Tying it all seamlessly together visually and so that it sheds water well is also important here.
9. A Source Of Helpful, No-Pressure Advice
When you choose a local roofer, you want to pick their brain as much as to watch them roof your house! A good roofer is an abundant source of helpful advice. They will have a lot of experience and know what has worked for other customers in the past.
You want someone who can provide you with answers to all your roofing-related questions and give you all the relevant information but in a no-pressure way.
10. Friendly Customer Service
Not only is it important to find a roofer who can give you great advice, but it’s no less important that your roofer has a friendly demeanor.
Great customer service is hard to come by these days. But it DOES exist! Good communication, attention to your needs, a willingness to listen, reasonable office hours, and always responding to messages you left on the company answering machine are some elements of good customer service.
More customers leave a company over poor customer service than for any other reason, and great customer relations are certainly one of the key reasons why other companies have high customer retention rates.
11. Gets The Job Done On Time
Quality is the number one priority when installing new roofing or repairing old roofing, but speed matters too. If a job drags on far longer than it should, that means your house is “in renovation mode” that much longer. It means a prolonged period of disruption of your normal everyday routine.
Look for a local contractor known for getting work done in a reasonable amount of time as well as for the high quality of the finished product.
12. Experts At Curb Appeal Enhancement
One of the big reasons why Florida homeowners put in a new roof is to enhance the curb appeal of their homes.
Upping the exterior ambiance benefits you while you live where you live, but it also increases your overall property value and makes it easier to sell your home should you decide to list it.
You can make any roofing material look good if you know how to install it correctly. But there are also some materials that give you the edge on curb appeal, such as dimensional asphalt shingles.
13. A Contractor With Energy Efficiency Expertise
Florida is one of the fastest-growing centers of rooftop solar panel systems – which is no surprise given that it’s called The Sunshine State!
Some roofing companies can also install solar panels on your roof or on mounts in your yard. If you are re-roofing the building, it is easier and cheaper to have the solar system put in at the same time.
Additionally, roofing contractors can be energy efficiency experts. They can help you find ways to reduce energy loss through your roof, including using more efficient roofing materials, attic fans and ventilation, and high-quality roofing underlayment.
14. Ask About The Warranties
There are several respects in which warranties relate to roofing installation. First of all, the roofing contractor needs to install the material as indicated in the instructions in order to not void the manufacturer’s warranty.
Second, he should explain to you how that warranty works, what it covers, and what it doesn’t. And he should let you know how to avoid voiding the warranty yourself later through attempted DIY repairs.
Third, there should be a warranty for workmanship as well. And this should also be explained clearly to the customer.
15. A Roofing Contractor With Affordable Rates
Let’s face it, nothing else matters much if affordability is lacking. Otherwise, you couldn’t afford to secure any of the other benefits.
You shouldn’t, however, look first and foremost at just finding an affordable roofer because of the flip side of the above statement. The flip side is that it does no good to have a low rate if you don’t get a good product for it.
So it’s a matter of balance and of combining both sides of the coin – quality and affordability, into one package. Look for impeccable workmanship as well as affordable, reasonable, competitive rates. And avoid hidden “surprise” fees of some companies – you want honest, open, upfront pricing.
16. Great Online Reviews
There are many ways to discern the reputation of a company, including a roofing contractor. One great tool is great online reviews by past and current customers. Along with those, look for pictures of past finished work of the particular contractor.
You may also be able to talk to some past customers in person if friends, family, and neighbors have used a contractor.
A word of caution. Don’t expect all reviews to be 100% positive. Real reviews aren’t normally that way. Look for a company with overwhelmingly positive online reviews from real people.
Everyone’s set of criteria for choosing a roofer will differ somewhat. But you have to do more than just type in “roofing contractor near me” into the search engine.
You need to have a clear idea of what it is you are looking for in a roofing company. These 16 factors should cover most of the bases and give you a good idea of how to evaluate each contractor.
To learn more or for a free no-obligation consultation with a local roofer in Central Florida, contact Sheegog Contracting today!
