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If you think you need a new roof, have one that needs repairing or simply want to find out what the options are – you might be in the market for finding a new roofing contractor.

While there should be plenty of options in your local area – there’s a big difference between a good roofing contractor and a great one.

Sometimes, the best can be hard to find. But it’s also important that you treat finding a roofer seriously, as wasting your money on a poor quality roofing solution could set you up for more repairs and expenses down the line.

So if you need a roofing contractor – you’re in the right place. Work through this hiring a roofing contractor checklist carefully and make sure you’ve checked every avenue before you decide which firm to hire.

Hiring a roofing contractor checklist

1. What sort of roof do you have?

There are tons of different roof types, and while some contractors might try and specialize in every type of roof – many don’t.

Some of the biggest firms might be able to look after your needs regardless of the type of roof you’ve got, but it’s often a good idea to find a contractor who specializes in your specific roof construction.

So if you’ve got a shingle roof, you might need a different contractor to one who takes care of slate tiles.

There are so many different types of roof finishes, from metal roofs to membranes, it can be hard for one small contractor to specialize in everything.

That’s why you need to make sure the contractor you go with has worked with many of your types of roofs before. T

hey might tell you they can get the job done, but if they can’t show you lots of happy customers with that specific roof finish, you might want to look elsewhere.

2. What options are available in your area?

If you want to relay or repair an existing roof, you should have a few options in your local area – especially if you go back to the firm who first installed your roof.

This can be a good place to start – but it’s not the only place you should look. Especially if you think your roof has under-performed or needs repairs much sooner than you think it appropriate. I

n those circumstances, it’s a good idea to look elsewhere and potentially find a better roofer for your home.

In some cases, you might want a completely different roof solution when you have your roof replaced – but is that a viable option in your local area? Some people are deciding to modernize and replace their old slate roofs with easier-to-maintain metal pitched roofs.

But is this possible in your area? Are there enough contractors who know how to install that type of roof near you?

Aside from finding the right contractor in your area, you also need to look at what sort of roofing options are appropriate in your geographic location.

There are some roofs that can’t handle extreme weather, like snow heavy rain. Make sure you get a roof that both fits in with your neighborhood and can handle the weather.

3. Check reviews online

One great place to start on your search for a contractor is the internet. There are review sites for almost anything these days – and local contractors are no different.

Have a look and see which options are available in your local area, and try and find a contractor with a range of good reviews.

One tip when looking at reviews online is not to pay too much attention to the overall rating. Read the reviews themselves. There might be reasons why people are rating a company high or low.

These reasons might not be relevant to you. Also, make sure you pay close attention to firms that have too many anonymous 5-star ratings.

These could be fake. Look at the reasons why people are giving something 3 or 4 stars as this could be a much better indicator.

4. Ask people you know in the local area about their roofing solutions

If you’ve got neighbors who’ve recently had their roof done – this could be a great place to start. Ask people you know if they can either recommend a specific roofing contractor, or steer you away from one.

5. Ask potential firms to visit your site

You’ll want to get a feel for how professional a team is, and you can do this by asking them to visit your site. Do they arrive on time? Are they presented in a professional manner. Do they answer your questions honestly? These are all things you might want to check.

6. Check their references and testimonials

Any good roofing contractor should have tons of positive reviews and testimonials from happy clients. If they can’t provide you with any, you might want to look elsewhere. Try asking to see their portfolio or work.

If you can, visit some sites yourself and even ask the homeowners how happy they were with their roof construction or repair.

As well as their testimonials, you might also want to check any specific licenses and qualifications each roofer has.

Hiring a roofing contractor checklist #7 Ask for competitive quotes

Don’t go with the first roofer you find – ask for quotes. Some firms might be willing to match or undercut competitors. Just be careful not to go for the cheapest contractor if you aren’t sure they’re the best for the job.

8. See what financing options are available

Do you need to pay up front or can you pay some later? Getting a new roof can be expensive, so you’ll need to check what help with payment might be available.

9. Ask how long they think the work will take

If they’re a big firm, they might be able to bring in a number of employees and finish the job in a matter of days. However, this could also be expensive.

Check how long each roofer thinks the job is going to take and compare that to the quote they offer you.

Weight up the pros and cons associated with getting the job done faster. Will the same team-members be working on your site every day? Are there any issues regarding accessing your roof that might make the job take longer or become more expensive? These are more questions you might want to ask.

Hopefully, this checklist has given you enough information so that you can find the best contractor for you.

Ripped off by a roofing contractor? You’re in the right place. It’s something many of us have experienced – but thankfully, there are a number of things you can do if you find yourself in a similar situation.

What can I do if a contractor ripped me off?

Finding a good roofing contractor can sometimes be difficult – but it’s an important choice nonetheless. Actually – it’s one of the most important early steps in preventing yourself being ripped off.

Those that do have bad experiences with roofing contractors will often have made the mistake of simply choosing the wrong service provider to start with.

In this article, we’re going to look at a few ways to make sure you find the best roofing contractor in your local area, so you can reduce the risk of actually having a problem at all.

We’re also aware that that’s not always possible, and even when making a considered choice before you sign-up, things can sometimes go wrong.

If that’s happened to you, we’re also going to give you a few tips to help get you sorted so that you can resolve the situation in the best way possible.

What to do if you’ve been ripped off by your roofing contractor

Has your contractor failed to finish the job to an adequate level? Have they left a mess around your property or walked of with some of the payment? Here are a few things you can do immediately if you’ve got one of these problems:

 â€“ Check if they’ve broken any local laws and report them

There are a number of different licensing agreements and local laws that roofing companies have to abide by.

Things like safe working practices and other health and safety regulations are often important, and a good contractor should take them seriously.

If you notice any major transgressions, document then with photographs and provide evidence to relevant authorities.

You might be able to get their industry accreditation revoked, or sometimes even the threat of doing so could be enough to get your problem fixed.

For other issues, like unfinished work, you could try small claims courts or other legal procedures, which we’ll have a look at later.

 â€“ Ask to speak to management

This should probably be your first step when you notice an issue – ask to speak to the boss and be forthright with your opinions on exactly what they’ve done wrong.

If it’s a big roofing company, the boss might not even know there’s been an issue and may be more than happy to fix it for you.

Reputable roofing firms sometimes make mistakes, so they might want to solve any staffing issues and over-deliver on fixing their mistakes.

Make sure you’re clear and direct about exactly what the issue was, and what you expect from them. You can offer photographic evidence to support your claim.

 â€“ Ask other people you know if this has happened to them

This is important if you’re trying to build a bigger case against your roofer. Ask other people in your area if they’ve been affected by this firm.

Have a look in your local newspaper and online to see if these are common issues. Try reaching out and getting extra evidence from other people who’ve been affected, as this could support your claim.

 â€“ Threaten legal action

The next step if your roofing firm is less willing to help – is to threaten legal action. Sometimes just the threat will be enough to sort the problem, but other times you might need to actually go through with it.

This is where supporting evidence form other people who’ve been affected can help, as well as the evidence you gathered yourself. Even just getting an official legal letter drawn up could help your situation.

 â€“ Leave a negative review

While this might not have quite the same impact as a letter from your lawyers, people still don’t like negative reviews online as it might affect their ability to get more business.

Some firms are actually quite proactive at dealing with poor reviews, so you could find this a good way to get a response to your minor roofing issues.

How to find a quality contractor that’s less likely to rip you off

One of the biggest factors in helping prevent you getting ripped off is to choose a better roofing contractor in the first place.

There should be a few quality providers in your local area that hardly ever have problems with their work – and when they do, they’ll be proactive in providing a first rate solution.

These are the sort of roofing companies you need to try. But how do you find them?

 â€“ Check online reviews

These days, you can get review and for almost anything – so check to see which roofing companies in your area come highly recommended.

 â€“ Ask people you know

While reviews are good, nothing beats the personal recommendation from someone you actually know. Ask neighbours or other friends if they’ve had a good roofing experience and who they used.

 â€“ Ask to look at finished jobs

When you’re talking to a potential roofing company, ask them to see if they’ve got a portfolio of finished work they can show you.

A good roofer should have plenty, and you might even be able to visit them on-site to have a look at their work.

 â€“ Ask for competitive quotes

Don’t just go for the first roofer you meet, and don’t just go for the cheapest. While cost will obviously be an important factor, sometimes – you get what you pay for.

 â€“ Check how long they’ve been in the industry

Some roofing companies disappear as quickly as they arrive in the industry – and these are the ones you’ll want to avoid.

Make sure you check any references and whether they’ve changed their trading name recently, as that could be another red flag.

Hopefully, these tips have been enough to get you started so that you know how to find the best roofer in your area.

If you do get ripped off by your roofer, you should also now have a bit more information to help you get it sorted.