It’s suggested that you replace your roof every thirty years. Though this is quite a decent lifespan, you’ll still be replacing a roof at least once in your life. That doesn’t include any repairs that might be necessary for the meantime.
Most major repairs are best left to professionals, and roofs are no exception. For all roof-related issues, it’s best to consult a commercial roofing contractor.
A common problem is that most contractors are self-employed, so not all of them will be reliable. You may want to ask a few questions before making your choice. We’ll discuss a few of these questions in this article.
1. Are You Licensed?
Chances are that you’re not going to be taken in by a con artist masquerading as a contractor, but such things do happen, even here in mid-Missouri. Asking those you hire for proof of licensing is a simple security measure. In addition, ask for references and be sure to check out two or three of them, as well as reading reviews on Google, Yelp, and social media. You should also check to see if they have a BBB rating and any reviews there.
Keep in mind that not everyone who works in roofing is a commercial roofing contractor. If your contractor is working with sub-contractors, try to make sure they’re certified as well. Seeing as this is yet another basic protective measure, they’re probably familiar with such questions, and won’t begrudge you for asking them.
There are several requirements to become a licensed contractor. A contractor must be 18, have graduated high school, and be an American citizen, among other things.
2. How Experienced are You?
It’s important that you ask how much experience your contractor has. Everybody has to start somewhere, but we understand not wanting to trust your roof to someone who hasn’t been in business for very long.
The good news is that the longer a contractor has been in business, the more capable they’re likely to be. You may also want to ask how long each worker has been with the company. Anybody working for an experienced, qualified company probably knows what they’re doing.
3. What Kind of Roof Should I Have?
Once you’ve finished vetting the contractors, you can ask for their professional opinion on your roof. Tell them about your budget and any circumstances they might not know about. Be very aware at this point of whether they are trying to upsell you to more expensive products.
Sometimes it really is necessary or in your best interest to increase your budget. So you will need to either know if that’s the case or whether they are trying to take advantage of you. If you are unsure, consider having a friend or family member who knows about these things join in on these conversations.
Each type of roofing material has its advantages and downsides. Asphalt shingles are quite popular because they’re inexpensive and easy to install. Here in the Midwest roofing options like metal roofs, wooden shingles, or tile roofs are often not as cost-effective on a strict dollar-for-dollar basis, even over longer periods of time. However, TPO, EPDM, and Elastomeric Roof Coating are often good choices on large commercial buildings with metal roofs, flat roofs, or low-sloped roofs.
The Best Questions to Ask a Commercial Roofing Contractor
When hiring a commercial roofing contractor, it’s important to make sure you’re choosing the right one. To this end, you may want to ask a few questions about them and what they can do for you.
A few of these questions have been mentioned in this article, but there are others that will help ensure that the work gets done competently, on time, and at-or-below budget.
If you’d like additional information on roofing or are looking for roofing services please visit our site. Before replacing a roof, you need to know whether it needs to be replaced at all rather than just repaired. We can give you some advice on how to tell.
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