The roofing industry in the U.S. employs tens of thousands of people. Therefore, you won’t have trouble finding roofers and/or roofing companies if you need one or more. However, this number may make it difficult for you to find the best roofing company possible.
Luckily, there are many techniques that you can use to find a roofing company that meets all your needs.
Know the Type of Work You Need
Before you search ‘roofing company near me’, you need to know two things. These are the type of roofing that you have and what kind of work you need to get done. Perhaps you have composite roofing and you want it to have metal roofing.
Why do you need this information? It’s because all most roofing companies specialize in different areas. It’s rare that a single company can handle every single roofing task you may need.
One company may work better with tile roofing and another with rolled roofing. One company may replace a roof while another can only repair it.
Therefore, it is possible to contact and/or hire a company that cannot help you. This can be very inconvenient. You can prevent this by learning what you need and then performing a search with those terms.
If you have metal roofing, for instance, it’s a good idea to search ‘metal roofing companies near me’. That will give you fewer options than searching ‘roofing repair companies near me’.
Extra Tip
You may need to inspect your roof in order to learn its type and/or damage. Please don’t walk around on your roof to do this. You can get injured and/or damage your roof more this way.
Instead, stay on a ladder. You may also try other methods of inspection. Consider using a selfie stick or a drone to take photos of places you can’t reach.
Find Recommendations for Different Roofing Companies
Typing ‘metal roofing contractors near me’ can get you some significant results. However, even if you’re specific, such a search can take a lot of time. You’ll have to separate the good results from hundreds of bad ones.
The better way is to ask others for recommendations. People you know have likely had rolled roofing installation or other jobs done. These can include your friends, neighbors, and/or family members.
Therefore, you don’t have to find a roofing company on your own. Once you know you need roofing services, contact such people mentioned above. Ask them about who they’ve used for roofing services and how it went.
You’ll probably get a few answers from people you know. If you don’t get enough from them, expand your search. It’s actually easier than you may think to contact locals you don’t know.
For example, consider using the social network Next Door to talk to your neighbors. You will also probably find subgroups themed to your local area on other social media sites.
Extra Tip
Remember also that many roofing companies are franchises. You can probably find certain companies with several locations across the country. Therefore, it’s not unreasonable to ask nonlocals about residential or commercial roofers.
However, make sure that the franchise company at least has a local physical address. Otherwise, it may be difficult to get their help when something goes wrong.
Look Through Reviews for the Best Roofing Company
Work until you have a list of, say, ten to twenty commercial and/or residential roofers. Then, narrow down this list further by looking for roofing company reviews. There are many places where you can find these.
Most residential and/or commercial roofing contractors should have websites. On these, you’re likely to find a few testimonials/reviews from previous clients. Keep in mind, though, that most roofing companies will only post positive reviews.
There are also several sites that focus specifically on customer reviews. Places like Yelp and City Search are good examples. However, search these places with caution, as there are services to buy fake reviews.
Extra Tip
Previous customers aren’t the only ones who review business. You can also find articles written by industry experts. These will often create a list of different reliable companies.
Here’s a good example of such an article that lists different internet services.
Examine the Quality of Each Website
By now, you’ve probably found the websites of each company on your, say, ‘metal roofing installers near me’ list. You can now start looking through each of them. The first thing you should look at is the quality of the website.
Companies who care about their service should care about their survival. They should know that providing quality service is one way to keep it alive. Another one is impressing customers.
Therefore, a company should have invested in creating a professional-looking website. It doesn’t have to look like YouTube, Facebook, or so on. However, it should be neat and bug-free.
When you first arrive at a roofing company site, start exploring. Check for any spelling errors in phrases like ‘roofing underlayment’. Make sure a list of, say, metal roofing colors doesn’t, for no reason, include a phrase like ‘roofing cement’.
Click on buttons that say things like ‘PVC roofing’. Make sure it leads to an explanation of that and not, say, ‘sheet metal roofing’. Also, clicking on at least most of the buttons shouldn’t cause errors.
Extra Tip
There are also many other ways to examine a service’s professional quality. If you can, consider visiting the service’s physical location. Check if the building looks tidy and the workers are well-groomed and neat.
You can also measure professionalism at the level of a company’s customer service. Consider calling the company and talking with a representative. If their tone is friendly and/or polite, you’ve probably got an excellent company.
Read About the Company’s Years of Experience
It’s likely that one company on your ‘roofing repair contractors near me’ list will have more experience than others. One quality roofing company may have been around for decades. Another may have been around for less than a decade.
If a company has lasted a long time, it tells you at least three good things about it. The first is that its workers have had more practice. This means they’re less likely to mess up when they’re, say, installing rubber roofing material.
Also, a commercial and/or residential roofing company can’t last long with poor service. Unsatisfied customers will not return and will warn others. Therefore, a company with a long service period probably has a long track record of providing excellent service.
Lastly, it’s also good if a company has been in a particular area for a long time. This means they’ll have knowledge of the area’s features such as weather, housing styles, and more. With these, they can give you recommendations on roofing styles.
For these reasons, it’s a good idea to consider a company with more experience than one with less. However, don’t let this be the sole thing that causes you to choose one company over another. There are still many more things that can make residential and/or commercial roofing contractors great.
Extra Tip
Remember that a company’s experience isn’t necessarily the experience of different workers. Be sure to check how many years the company’s roofers have been on the job too. If you can’t find this information on the site, ask via the customer service line.
Research the Products That a Company Uses
All roofing contractors should have roofing products they prefer using. For example, metal roofing contractors may have one sheet metal roofing brand they use over another. The company should have these brands listed on their site or you can ask.
Once you know which brands/products the company uses, research these. You can use many of the same tips listed in this article to research a roofing manufacturer. Read reviews, look for certifications, and such.
For some manufacturers, you’ll probably get critical reviews like ‘these guys don’t know how to cut metal roofing’. A manufacturer’s website might not look very professional. The number of service years they have may also seem suspiciously small.
If there are too many issues, it’s reasonable to feel suspicious of a so-called reliable roofing company. The best plastic roofing contractors should use the best plastic roofing. The same goes for aluminum roofing contractors and so on.
If a roofing service uses unreliable products, they’re probably unreliable as well.
Extra Tip
Be sure to not judge a company based on one poor product choice alone. Check out everything that the company uses. If there are more great products than poor products, it’s probably safe to assume the service is decent.
Also, don’t hesitate to tell the roofers about what you found out. You can also ask them why they still use the product. You may convince them to switch or they may tell you something the reviews missed.
In other cases, a company may use a variety of products for the same purpose. If so, see if you can request that they use particular products.
Search Through the Licenses of the Contractors
A license proves that a roofer has a certain amount of commercial and/or residential roofing experience and knowledge. How much they need of each category depends on the requirements of an issuing body.
Usually, a roofer has to meet these by proving their experience and/or passing one or more exams. They may also need to have a bond, insurance, and other protections.
It’s usually not required for roofing contractors to have a license in the U.S. However, it’s best to choose a roofer with one over a roofer without. By doing this, you can assure yourself that the worker you use has a lot of knowledge and experience.
Extra Tip
Some companies may bait customers with an experienced roofer and end up sending a less experienced one. Be sure to ask the companies in your ‘roofing and siding installers near me’ list about who will perform your service. Also, make sure that they stay good on their word.
If they mention someone who you can’t find on their site or seems too inexperienced, be suspicious. It is possible, of course, that they may be training a new hire. However, if that’s the case, a more experienced contractor should be with them.
See If the Company Has Warranties and Insurance
Even an experienced, quality roofing company makes mistakes. They may drop clear roofing panels and break them, for instance. Since such a thing can happen, you want to make sure you’ll get compensated.
If a company has insurance, they can get the money to pay you back after an accident. Also, if a company has insurance, it proves that a company cares about satisfying its customers. It also proves that they trust the quality of their work enough to bet on it.
Much the same is true about warranties. This is a guarantee that a product will last a certain amount of time. If it doesn’t, the owner of the product can get it replaced for free or paid for.
Extra Tip
Also, check how the company handles customer satisfaction issues. You may find a ‘100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee’ marking and/or a whole policy listed. If not, you can ask them about their satisfaction policies.
If you can, look or ask for particular stories. A company may or may not have these. However, if they do, it’s a great way for you to learn more detail about their policy.
Ask to Get All the Work in Writing
A classic tactic of scammers is to add charges for no reason. The price of one of your ‘metal roofing installers near me’ list members may end up higher than you expect. If you ask why, they may mention something about ‘reinforcing the scaffolding’.
At this point, you may have signed a contract to let the residential metal roofing contractors do whatever they wish. They can use what metal roofing types seem necessary. If they see something they need to repair, they can fix it.
It’s not a good idea to sign an open-ended contract like this. This can allow scammers to add whatever charges they wish. When they do, you cannot contest it easily.
The better strategy is to get everything in writing. The contract should include everything the roofers deem necessary to do. If they feel like they need to do something more, they should ask you first.
Make sure you get such a contract before the work starts. You can even try asking if you’ll get one before the contractors arrive. If they won’t give you this, they’re probably hiding something.
Extra Tip
This technique also works by asking for an itemized receipt. A good quality company will not have any problem telling you about every corrugated metal roofing panel they bought.
A company that’s trying to trick you won’t want to do this. An itemized receipt can serve as proof you got cheated. You can then use this for any legal claims later.
Compare Prices of Different Services With Each Other
You may still have a few commercial and/or residential roofing companies you want to work with at this point. If so, you can start eliminating companies with smaller details. The difference in company prices is one of these.
However, it’s not as simple as choosing the cheapest services. You want to make sure that you’re still getting reliable roofing services. You also don’t want to hire services that are more expensive than they’re worth.
There’s a good way to make sure you get a decent price. Research the average prices of different roofing services in your area. You can then prioritize the companies with the prices closer to that average.
Extra Tip
Remember that a roofing service price may change. Contractors may inspect your roof and feel that they need to perform more services. These differences can change the expensiveness of one price over another.
If you can, see if you can get multiple roof inspections from a few different companies. Then, list out the quotes that they give you after this. Compare these with each other to find your best roofing company.
Choose the Company With Future Services You’ll Need
For now, you’re probably just thinking about the services that you’ll need in a few weeks, a month, or so. However, it’s a good idea to think about any future services you’ll need. For example, you may be thinking of replacing your composite roofing shingles with metal ones in the future.
If you do, you might have to go through this entire search process again. However, if you find a roofing company that offers this service now, you won’t need to. Therefore, consider choosing a company that can provide both this present and future service.
Along with not having to search again, you’ll feel more at ease. You won’t have to deal with the mistrust that comes from trying a new service.
Don’t make this factor a priority over more important features. It can, however, be an excellent idea to help you narrow down your final choices.
Extra Tip
The second best way to do this is to save the name of a company you found but didn’t use this time. This will prevent you from having to perform a search again.
Be aware, though, that a lot can change about a company with time. Prices can raise, employees can change, and so on. Check the company’s information before you use them again.
Refuse If They Ask for Payment First
A contract you sign for a roofing service should be binding. If you sign it, you’ll need to pay what you owe the contractors. If not, the law can get involved.
The roofers should know this. Likewise, they shouldn’t demand any payment from you beforehand.
Scammers will often trick their victims this way. They’ll ask for payment ahead of time. Then they’ll disappear without doing any work on your roof.
Don’t fall for it. Refuse to pay if a company asks for money upfront. Then, choose another service.
Extra Tip
Scammers might also ask you for payment information before they start. They can say they won’t draw from it until they’re finished. However, this is another trick.
Don’t give the contractors any payment until you receive an invoice or a receipt.
Turn to Us for Trustworthy Residential and Commercial Roofing Services
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As you can tell by the long list, finding the best roofing company takes time. During your search, you may become restless and feel tempted to rush. However, remind yourself that doing so can lead to many troublesome issues.
Overwhelmed by the process? Consider using Alpha Living for your needs. For over ten years, we have helped homeowners find reliable roofing services nationwide. From damaged tile repair to complete roof renovation, Alpha Living will match you with Top-Rated Roofers in your area and make sure our selected contractors check all your boxes.
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