Articles

How Can I Find a Good Roofing Contractor?

I. Is There Any Honor Among Roofers? 
The question was asked in a recent letter to the editor in a Montana newspaper. The answer was a responding “yes” from the roofing contractors, in the state of Montana, as they formed the Montana Roofing Contractors Association. 
Roofing Contractors In the mid-1980s were faced with the problems caused by a depressed economy and unscrupulous practices by a few companies.  The Roofing Contractors of Montana realized that roofers had the knowledge and expertise to identify and understand the complexities of Montana's roofing economy. Professional roofing contractors, together as an association, felt they could work to make the changes necessary and beneficial for the roofing industry. 
The building owner who made the above statement was thoroughly taken advantage of. When the association examined the circumstances in the above case, it was very apparent the owner used poor judgment. There were several things that happened that made it very obvious that the roofer in question was not honest and the owner was misinformed. 
The purpose of this pamphlet is to identify the criterion every owner should use in choosing a roofing company and a roof system. These guidelines were developed to assist someone, who is not an expert in roofing, to avoid the pitfalls that can occur in making those choices. 

II. Choosing a Roofing Contractor
A. Do I want to do business with this contractor?
Application of a roof system is the part of a roofing project that the contractor tends to be the most concerned with, but the business side is just as important.  Every year owners contract for roofs and find themselves in financial problems. When the contractor cannot satisfy his financial obligations, third parties will use liens and other legal devices to receive satisfaction from the owner. Every owner needs protection, and a careful examination of the roofing company's customer protection will help avoid these problems.
Financial Protection in the form of bonding and insurance is the first quality that should be considered in choosing a contractor.
Bonding is an often misunderstood part of the contracting business. A contractor purchases a bond from a licensed bonding company. The bond binds the bonding company to fulfill the contractor's obligations should he fail to complete any portion of the contract. There are three types of bonds. Labor and material payment bonds guarantee payment of the labor and material. A performance bond guarantees the contractor's ability to perform the contract.  If he does not, the bonding company will.
The bonding company receives a small fee for bonding services. They carefully scrutinize the contractor's financial statement and resources to be sure the bonding company will not suffer losses.  Not all roofing companies can meet these stringent requirements: those that can't, cannot obtain bonding.  When choosing a roofing contractor be sure to obtain proof that the roofing contractor is bondable. This is a time when lawsuits abound on every hand. To protect the contractor and the owner, it is necessary that the roofing contractor carry adequate worker's compensation insurance and business liability insurance. This will warrant that, should a problem or injury arise, the owner will not be held liable. To protect his interests, the owner should require the roofing contractor to submit a certificate of insurance showing proof of liability and workman’s compensation coverage. 
The federal government and most local governments require bonding, workman’s compensation, and business liability insurance. This protection is a must. Before they will accept a contractor, bonding and insurance companies check the company's history and financial records. An owner does not always have the resources to perform these analyses for each contractor he hires. By checking the contractor’s coverage he can determine to some degree the financial strength of the contractor.
Reliability is another vital factor. A strong contracting business has an established market area. The best companies strive to establish a relationship with the building owners in this area. This is done by providing a service that owners will accept year after year. A company which moves from place to place generally does so because the building owners 1n the area they came from discovered their services were unacceptable and will not hire them again. A contractor who has been doing business in an established area for an extended period is usually strong financially. A company which is strong financially can provide a reliable and consistent product now and In the future.
The best roofing suppliers and other related service people prefer to do business with companies with a strong financial base. The suppliers are concerned about having their products paid for and they frequently will not do business with financially weak applicators. Weak contractors can sometimes run out of money in the middle of the project and are unable to pay for the materials and wages needed to finish the project. A company living from day to day may not be in existence a year later to help with problems and changes that may arise. Commitments and warranties cannot be kept if there is not money to pay employee's salaries and buy materials and equipment necessary for future service.
B. Does this company do the kind of work that I want?
Experience is another indicator of a quality company. It is important to know how many years a contractor has been Involved in the roofing industry.  Have they been exposed to different types of roof systems so that they can judge fairly which roof system or type best fits each situation? Are their workmen well trained and is the on-site supervision adequate? The person or persons supervising the project is one of the single most important ingredients in a successful project. Is roofing a major part of this company’s activities? More technological changes have occurred in the roofing industry in the past ten years than in the preceding one hundred. People or companies who do roofing part-time usually have not developed the skills and expertise that full-time roofing contractors have. How familiar is the company with the type of system that has been chosen? Each owner should have experts working on his project. He definitely does not want people gaining their experience through the mistakes made on his project. Has the company demonstrated the ability to perform similar contracts in the past? In their zeal to gain work or improve business, some contractors get involved in projects without realizing the project is beyond their abilities and experience at this time. The owner generally ends up with a very unsatisfactory project and sometimes the contractors leave the project before it is completed.
Reputation is another indicator to look for in a contractor. It is vital to know whether the contractor is willing to provide future service for a reasonable fee.  Few buildings stay the same, whether it be damaged by acts of God, remodeling and additions, vandalism, or future improvements.  It is important to have expert help available in the future.  No system or any roofing contractor will ever reach perfection, there is always the potential for difficulties. Does the contractor willingly come back and take care of problems that arise? A contractor should be able to supply references that have been satisfied with their roofing projects.

III. Choosing a System 
A. Is this roofing system used frequently?
There are as many waterproofing systems available as there are different types of materials. Scores of roofing salesman deluge architects, building owners, and roofing contractors with every possible type of material and system. These salesmen heartily assure anyone who will listen that their product is the answer. For every roof system which has proven its worth, there are copycats that arise and say “Me, too.” 
One of the things to look for in a roof system is how often it has been installed. If there are several buildings in the area where the roof system is being used, we can reasonably expect similar results. Let another building prove the system can be a success. There is no such thing as a universal remedy in the roofing industry. Each system should be tailored to the specific requirements of the building and climate. A professional roofing contractor can provide the design service required in most situations. 
B. Is the system reliable? 
How much and what type future maintenance is necessary, and the costs involved, are items to be considered. It is also necessary to be able to make repairs and modifications easily and reliably. Some roof systems are very difficult to find leaks and to repair. These systems should be avoided whenever possible. There are several waterproofing products which work for only a short tie. Roof systems must be at last five years old before they can be considered a viable example. 
C. How does the cost of the roof system compare with other types? 
The cost of a roof system is often the area that receives the most consideration. Everyone wants to get the most for their dollar and sometimes the total dollar amount is restrictive. Usually the difference in the cost of legitimate roof systems is the length of its life and the amount of maintenance necessary to achieve that life. Other things such as aesthetics, weight considerations, and other qualities aside from water-tightness will add to the cost. 
D. What about a warranty? 
The warranty a system receives is often a good indicator of the confidence the manufacturer and the applicator have in the finished product. Warranties are often very deceptive on what they actually deliver. If the people supplying the system have good intentions, but do not have the resources to back up that warranty, there will be no support in the future. The most important qualification in a warranty is having someone behind it who demonstrates a willingness to support the product. It is so difficult, even with a good warranty, to fight an unwilling manufacturer. It is important to deal with a company that has demonstrated willingness to meet their warranty obligations. 

IV. There Are No Miracles In A Bucket 
This is a true statement in the roofing industry. Always be aware of the person who claims he has the product that will cure all your problems. Roofing contractors apply the overwhelming majority of the roof products and a manufacturer with a good product will always go to the professionals first. Contractors are the largest market and give the greatest potential for sales and high profitability. Therefore, many top-of-the-line products are not available to the general public, the do-it-yourselfer or part-time applicators. 
It is also true that you generally “get what you pay for.” It is best to hire a qualified roofing contractor who applies quality systems. It is good business for the contractor to establish a qualified relationship with the customer by performing his contracts in a manner that satisfies the customer. Each owner needs to look for a contractor willing to work toward that relationship. Each owner wants a reliable roof and each contractor wants a fair profit. When both of these goals are met, reliable roofs and satisfied customers are the result.