Many home owners are not sure what questions to ask their Tucson roofing contractor when they set the appointment or when the contractor inspects the roof. This can be intimidating for many because they don’t feel they are knowledgeable about roofing and don’t want to seem ignorant, or perhaps they are type-B personalities and would rather not ask anything. It is important to see the roof inspection as sort of an interview. This interview should give the homeowner a feeling on whether or not the roof coating contractor knows what they are talking about and if they are trust worthy. Here are a few good questions everyone should ask of their roof company.
Licensing Is The First Question To Ask Your Tucson Roofing Contractor
Hiring a non-licensed contractor is dangerous because if something goes wrong and the contractor leaves without finishing or leaves with your money, you may never see him or her again. Most often it will be your loss. Hiring a licensed contractor provides some protection for the homeowner because the contractor is on file with the state and is liable if they do poor work, do something illegal, or don’t do the work prescribed in the contract. In Arizona, the homeowner can contact the Registrar of Contractors and file a claim and could perhaps gains some if not all of the money back if there was a loss. The first question to ask your Tucson roofing company is about their license.
Ask About The Warranty For The Work
It is always important to ask any contractor about the warranty they give for their work. Contractors legally must provide at least a two-year warranty for any work they accomplish. This warranty starts the day they complete the work. Depending on the work being accomplished roofing contractors may provide longer warranties. For example, if they are providing a roof coating warranty it may only be two-years, but if they are providing a warranty for a new roof it should be longer – such as five years. Different scopes of work will result in different warranty terms. Always ask your Tucson roofing company about the warranty they provide.
Ask The Roofing Company To Provide Photo Evidence
One of the protections for homeowners when discussing roofing issues is to ask for photo evidence of the claims. The photos the roofer provides should clearly show the problems they intend to repair. If a roofing contractor is not willing to provide multiple photos showing the problems, be skeptical! There are numerous roofing companies in Tucson that lie, cheat, and steal to get work and many of these companies fail to provide photos. Ask to see the photos immediately after the estimator gets down from the roof. If a contractor is not willing to show evidence of their claims, be very careful going forward!
Ask The Roofing Contractor To Provide A Detailed Estimate
When a contractor provides a detailed estimate it usually shows they are not hiding anything. Every detailed estimate should provide the exact work that is to be performed, the name and quantity of materials they will use, the time frame when they expect to complete the work, and if possible a detailed step-by-step overview of the processes they will take to complete the work. Remember, as a homeowner you are paying the bill and you have every right to know exactly what is being done to your home. You should expect a detailed contract and if it is not given, then ask for one. Leaving key details out of a contract allows the contractor to skip steps or even use low-grade materials. If they are not willing to provide detailed contract then move on to a contractor who will.
Ask If A Down Payment For Services Is Expected
Another question to ask your Tucson roofing contractor is what down payment is expected. At Desert Sky Roofing we do not ask for down payments on most repairs jobs. We may ask for 10% up front on roof replacement jobs but that is usually where our request for a down payment ends. It is important to ask the roofing contractor whether or not they expect a down payment and how much. Many small roofing contractors ask for 50% up front. This is a sizeable amount of money so be very careful before you write a check. Before writing a check, CHECK THEIR LICENSE! This cannot be overstated. If the company is properly licensed, bonded, and insured and everything is up to date you will at least have some protection should they leave with the money. One way to check out the contractor, is to ask them if you can provide the down payment the day the work starts. This is a reasonable request. You may get some push back because they may have to order supplies. If that is the case, ask to only provide 25% up front and 25% the day the work starts. This should take care of most of the supplies they will need to order.
Ask Whether Workers Are Employees or Sub-Contractors
Unfortunately, many roof companies are running sub-contractors. This allows the company to 1099 the subs and avoid significant taxes and workers compensation bills. The only legal way to hire sub-contractors is if they subs are properly licensed to do the work. If the subs are licensed to do the work, you should ask to have their license number as well as the roofing company’s license so that in case of problems you can hold them both accountable. It is not wise to have non-licensed sub-contractors working on your property. At Desert Sky Roofing we only have employees so the buck stops with us! This also allows us to be completely in control on how and when a job will be completed – which is not always the case with subs. Subs not always bad, but it is important to ask the key questions so you know who is working on your roof.
Ask About The Roofing Company’s Call-Back Procedures
Sometimes after a roof is worked on it leaks. That is simply the nature of the business. One way to ensure that you will be taken care of in an emergency roof repair situation is to ask the Tucson roofing company about their emergency roof repair services and call-back procedures. Make sure the company has a thorough system in place to address call-backs.
These are just a few questions you should ask your Tucson roofing contractor when they inspect and estimate your roof repairs. Every roofing company is asked these questions on a daily basis so if there is any hesitation or some inconsistency in their answers, it might be worth examining deeper whether that company is the best fit for your roof repairs. We at Desert Sky Roofing feel that a homeowner should be completely comfortable with the contractor they hire to work on their home. Give us a call at 520-444-5218 and we will answer all these questions and any more you may have about your roof and our procedures.