3 Common Questions to Ask a Roofing Contractor

 

When you need professional roof repairs in Virginia, it’s vital to partner with the right roofing contractor. Otherwise, you risk opening yourself up to inferior work or to a contractor that starts the work and never completes it. You simply cannot afford an unfinished roof.  So, before hiring a roofing contractor to work on your residential home, we have put together a few important questions you’ll want to ask them. Knowing what to ask and what their answers should be, will help you make an educated decision on who to hire.

  1. Are You Licensed to Install Roofs in my State?

Don’t hire a roofing contractor who is not licensed to install roofs in your state. Code requirements vary from state to state, meaning that what’s suitable for Maryland may not be suitable for Virginia. You’ll want to hire someone who understands the county codes where your home is located. Next, make sure their contractor’s license is valid with the State.  We have seen numerous copies of photoshopped licenses that are falsely made.  Either call the State Contractor’s Board or go online to their site and actually validate the contractor’s license. Hiring an unlicensed contractor can result in numerous problems.  Subpar roof installation, invalid roofing manufacturer’s warranty, and your insurance company not covering the claim if something goes wrong. You will have little or no legal footing.

  1. Are You Properly Insured?

This is a big one. Your roofing contractor must carry both general liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation insurance protects your assets in the event a roofing worker becomes injured on your property. Liability insurance protects your property should it become damaged by the roofing crew that’s working on your home. For example, if a roofing worker inadvertently causes a fire that does thousands of dollars in property damage, you will be safely covered. Like contractors’ licenses we talked about above, we have seen numerous copies of photoshopped insurance declaration pages that are falsely made. Before hiring your roofing contractor, either call the insurance company or go online to their site and actually validate the contractor’s insurance policy.  When a roofing contractor comes in much lower than legitimate roofing contractors, it is a big red flag that they probably are not paying for and have the proper roofing contractor insurance policies.  As a homeowner, you definitely do not want an injured roof worker suing you because the contractor didn’t have the proper insurance.

” The best way homeowners can protect themselves from liability is by only hiring licensed roofing contractors and confirming the limits of their insurance coverage before the roofing work actually begins. For example, in my state, Virginia has its own contractor licensing requirements and has mandatory minimum requirements regarding liability and workers’ compensation coverage. ”

Julian Stevens

  1. What Sort of Warranties Comes With my New Roof?

Roofing manufacturers all offer limited warranties.  Ask your roofing contractor if they will warrant the installation work they perform. If a roofing contractor is unwilling to stand behind their work and the work of their roofing crew, that is also a big red flag. Most standard manufacturer’s warranties on roof repair cover at least the first ten years. Professional roofing contractors, however, often offer lifetime warranties on the quality of the installation work they perform. You can feel confident in hiring these types of professional roofing companies. It’s important to read and know the terms of your roofing warranty. Most warranties require annual routine inspection and maintenance by the roofing contractor who installs the roof. Performing your own roof repairs or having a friend work on your roof could void your warranty.

 

Trust GoTech Roofing in Northern Virginia

For over a decade, the team at GoTech Roofing has provided high-quality roofing services in Alexandria VA with roof repair and replacement services and in Arlington VA with roof repair and replacement services. Whether you need repairs or a roof replacement, you can count on our workmanship to take care of your roofing needs. 3 Common Questions to Ask a Roofing Contractor