Choosing a Contractor

You will want to require that a contractor has the experience and knowledge to provide quality workmanship. You want your contractor to be responsible and reliable. Someone who will still be around after the job is done. Someone who has complete knowledge of all related safety and regulatory laws. Someone who understands your concerns. You want a roofing contractor who has expert knowledge of his trade and can bring the latest technology and the most effective roofing techniques for your job. It is certain that you will want a roofing contractor who employs capable applicators to install the shingles.

Being confident you’ve selected the right roofing contractor will help assure that you have a quality roof overhead and that your hard-earned money has been wisely spent. But what criteria can you use to decide if the contractor is a true professional who will stand behind his work? There are a number of indicators that you can look for when going through the evaluation process. You cannot choose a professional roofer by looking at an estimate and comparing prices.

The Seven Questions to Ask

1. What is the full name and address of the company?

Getting the complete address of the company can be an important factor in determining a company’s time in business. If a post office box is given, ask for a full street address as well.

Advanced Applicators Roofing

Address

City, St, Zip

2. Does the company carry insurance?

A contractor should carry comprehensive liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance to protect you in the event of a roofing accident. This can be verified by asking to see the contractor’s certificates of insurance (workers’ compensation and general liability). Let the contractor know you want current certificates sent to you by the insurer before the job is started. Contractors may also carry other kinds of insurance including health, life and auto insurance. Bland assurances of insurance coverage may refer to these. Don’t be confused. Ask for proof of general liability and workers’ compensation coverage for roofing projects.

Worker Accidents. Be aware that if a worker is injured on your property, the homeowner might be held liable for all costs unless the employee is covered by workers’ compensation insurance. Hospital bills for serious accidents can be extraordinarily expensive. Contractors who carry insurance and follow safety guidelines on fall prevention endure higher job overhead costs. These expenses could be the cause of price variations between contractors who follow the standards versus those who ignore them.

Uninsured Contractors. Roofers who do not carry insurance will most likely be cheaper to hire as they do not have the large insurance premiums to pay. Workers’ compensation premiums can increase wage costs from about 20% to as much as 100%, depending on the state. There are a variety of reasons why full insurance may not be carried by a contractor, such as:

• Not a full-time contractor

• Operates as a partnership or self-employed without employees

• New in the business

• Can’t afford insurance premiums

• Doesn’t stand behind work It is up to you to determine if it is worth the risk to hire a contractor who does not carry insurance.

AA Roofing has the following insurance policies. We have very safe practices and never filed a claim.

3. Is the company a licensed or credentialed contractor?

When you pose this question, you are, in effect, asking if the contractor is licensed by your state and/or city. Not all states require contractors to be licensed. If your state does license contractors, then he might have had to pass a written examination in his specialty, although few licenses make this a requirement. A number of cities also require professional licensing. Check with your local licensing authority for details. A contractor may also answer this question by telling you he has a business license. However, a business license is a tax requirement only and is not directly relevant to the contractor’s competence. Several roofing manufacturers offer a variety of programs to professional contractors that establish their credentials as a knowledgeable roofing company. Homeowners can view a contractor’s credentials as another indicator of their degree of knowledge, professionalism, and dedication to the roofing trade.

Improper installation of any roofing material can cause expensive, hidden damage to your house that may not show up for years. A reputable contractor will gladly offer proof that they are qualified to install the selected product.

Kentucky does/does not license roofers, however AA Roofing has the following manufacturer certifications:

4. How long has the company been in business?

Needless to say, longer is usually better. Under three years may signal an unstable business or one low on the learning curve. The failure rate of small businesses in the first three years is very high. References will be helpful to double check any business.

Warning: Many fly-by-night contractors accept large deposits (and may even start the job) before running off. These companies usually appear from all over the country after a tornado, hailstorm or other event that results in wide-spread damage. AA Roofing has been in business for 16 years.

5. Will the company provide referrals or references from previous jobs?

A good contractor will offer a list of recent references along with names, addresses and phone numbers of people to contact. In many cases, photographs of the project will be available.

Contacting references is your best method of separating the good from the bad. Ask customers specifically for information about these four things:

1) Did he perform his work on a timely basis?

2) Was he responsive when asked for information and changes?

3) Did he act as if he cared about the customers interests? And finally,

4) would you call the company trustworthy?

Check AA Roofing references.

6. What is the company’s workmanship warranty?

Typically, contractor workmanship warranties are for one year or more. Longer warranties are not necessarily more valuable than shorter warranties. The length of the warranty is less important than the intent and ability of the roofer to stand behind his warranty. That is best evaluated using customer referrals. The roofer will warrant his workmanship. The manufacturer, on the other hand, warranties the roofing material against defects in manufacturing. Thus, two warranties will cover the shingle roof system. Understand them both. Ask for a copy of the manufacturer’s warranty pertaining to the specific shingle products you are considering. Usually, problems of either workmanship or material show up very quickly. Therefore, the near-term warranty given by the contractor or manufacturer is more important than the warranty coverage during the later years of the warranty. Even if problems of workmanship arise after the workmanship warranty has lapsed, a reliable contractor usually will want to stand behind his work.

Check the AA Roofing warranty.

7. What is the company’s track record for solving customer complaints?

• Try to find out how your contractor handles problems when they do arise. Request a referral from a job that involved a complaint.

• Ask the contractor if he has ever lost a job-related court case.

• Ask if his contractor’s license has ever been suspended and why. Also, in talking to the appropriate authorities, such as the Better Business Bureau and licensing departments, find out if any complaints have been filed against the contractors whom you have interviewed. Many contractors in business for any length of time have been involved in a dispute. Ask how the dispute was resolved, to test your contractor’s reputation.

AA Roofing is a member or the Better Business Bureau. Membership in regional Better Business Bureaus shows that your contractor is committed to resolving customer complaints.