Roofing - What You Don't Know Could Hurt You

The roofing profession generally isn't something homeowners spend a lot of time thinking about until something goes wrong. Then it becomes a matter of great importance. Shouldn't it always be, though? After all, you're talking about the most important part of your home's structure. Without it, you don't have a proper home and you aren't protected from the elements. Someone living in a tent is in a better position. So whether you're thinking about getting some repair work done or going for a full replacement, here are some things you need to know about dealing with contractors and making a final decision.

Beware of Exaggeration

Even the best roofing companies tend to give homeowners a best-case scenario when it comes to the length of time their construction will last. The simple truth is that many of these estimates come from the manufacturer of the materials and they are based on normal weather conditions. But it's difficult to say where you might find these "normal" weather conditions. Your home is going to encounter winds, rain, snow, and other elements that are going to degrade the surface and take away from that time estimate. It's just something to be aware of.

Inspection

If you've never had a full home inspection, there could be problems up top that would be impossible to spot from ground level. It doesn't hurt to have a good roofing company come out and give it a full inspection so that you know if there is repair work that should be done. As with anything, the sooner you do repairs, the less costly they will be. Of course, you should hire someone you can trust. You don't need a company that is salivating at the thought of making up some needed repairs so they can bilk this homeowner for a job that doesn't need to be done.

Company Types

When it comes to roofing work, you're probably going to run into three primary types of companies. The first type will be a nationally syndicated company that hires out work from their franchises or from local contractors. While this company has a national reputation to protect, there is always going to be a buffer between you and management, and that can be frustrating. Next, there's the local contractor. This is often the best choice for the job. You'll get an easy idea of their local reputation and you'll always be able to get in touch with the guy in charge. Finally, there's always a local yahoo or two who just run around and do odd jobs, which may include roofing. This is your cheapest solution, usually, but it's not often a good one.