While it may seem like summer just started, the fact is that fall is around the corner, and the changing seasons will bring with it heavy rain and snow in the months ahead. Considering that your home’s roof is its primary defense against the elements, it is then critical that you take the time to ensure that your roof is ready to withstand coming rain and snowfall. If your roof has been showing signs of aging, it is particularly important that you have it replaced this summer, as this will ensure that your house is protected against potential water damage when the first winter storms arrive.
Yet, considering roof replacement represents a substantial investment in your home, it is important that you take the time to find an experienced Canton roofing contractor who will make sure that the job is done right. Working with a reputable company will help to ensure that your roof protects your home for years to come. Of course, with so many options to choose from, you may find yourself wondering how you will find a roofing contractor that you can trust to work on your home. To help get you started, here are a few tips for choosing the best roofing contractor in Canton Michigan.
Ask For Recommendations
Trying to find a qualified roofer in your area can feel like a daunting task, particularly if you have never had work done on your roof before, and you don’t know where to start. A great place to begin would be to ask family, friends, and even coworkers for recommendations. It is likely that someone you know has recently had work done on their roof, and you could benefit from all the hard work that they have already done researching and working with local builders. Who better to get information from than people whose advice you trust?
Your neighbors can also be helpful in this situation, as it is likely that you are not the only one on the block having their roof replaced. If the houses in your neighborhood are about the same age, then it is likely that someone else has already had their roof replaced recently, and if their contractor did a good job, they may recommend them to you. Asking around can help you to create an initial list of contenders as you begin researching local roofing contractors.
Do Your Research
In addition to asking for recommendations, it can also be helpful to do research of your own to further narrow down your options. Take the time to look up any contractors you are considering and check out their website and social media profiles. This can help to give you a good idea of their overall experience and quality of work. Make sure to find out how long they have been in business, and check to see what kind of reputation they have online. In particular, looking at reviews on Yelp, Google, and Facebook can give you important insight into a roofing contractor’s customer service, as you will be able to get a look at how they have treated past customers and how they have handled customer complaints. The fact is that reputation matters, and a roofer that has a history of providing quality work and good customer service will be able to provide you with a superior roofing experience.
Make Sure Contractors Are Licensed and Insured
Before you begin seriously talking to any contractors, you should check to make sure that they are licensed and insured. While some areas do not require roofing contractors to be licensed, it is still a good idea to only work with licensed contractors, as this helps to ensure that the roofer you work with has the knowledge, experience, and training to do a good job. Similarly, you never want to work with a roofer who is not insured, even if roofers are not required to be insured in your jurisdiction. Anytime a contractor will be working on your home, you want to make sure that they have proper worker’s compensation and liability insurance, as this will help protect you should an accident happen on the job. Should something go wrong during your roofing installation and an accident were to occur, you may be held liable for any injuries that occur, as well as any damage to your property, if the contractor is not properly insured. It is then critical that you take the time to check that a roofer is insured before they start to work on your roof.
Ask About Training and Certifications
Once you have your list narrowed down to a few roofers you are considering working with, it is important that you take the time to interview each of your top contenders to find out about their experience, the services that they offer, and to get an estimate. Roofing contractors understand that having your roof replaced is a big deal and that you will need to shop around before making a final decision. Ideally, you should talk to, and get estimates from, at least 3 roofers before you make a decision. Roofers understand this, and if a potential contractor tries to pressure you into making a decision, this is a sign that you should look elsewhere.
When interviewing roofers, one of the first things that you should ask is how long they have been in business and how much experience they have. The fact is that installing a roof is complex, and you want to work with a skilled roofer who has the knowledge and experience to ensure that the job is done right. If you work with a roofer who only has a couple of years of experience in the industry, this may lead to a poor-quality installation.
You should also take the time to ask prospective builders what kind of training and certifications they have. Many roofing manufacturers offer specific product training to their installers to ensure proper installation, and finding an installer with these certifications can ensure that the job is done right and that your roof lasts for many years to come.
Will The Contractor Tear Off Your Old Roof?
When getting estimates from prospective roofers, it is also important that you find out about their techniques. Asking questions about their process will not only give you insight into how knowledgeable they are and whether they have the right experience, but it can also be a good indicator of whether or not they will do a good job. It is particularly important that you find out whether a prospective roofer plans to tear off your old roof or install new shingles on top of your current roof. While a less experienced roofer may try to convince you to install new shingles over your old roof as a way to save time and money, this is almost always a bad idea.
First off, laying a new roof on top of an existing roof adds additional weight, which can add stress to an aging roof that is likely already due for new decking. Additionally, by not tearing off the old roof, your roofer will not be able to look for, and fix, underlying issues with, and damage to, your roof that your old shingles may be covering up. Adding new shingles on top of an existing roof is then generally considered to be a bad idea as you are just covering up problems without fixing them, which could cost you more in the long run. A roofer that tries to convince you to layer a roof on top of your existing shingles is likely trying to rush the job, and you will want to look elsewhere to ensure a quality installation.
Ask For References
When talking to potential roofers, you should also ask to see a list of references. Experienced roofers will have a list of references from past customers who are willing to attest to the quality of their work. If a roofer does not have any references or does not want to provide you with this information, this should be a clear red flag indicating that they likely do not have the skills and experience you are looking for. However, it is not enough to just ask for references, it is important that you actually follow through and talk to each of the references on their list.
Talking to homeowners who have worked with a roofer you are considering hiring can give you invaluable insight into what it would be like to work with them. Make sure that you ask references what the overall experience was like, how good the roofer’s customer service skills were, and whether or not they would recommend that you work with them. Some references may even be willing to show you pictures of their home, or let you see their roof in person, which can give you a better idea of the roofer’s quality of work.
Look At Their Past Work
Of course, you should also take the time to ask the contractor if you can see examples of their past work. An experienced roofer should have a portfolio of pictures highlighting past roofing jobs they have worked on. This can be critical in giving you a better idea of the quality of their work and what your roof may look like once they are done. A builder that does not have examples of past work likely does not have the proper experience, and you may want to think twice about working with them.
Looking at a roofer’s past work can also be helpful by giving you a better idea of how certain materials will look once they are installed. The fact is that it is often hard to get an idea of what your roof will look like based on a small sample you have been shown, as patterns and shades in shingles may stand out more once they are installed. The last thing you want is to pick a color that you liked a sample of only to hate it once it is on your roof.
Do They Offer a Warranty
Of course, no matter how experienced a contractor is, and no matter how carefully they have planned a job, the fact is that there is always a chance that something could go wrong during a roofing installation. The important thing is how a roofing contractor handles problems that arise. This is why it is important that you ask prospective roofers what kind of warranty they offer on their work. Do they offer a guarantee? Or will you be left to pay for any fixes if your roof wasn’t installed properly? It is critical that you work with a roofer that not only offers a great warranty, but who will go above and beyond to make things right if there is a problem with the installation. You should then make sure to find out what kind of warranty a roofer offers and what process they have in place for addressing and correcting these issues. This will help to ensure that potential problems with your roofing installation are quickly resolved.
Go With Your Gut
Ultimately, when trying to choose a roofing contractor to work on your home, it is important that you go with your gut. If you get a bad feeling when talking to a roofer, either because they have poor customer service skills or their experience seems lacking, you should trust what your instincts are trying to tell you. In particular, if a roofer tries to pressure you into making a decision when you call them out for an estimate, and/or if they try to rush you into signing a contract before you have had time to review it thoroughly, these are clear signs that you should consider looking elsewhere. Listen to your gut, and if something doesn’t feel right, you should move on. A qualified roofer will have the experience, knowledge, and customer service skills to ensure that you feel comfortable about working with them moving forward.
Having your home’s aging roof replaced this summer will be critical in ensuring that your home is protected against heavy storms this winter. However, in order to ensure that the job is done properly, it is critical that you take the time to find an experienced roofer in your area. Feel free to contact All Point Construction to learn more about how you can ensure you find a qualified roofer in Canton, MI.
