If you have a flat roof in Tucson that has elastomeric coating on it, you will likely have the pleasure of trying to choose a roof coating company in Tucson. It is important that you find a roofer that will do the job the right way and charge a reasonable price for the work. Here are six tips for choosing a roof coating company near you.
Use Licensed, Bonded, and Insured Contractors Only
Not all contractors are the same. Roofing contractors in Tucson are on every corner but they are not all the same when it comes to legality and legitimacy. Many homeowners make the mistake of thinking that coating a roof is a simple task and anyone can do the work. It may seem simple, but it does take knowledge and skill to recoat your roof the right way. It is always best to hire a roofing contractor that has the license to do the work legitimately. It is difficult to hold unlicensed contractors accountable for their work because they can simply change their phone numbers or skip town and never be seen again. A licensed roofer is accountable to the state of Arizona and therefore can usually be found should he/she do the work improperly. There are different licenses that can be used to work on your roof. Roofing and general licenses can usually do the work.
Use Highly Rated Roofers
A roof company’s online presence matters. Most companies have Google accounts in today’s market places. These accounts allow clients to post reviews on the work they have performed. It is worth checking out the reviews of the roofing contractors in Tucson to see how they fair against the competition. Look at their most recent reviews and see what kind of work they are doing and when the last review was posted. Read the responses from the roofing contractor to the reviews. Did they respond? Check to see if the roofer has a Better Business Bureau account and what they are rated. Also, check other social media sites for reviews such as Facebook, Yelp, Bing, BBB, Nextdoor, etc. Look to see if the reviews on these sites match the same that everyone is reporting at Google. Finally, a bad review doesn’t mean it is a bad company. No company is perfect. Those who don’t have many bad reviews are likely taking care of their clients needs and showing they care when mistakes happen. Read the responses of the owners when a roofing contractor has a bad review.
Read The Roofer’s Estimate Carefully
It is common for many roofing companies to generalize or be very vague in their estimates. This should be a red flag. The best roofers in Tucson will spell out exactly what they intend to do the roof. There should not be anything hidden – not the materials, not the amounts, not the extra costs, etc. Also, the estimate should be written in a way that you can understand what is being said. Sometimes roofing companies hide behind technical jargon. Of course, this may or may not be intentional but can be frustrating for the homeowner. If you find yourself confused, call the company and ask what they mean. Ask them to change the estimate if necessary. One of the key ways roof coating contractors cheat is by not noting exactly how much material is needed for your roof coating job. Roof coating manufacturers like Tucson Rubberized have requirements for the amount of coating that should be applied. This is what the roofer should be putting on the roof. If a Tucson roofing company doesn’t put it in writing then they don’t have to put the right amount of material which often leads to a less quality job done on the roof. Get the amount of coating they are going to put on the roof put in writing before you hire them!
Check The Roof Coating Process Promised
Any good roofer in Tucson should know exactly how to coat the roof the correct way. Just in case you are not sure yourself, we have it directly outlined on our website (click here). But, for a refresher, here is how to coat a roof with elastomeric white roof coating or tan roof coating: Remove the debris from the roof; pressure wash the roof and let dry; patch the roof with polymembrane patches and mastic; roll first coat on the roof at the rate of the manufacturer and let dry (Tucson Rubberized requires 100 sqft per gallon); check for additional patches before applying the second coat; and finally paint the roof with second coat of roof coating. Again, knowing the process the roofing contractor promises is important because you want to make sure the job is done well.
Use The Best Roof Coating For Your Roof
Not all roof coatings are the same! Some roofing companies will push lesser brands because it saves them money on materials but it could take years of the longevity of your roof and cost extra money in the long term. It is important for your roofer to use the best acrylic roof coatings. The best coatings will have a good balance of solids and higher-grade elastomers in their mix. Tucson Rubberized 7000 coating is, in our opinion, the best elastomeric coating in the Tucson market. It is not the cheapest coating, but it does stay pliable longer and lasts longer because it goes on thicker than most other coatings. The higher grade APOC comes in second in our opinion. Try to stay away from some of the national coating brands as they often use cheaper elastomers and their coatings do not seem to last as long in the Arizona desert heat. Don’t forget, as noted above, if the coating is not applied according to the manufacturer’s requirements the roof will need to be recoated sooner which will cost you more money!
Roll The Coating On, Do Not Spray Coating
Some of the larger roof coating companies have expensive pumps that allow them to spray the coatings on the roof. This seems technical and good but there are a few problems with spraying the coating down. First, it aerates the coating which causes more bubbles in the coating. Second, it often goes on thinner than a paint roller will apply the coating. This is very important because you want to make sure the right amount goes on the roof. There is very little control on how much roof coating will be applied to your roof when spraying the coating. Finally, the coating will need to be thinner to go through the pumps. This means more should be applied to the roof to ensure the mil thickness of the roof coating when dried meets the roof coating manufacturer’s recommendations. Rolling on the roof coating is always best because it ensures every inch of the roof was touched properly by a roller. It is also easier to ensure the right amount of material is applied to the roof. Rollers can sometimes splat some coating as it is moving but it is nothing like a sprayer. With sprayed roof coatings, there is a much higher chance for overspray to get on things like your painted parapets, solar panels, etc.
A Tucson Roof Coating Company
Desert Sky Roofing will coat your roof right the first time. We prepare the roofs properly before coating, we use top of the line roof coatings, we apply the coating according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, and we use polymembrane to patch the cracks. We are one of the only companies in the business who will put in writing exactly how much roof coating we will use on your roof. We will “roof it right the first time.” We provide free roof inspections and in most cases we do not require money before starting the job. Give us a call today and we can give you a free roof estimate for painting your roof! We work in Avra Valley, Bear Canyon, Casas Adobes, Catalina, Catalina Foothills, Continental Ranch, Corona De Tucson, Cortaro, Dove Mountain, Drexel Heights, Flowing Wells, Green Valley, Marana, Oro Valley, Picture Rocks, Rancho Vistoso, Rita Ranch, Saddlebrook, Sahuarita, Tanque Verde, Tortolita, Tucson, Tucson Estates, and Vail.
