Stability of your potential contracting company
When choosing a contractor to work with for your new roofing project you want to make sure that it is a reputable company. Make sure it is a permanent place of business and when you call you are able to speak with someone rather than leaving a voicemail message as your only option. Any reputable contracting company will come out free of charge to give you an estimate rather than charging an upfront fee. Be sure to ask your family and friends of companies they would recommend and also make sure to do your homework online. There are many websites such as Angie’s List and GuildQuality where you can read online reviews of potential contractors to put on your list. When you have narrowed down your search ask them for a reference list of past customers. If you are working with a professional they will have one readily available and be happy to do so.
Insurance Coverage
You should always ask for a copy of a contractor’s insurance policy; not only to make sure that they do carry insurance, but what kind and how much. There are a lot of contractors that have coverage but it is sometimes not enough to even cover your property. You want to make sure that their insurance not only covers your property, as well as a good amount of worker’s compensation coverage. Be sure to check that the coverage is effective through the duration of your roofing project. The last thing you want when thinking of replacing your new roof is being dragged into litigation involving and uninsured roofing contractor. This does happen if the contractor is not properly insured and you could be liable for any accidents or injuries that occur on your property if you have not done your legwork.
Research their reference list
When asking for a reference list ask for recent customers as well as ones that are a few years older. The reason to ask for ones that are from a few years ago is then you will be able to see how well that contractors work has held up over the years and for their most recent you will get an accurate account of what they liked and disliked because it is fresh in their mind. Here are some basic questions you can ask their references to get quality information to help with your decision making easier.
- Would you hire the contractor you worked with again?
- Were you satisfied or dissatisfied with the quality of the work and employees?
- How did the contractor handle cleanup of the work area each day and at the end of the project?
- Was the contractor easy to talk to about your ideas or were they only on their agenda?
- How did the contractor handle any challenges or work modifications happened during your project?
- Was the job completed on time and did they abide by the estimate they gave you in the beginning?
Check them out on the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Any respectable and upright roofing contractor will be a member of the BBB. There is a wealth of information and knowledge on contracting companies that you can research on here. You will be able to see if there have been any complaints filed against a particular business as well as how the company you are researching handled a possible mishap. The BBB also has a lot of helpful tips when it comes to hiring a contractor so it is a great resource for factual information.
What brand of roofing material should you use
Most homeowners would like the most inexpensive roofing material, which has the best warranty and requires no maintenance. In a perfect world that would be ideal, but this does not really exist. If your focus is concentrated on the most inexpensive roofing material do not expect for it to last a lifetime. There is a lot to be said about the cost of roofing materials and why consumers choose one over the other, but take our advice that price should be lower on your list than quality and warranty. When it comes to brands of asphalt shingles, being a nationally renowned manufacturer is a very important aspect. Asphalt shingles on the market today are vastly superior than the ones used 30 years ago. Typically most asphalt shingles come with a 25 year warranty, but there are also some now that have 50 year warranties. If you know the brand of shingles a contractor uses do not be afraid to call the manufacturer as well and ask any questions that you may have about the product.
Make sure your contract is in writing not verbal
Replacing your roof is an investment in your home and the future of your property value so you need to be sure and have your contract in writing. You need to have detailed information on your proposal so you are aware of the scope of the project, cost, roofing materials to be used and a timeline of the work to be done. Below are some important factors that you need to make sure are on your contract before you sign anything and if they are not you must insist they be added or chose another contractor.
- The scope of work that will be done on your home
- The type of roofing material that will be used, the manufacturer and your choice of color
- Agreement of who will be removing your existing roof
- Whether or not existing flashing on your home needs to be replaced or can be re-used and the type of flashing metal
- Will there need to be anything done regarding your current ventilation
- Who will replace or repair any damage to landscaping or the exterior of your home if any occurs during the installation process by accident
- A timeline of when your project will start and end
- What type of payment you will be using to pay for your project whether it is a personal check, credit card or even possibly financing through your contractor of choice
- Detailed warranty on your new shingles and the workmanship of the job
- Who is responsible for disposal of your old roofing materials
- Any extra fees and or discounts that will be applied to your contract
Why you should choose Lindus Construction as your roofing contractor
Lindus Construction is a family owned construction company that has been in business for the last 33 years. We offer free no-obligation estimates and you can look us up on Angie’s List, our A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau as well as view our GuildQuality page to read customer reviews. We provide all of our customers with a copy of our insurance policy before we start your scope of work so you are able to see our coverage. We not only will provide you with a reference list, but we have even gone a step farther and will provide you one from the area that you live in. We use the #1 one selling brand of roofing system in North America, GAF. Only the top 3% of all roofing contractors have qualified as Master Elite™ and Lindus Construction is proud to be among them. With a proven reputation for providing quality roofing systems and ongoing professional training, Lindus Construction is one of the most experienced and respected roofing companies serving Minnesota and Wisconsin. If you are worried about the design of asphalt shingle and color to use on your home we have you covered because we offer a home virtual remodeler where we will import a picture of your home into our program so you can see what the finished project will look like before we even start. We provide detailed written contracts to all of our potential clients and will answer any questions that you have before, during or after your project completion that you may have. We strive to keep the lines of communication open with you far after your project is finished to ensure a lifetime of satisfaction.
Tune into AM 830 WCCO on Saturdays from 9:00-10:00am hosted by Denny Long and Andy Lindus to ask questions regarding your home improvement projects. Call us now at 1-800-873-1451 or check us out on the web at www.lindusconstruction.com to schedule a free in-home estimate and get your roofing project started today!
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