Hiring Roofing Contractors Over The Phone? Questions You Should Ask!

Hiring Roofing Contractors Over The Phone? Questions You Should Ask!

We all know those stories (whether personal of from friends and family) where a job has to be done two or three time because the first time wasn’t complete. This can cause a lot of headache and quite simply a lot of money as well. 

When it comes to hiring a roofing contractor it can be very expensive, and so the best way to get this done is to do your research correctly. This step is missed by many homeowners because they are more fixated on the cost itself, not the work being done. 

If you don’t know much about roofing, it can get very confusing, as there are many more factors involved than one might think. Getting a bunch of contractors to come out to your house is not the way to go, as there are way too many to choose from you can stray away from your goal if you get a convincing roofing contractor. The best way to do this is to screen roofing contractors over the phone.

Here are some questions to ask over the phone to screen your roofing contractor and find the best one for the job.

1. Ask for their legal business name.

This will help avoid scams, yes there are roofing contractor scams - and plenty of them. Make sure that the name they give you is exactly what they are marketing themselves as. You can go here to check they even exist as a business.

1. What’s your level of roofing insurance?

This can get a little tricky because this is different in every state. Although it doesn’t take long to figure out what is legal and what is not. Simply go to Google and check the roofing insurance requirements for your state. Any answer that the contractor gives that is below that amount or if they are hesitant to answer, it’s a red flag. If you’re not sure if they are giving the truth, ask them to send you a copy of their policy. 

1. Who will be there during the installation?

Make sure that either the owner, manager, or project manager is going to be there during the entirety of the installation. Again, roofing can be complicated and you need someone there to be in charge of your roofing project. 

1. What is your price per square foot?

There are so many factors that go into pricing a roofing job, and many contractors who are lazy will just try to quickly get to a quote and then later on draw up unexpected costs. Some of these factors include the age of the roof, the pitch, the amount of layers, known issues, shingle condition, market price, etc. Make sure that when a contractor knows and walks you through the fact that there are many factors that go into the price. 

1. Does a contractor have to actually come into my house (covid)?

It’s important that a roofer go inside your house for a quote so that they can check out the attic. This will give a lot of information about the exterior condition of the roof and can save you thousands. Don’t hire anybody that says they don’t have to go into your house.

Here are a few other questions to consider when calling your potential roofing contractor:

• Do you guarantee your work?
• Will you perform roofing repair or maintenance?
• What steps does your company take to avoid any damage to the house or property?
• What do you do to make sure the project is completed on time?
• Are you bonded?
• Who do I contact for questions or updates?