Homeowners in Central Florida love their houses and try to take great care and making them special places to live. A roof plays a major role in protecting your home and all of your valued possessions. When you decide it is time for a new roof, you might be excited about choosing the shingle style and color because you understand the importance of curb appeal. Most owners want a good value, however, you still need to remember the old adage "you get what you pay for." Choosing the right Orlando roofing contractor is just as important as selecting the best roofing shingle. You can ask family and friends for referrals or even better, you can check the Owens Corning roofing website.
In addition to offering a checklist of questions to ask a licensed roofing contractor, it turns out they have built a network of independent roofing companies. These aren't just ordinary professionals. they're expert roofers that have earned the titles of Owens Corning preferred or platinum preferred contractors. You can visit their website to learn more.
Finding A Roofer You Can Trust
You really need to know if you're dealing with a contractor who's got the most to lose if something goes wrong with your roofing project. Always select a local roofing company to work with. Ideally, a business you may have already heard about and if you can get to know them before you need their service. It will build good rapport and trust!
Questions To Ask A Roofing Contractor Before Hiring
You should ask the residential roofing company that you are considering to install your roof plenty of questions. Here are some good questions you will want to ask your roofer:
How long has the roofing company been in business in the Orlando area?
This is especially important if there has been a big storm in your area and there's a lot of roofing work being done. You may have heard of the term "storm chaser". Basically, a storm chaser is a roofer that's not local to your area. However, they may try and pretend that they are! Typically, these are out-of-state roofers from other areas that try to take advantage of the homeowner who is dealing with a storm damage crisis. Commonly offering a reasonable price to reroof your home very quickly. The problem is, they may not have the necessary roofing license to even do work in Florida. They will often not even pull any permits for the work to be completed as well as neglect to have any inspections done! In the end, once the job is done, the contractor disappears leaving you, the owner holding the bag if you need any warranty work done or the roof needs to be fixed.
Does the roofing contractor have a current license and liability insurance?
This is something you will want to check before your roofing project starts. You can usually check online with your state's department of business regulation to verify these credentials. If not, ask them to provide some documentation that proves they are currently licensed and insured.
What kind of roofing warranty does the contractor offer?
There are two kinds of warranties you should get when having your roof replaced. The first is a labor warranty and the second is the material warranty.
Labor Warranty - This is how long the roofing contractor will warranty his work. It is also gives you some leverage to negotiate if you are getting more than one estimate. Manytimes, a roofing company will match anothers labor warranty if it will seal the deal!
Material Warranty - The length of your material warranty will vary depending on the type of roofing system you are having installed. Be it commercial roofing, residential shingles, metal roof, tile roof etc. As mentioned above, some manufacturers offer a better warranty if the the roofing contractor is certified through some type of training by the manufacturer. This is supposed to insure the quality of installation, thus the manufacturer can guarantee the roof will last for x amount of years as long as the roof is installed to their specifications.
Do they have any accreditations or awards?
Something you need to know is ALL professional roofing contractors love to boast about their special awards or accreditations...all of them! If you ask, you will hear things like, BBB accredited with an A+ rating or GAF Master Elite, Shinglemaster etc. At minimum, you want to be dealing with a BBB accredited roofer. This can tell you a number of things, but most important is that typically a roofer that has his office, storage and tools all on one truck probably isn't going to have the money to pay for his annual dues. If he is struggling to run his business, then you probably don't want to gamble that on your roof! The point being, a reputable roofing company has local offices, branded vehicles and probably an award or two that they can boast about.
How is their reputation and do they have any reviews?
No matter how you find your next residential roof contractor, it's always a good idea to check out their reviews online. In todays world it is almost impossible not to find something about a business on the web, good or bad. Take the time to actually read some of the reviews. Not all bad reviews are bad. Many times people will leave reviews that have nothing to do with their quality of work. For example "the worker was speeding in their neighborhood" and gave the business a 1 star rating...really??? What does that have to do with their quality of work? Nothing! Just remember to be fair when considering your options.
Final Tip For Choosing A Roofing Company Near You
Last, you should always get at least 3 roofing estimates in order to guage the average cost of a new roof. Select three certified roofing contractors that you would like have come out and inspect your roof. They will usually offer a free roof inspection and evaluate the condition of your roofing shingles. If you have wind or hail damage from a recent storm, you may qualify to have the roof replaced through your insurance company. Just be sure to read your policy before filing a storm damage claim to ensure your roof is covered. Follow these guidelines and you will be certain to find a roof repair company near Orlando that you can trust.
Doug Oliver Development
121 S Orange Ave #1500
Orlando, FL 32801
(407) 542-4797
Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8:00am - 8:00pm Sat. - Sun. 10:00am - 6:00pm
http://www.dougoliverdevelopment.com
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