Roofing Companies, Who to Trust & Who to Stay Away From [Guide]
When you need roofing repairs done, you usually need it done quickly. If there’s a leak in your roof, you can’t just leave that alone. The problem is, there are a lot of roofing companies out there, and it’s hard to know what to look for when choosing a contractor for the job.
This article will help you when deciding between roofing companies. We’ll show you how to know who to trust and who to stay away from. There are a few key factors to look out for.
Make Sure the Roofing Companies Have Insurance
This is the first and possibly the most important thing you can do. All roofing companies should have both workers' compensation and liability insurance in case of an accident. If they don’t have this, it could wind up costing you a lot of money in the long run.
Don’t be afraid to ask them to show you their proof of insurance. It may be a weird request (it’s really not), but you’ll thank yourself later on.
Hiring a roofing company without insurance can get you both in a lot of trouble if there’s an accident. So make sure you verify this upfront before any work begins.
Check Online Reviews of Roofing Companies
One of the tell-tale signs of an untrustworthy contractor is bad reviews. If others have had poor experiences with them, you can expect the same. You want to make sure they have consistently been able to do a good job, time and again.
Check to see if any customers have had to have them re-do any jobs. You want to be able to trust that they’ll do it right the first time. This way it saves you from having to wait the additional time for them to fix their own mistakes.
See Examples of the Roofing Companies' Work
A lot of roofing companies will have examples of the types of jobs they do online. See if they have any before-and-after photos of their work. This could give you an idea of what their work is like.
If you can’t find any examples of work they’ve done, that could be a sign that they’re untrustworthy. There are plenty of fake contractors who try to scam people into paying for service they never provide. If there’s no completed work, that should be at least a red flag.
Look For Roofing Companies with Lots of Experience
You want to ensure that the contractor you choose has experience in the specific job you need to have done. If you know they have completed that same job in the past, you can trust they’ll be able to do the same now.
While this is helpful, you do have to be careful. It’s easy to make it look like you’ve done good work when you really haven’t. This is just one thing to look out for, but it cannot be the only one.
Get Quotes From Roofing Companies
Another sign of the trustworthiness of roofing companies is their pricing. As with a lot of other things, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. While you don’t want to overpay, you often get what you pay for.
This is where websites like GetYourQuote.com can come in handy. They can help you find roofing companies for free in your area. GYQ has a network of verified, quality roofing companies (and other contractors) and can get you free quotes depending on your needs.
All you have to do is provide them with the details of your project and your desired timeline. From there, they take care of the rest. They’ll get back to you with free quotes from roofing companies that could be a good fit for your job.
Check the Better Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau is an excellent resource when choosing between different roofing companies. You can make sure all the contractors are accredited, and you can see their BBB rating.
The BBB exists to help you find local businesses you can trust and count on. Regardless of the job you need doing, they can help you find high quality, dependable contractors.
Meet With Roofing Companies In Person
After you’ve done your research and narrowed it down to a couple of roofing companies, you want to meet with them if possible. It’s much easier to get a read on a company’s trustworthiness if you can sit down with them and discuss the job.
If you’re unable to meet in person, you can also call them over the phone. This will help give you a better idea of what to expect from them.
Never Pay in Full Upfront
Last but not least, never pay for service in full before it’s completed. Most roofing companies will not ask for this, as the price can change depending on how much work is needed.
You can expect to put down a deposit of up to 25% with some contractors, but many will allow you to completely delay payment until the job is completed.
Keep an eye out for all of these things when choosing a contractor. These can help you determine whether or not you're working with a trustworthy company.