Roofing repairs are not to be delayed. Any leaks can lead to disastrous effects if they aren’t stopped as soon as possible. Here are three things you should do before you hire a contractor.
Roofing repairs are not to be put off. Any leaks can lead to disastrous consequences if they aren’t nipped in the bud as soon as possible. Home improvement stores sell gels and kits that can stop a leak for a short period of time,
but that is just a way to buy an extra month or so while you focus on finding a good contractor. So that doesn’t leave a lot of time for dilly dallying, especially considering the fact that finding such a contractor can be an exercise in frustration. Take heed, though; good ones are out there. And if you know what to look for, they aren’t hard to spot. Here are three things you should do before you make a decision.
Spend Money
Now, of course you will be spending money if you have roofing repairs that need to be done. That goes without saying. But you may be tempted to shop for a contractor based on price. This is almost always a mistake, no matter how you look at it. If there’s someone in your area charging three times as much as everyone else then, yes, you should probably avoid them. But you should avoid the person charging three times less than everyone else just as fervently. When there are significant price differences from the median, something is amiss. That means cutting corners, hiring unskilled labor, and possibly not adhering to the state’s requirements. Don’t get involved with companies like that. It’s not worth the “savings”.
Get It In Writing
Don’t take any contractor’s word for it when it comes to an estimate. It doesn’t matter if you’ve gotten a recommendation from your real estate agent, your boss, your preacher, and the local high school bandleader. Before the first roofing repairs can begin, you’ll want an estimate in writing with wording that states the final price cannot go more than, say, 15% or so over the written figure. This will save you from a lot of headache should they come back to your halfway through the project, demanding more money to finish.
Don’t Fall for Sales Tactics
Roofing repairs are not to be put off. Any leaks can lead to disastrous consequences if they aren’t nipped in the bud as soon as possible. Home improvement stores sell gels and kits that can stop a leak for a short period of time, but that is just a way to buy an extra month or so while you focus on finding a good contractor. So that doesn’t leave a lot of time for dilly dallying, especially considering the fact that finding such a contractor can be an exercise in frustration. Take heed, though; good ones are out there. And if you know what to look for, they aren’t hard to spot. Here are three things you should do before you make a decision.
Spend Money
Now, of course you will be spending money if you have roofing repairs that need to be done. That goes without saying. But you may be tempted to shop for a contractor based on price. This is almost always a mistake, no matter how you look at it. If there’s someone in your area charging three times as much as everyone else then, yes, you should probably avoid them. But you should avoid the person charging three times less than everyone else just as fervently. When there are significant price differences from the median, something is amiss. That means cutting corners, hiring unskilled labor, and possibly not adhering to the state’s requirements. Don’t get involved with companies like that. It’s not worth the “savings”.
Get It In Writing
Don’t take any contractor’s word for it when it comes to an estimate. It doesn’t matter if you’ve gotten a recommendation from your real estate agent, your boss, your preacher, and the local high school bandleader. Before the first roofing repairs can begin, you’ll want an estimate in writing with wording that states the final price cannot go more than, say, 15% or so over the written figure. This will save you from a lot of headache should they come back to your halfway through the project, demanding more money to finish.
Don’t Fall for Sales Tactics
If you’ve done your research and gotten some good recommendations, you should be starting off on the right foot with your new contractor. But sometimes, if you’re dealing with a salesman instead of someone who actually gets their hands dirty, things can get a bit tiresome. Suddenly, you need a new roof. No, you need to plant some baby trees on your roof to help save energy. Wait, you need solar panels. Don’t feel pressured when this starts happening. Explain to them that you only want the roofing repairs done and if they continue to up sell, you’ll simply take your business elsewhere. Life is too short to spend it fending off an aggressive salesman.
