Hiring a Roofer: The Steps to Success

Got a leak? It can be one of the most unpleasant things to realize as a homeowner. Water leaking in through your roof means water damage could be taking place and ruining your ceilings, walls, and even your possessions. Excess water could be causing mold growth and inviting bugs to make a comfortable home inside your walls. To remedy the problem, you'll need to hire a roofer, but how do you go about it so you get the best deal possible? This is the question that has plagued many over the years. Here, finally, are the steps to success when hiring a roofing contractor.

Start by seeing who your friends and neighbors recommend. If you're like most people, you live in a neighborhood filled with similar houses. No, your house may not be identical to the ones on either side of you, but there are probably some distinct similarities. Ask your neighbors if they've ever had to hire a roofer and who they recommend. You'll be sure to get honest answers, rather than ones that have been filtered through a promotional process. You can go online and find references and reviews as well, but without knowing the people doing the talking, you'll have no way of knowing for sure if the information you're getting is reliable.

When you call a roofer for price estimates, get a list of references while you're at it. This shouldn't be a problem for any contractor who has been in business a while. They are sure to have some jobs they are particularly proud of and some customers who wouldn't mind singing their praises. Now, if a contractor gives you an address and a phone number, you can be certain that the family on the other end of that information is going to speak highly of them. Nevertheless, it is important that you go through this step anyway, just to make sure the contractor does have someone they can point to and say, "That. That's some work I did in the past that left a very satisfied customer."

When you feel you're getting close to making a hire, it's not a bad idea to run their name through the Better Business Bureau. This is easier than ever, thanks to the internet. Run their name through the system and see if there are any customer complaints on record. If there are, read those complaints and see if the roofer made any attempt to answer the charges or rectify the situation. One or two minor complaints may not be enough to sway you in one direction or another, but if the contractor has racked up a number of angry customers, you might want to steer clear.