You can find countless numbers of roofing contractors in the Tampa Bay area. The question is, which of them will be suitable for your work. You must know what questions to ask them so that there will be no hassles after the work has started.
The questions can be divided into five categories. The first is about the contactor himself and the credibility of his work. The second is about various relevant documents. The third is about the details of the work he would do for you. The fourth is about the resolution of collateral damages if any. The fifth is about the estimate, warranties and post-installation maintenance.
About the contractor and the credibility of his work
1. Does the contractor have a permanent address and phone number?
Every homeowner should make sure that the contractor has a permanent address and a phone number which he has been keeping for some time. This will eliminate the contractors who are just struggling to establish in the field. It is also advisable tovisit the place of business to see the condition of his office. A full-fledged workplace will have a well-equipped office and an adequate number of staff.
2. How long have they been in the business?
This is to check whether he is a new company or an established one. If he is new then he may not have the proper set of equipment and expert workers. Also, the company may lackknowledge of the latest developments in the field.
3. Does the company showcase their projects?
It is always good to see a sample of the contractor’s work. You can see the level of perfection of their work by asking for pictures or local addresses that you can visit to see the roof they installed.
4. How many workers do they have and what are their specialties?
You need to know the number of workers involved in the work to have a rough idea about the number of people walking around your house. You need to make sure that this workforce includes specialty workers, as each component of a roof needs specialized handling. You should get the details of the training and work experience of each of them. In this way, you can ensure the quality of work.
About the relevant documents
5. Do they have a license?
Most states will require workers be licensed. You can look up a business license by visiting Division of Corporations website here. This will help you to resolve any issues later.
6. Do they have employees’ compensation insurance?
This will ensure the compensation of workers in case of a mishap while working on your home. The absence of this will make the homeowner himself liable for such compensations.
7. Do they have liability insurance?
This is to make sure that in case the roofer damages any of your property while working on your house, it will be compensated for.
8. Would they conduct a detailed roof check and provide a report?
You must know beforehand the details of the damages of your roof and what needs immediate attention. This will also help you decide whether you’ll need a roof replacement or roof repair in Tampa.
9. Will they give me a detailed list of the work needed?
This will avoid the confusion that may arise later as to what the expected priceswill be. This will also prevent the roofer from inserting additional work and expenditures once the work begins. Some of the contractors will assure the homeowner of reduced expenditure before the work begins and later additional expenses crops up.
10. What will cause variations from the agreed-upon expenses?
Sometimes a roof replacement will run into unexpected expenses because of unforeseen roof damages. It is possible that multiple pieces of roof decking are rotted that was not detected until the shingles were ripped off. Each contract will have a set number of plywood that is allocated for each project. If the plywood count exceeds what is on the contract then an extra expense will be incurred.
About the resolution of collateral damages if any
11. What will they do in case of damage to the driveway and landscape around my house?
The roofer is responsible for correcting any damages he or his workers may cause. This is one of the reasons why you should hire an ethical roofing company because they will fix the issues instead of blaming them on someone else or stating the damages were there beforehand.
About the post-work activities
12. What is the longevity of warranty I will receive?
Most of the roof work will have a warranty of 20 to 25 years of service life. This should be obtained in writing so that the contractor is held responsible for any problems that arise before the stipulated number of years.
13. How long will they provide free maintenance and/or roof inspections after the work?
Some roofers provide free roof estimates and minor maintenance activities for another year after the work. The above questions if adequately addressed, will ensure quality work from the contractor.