11 Questions You Should Ask a Roofing Contractor Before Hiring Them

Finding a reputable roofing contractor can be hard, especially in Las Vegas. That’s why it’s important to know what questions to ask one before you hire one. An unqualified roofing contractor could easily make your roof problems worse. Check out what you should know before hiring a roofing company or contractor to fix your roof.

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You can get a sense of how qualified a roofing contractor is and what type of work they deliver by seeing how they answer the following questions.

Before speaking with a roofing contractor about the work they’ll do, always ask first if you can see their license. Unlicensed contractors are dangerous and can fail to build or repair your roof to code. They also may abandon your project altogether and leave with whatever money you gave them. A reputable roofing contractor should be open and transparent about their licenses and won’t hesitate to show them to you.

There are a lot of fly-by-night roofing contractors who open and close shop to get rid of a bad reputation. Ask a prospective roofing contractor how long they’ve been in business before working with them. The longer a contractor has been in continuous operation, the more confident you can be in the quality of work they’ll deliver.

Roofing can be dangerous, both to the workers employed and to your home. That makes it important for a roofing contractor to carry the proper insurance. Ask prospective roofing contractors if they carry workman’s comp and general liability insurance. The former will cover the expenses for any job site accidents that may happen, while the latter will cover any damages from the roofing services.

A surety bond protects you from many potential scenarios where you could otherwise pay for a roofer’s mistakes. If a roofer is bonded, you’ll be covered if they fail to complete the work they promised to do. A surety bond can also cover the pay of their workers if the roofer doesn’t pay them, the cost of a permit if the roofer fails to pull one before they begin work, and any damages before liability insurance kicks in.

Many roofing contractors subcontract out part of their work, which can present a variety of issues if you aren’t aware of this from the start. For one, you’ll want to verify that the subcontractors offer the same quality of work as your roofing contractor. Discuss what it means if a roofing contractor uses a roofing subcontractor and what a subcontractor should provide to prove they can do the work.

Home improvement projects typically require a permit from local authorities to proceed. Your roof repair or replacement is no different. Speak with your prospective roofing contractor to find out if they’ll need a permit for your roof project. If they don’t pull the permit when it’s needed, you could face some headaches from local authorities once the project gets going.

One way to gauge the expertise and reliability of a roofing contractor is to ask if they’re local. A less-established contractor or one with a checkered past may have recently moved into your area. However, even an excellent contractor who is a relatively new arrival may not have a firm grasp on the conditions they’ll face when working on your roof. A local Las Vegas roofer will have a deep knowledge of local regulations as well as challenges they could face, whether it’s in finding skilled workers to the extremes of the Las Vegas climate.

Before agreeing to work with a roofing contractor, it’s important to get an idea of the scope of work that they will undertake. This can help you to establish a good working relationship with your contractor and can help you better work through potential surprises as the work progresses. It’s important to establish clear and open communication with your contractor early on in the process.  Speaking with your contractor about what they hope to accomplish also allows you to further gauge their expertise.

A written estimate can provide a measure of security from cost overruns for your roof repairs or full replacement. It’s rare for a construction project to go exactly as planned from the outset, and a written estimate could provide you with a good idea of what you’ll pay in different scenarios. Don’t sign a contract until you get one, no matter how good a contractor’s deal sounds.

We know it can be hard to find a reputable roofing contractor in Las Vegas, but we’ve tried to make this job a little easier for you. At The Original Roofing Company, we have over five decades of experience to place at your disposal during your next project. We service clients big and small across the Valley and can handle any residential roofing or commercial roofing repairs you may need for your home or business. Contact us today to set up an appointment or ask us your questions.

Topics: Roofing, Roof Repairs, Roof Maintenance