Is your roof in need of replacement?
Is it currently leaking, or are you worried it may start leaking at any minute?
If so, Red’s guide: How to Choose a Roofing Contractor can help guide you to choosing the best contractor for your home.
When a leak appears, worries about your roof set in, it can be a very stressful situation.
However, it does not have to be. There are a few key factors to look for when searching for a roofing contractor.
This will assist you to make a great purchase and investment for your home!
Section 1: Three Minimum Requirements
#1 Insurance
#2 Licensing
#3 Permits
Section 2: Choosing the Right Contractor
#1 Reviews and Online Presence
#2 Reference Lists
#3 Certifications
#4 Industry and Community Involvement
Section 1: Three Minimum Requirements
When looking for a roofing contractor in Massachusetts, it is important to keep three minimum factors in mind.
#1 Insurance
It is required by the state of Massachusetts for a roofing contractor to have insurance. There are three types of insurance the contractor should have general liability, auto insurance and workers compensation. Insurance coverage for contractors is outlined on certificates of insurance. These insurance certificates are important to see and verify the contractor has insurance. Without insurance, your roofing project could be putting you at risk if anything were to happen during the project.
#2 Licensing
The second factor to keep in mind is Massachusetts requires two separate licenses for residential roofing work. The contractor must have a Home Improvement Contractor’s license to perform residential work and a Construction Supervisors License to oversee the work being performed. These two licenses, along with the contractor’s certificate of insurance, are used to apply for a building permit at your local city or town building department.
#3 Permit
The permit is the third factor when considering the bare minimum, a contractor must have to perform the work at your home. Permits are applied for by the contractor, issued by your town or city’s building department and work is then inspected after the project is complete. A contractor should always apply for the permit and under no circumstances should the contractor ask the homeowner to apply for the permit. If this happens, it is possible the contractor does not have the proper issuance or licenses required by the state of Massachusetts.
These three factors are a baseline, and the bare minimum you should look for when choosing a roofing contractor.
A new roof is a big purchase and an extremely important one for your home. If installed properly, it can be an asset and a great investment, however, if not properly installed it can become a costly liability.
For that reason, there are a few more steps in section 2 you can take to make sure the roofing contractors you are considering are a good fit for your project and will offer your home great value.
Section 2: Choosing the Right Contractor
#1 Reviews and Online Presence
When choosing a local roofing company, it’s always a good idea to look at their online presence and check if they have good reviews. Google is a great place to look at a company’s reviews and see what other people have experienced when hiring that company. Another great place to look is the Better Business Bureau and checking our their rating and reviews on the BBB.
#2 Reference List
A qualified roofing contractor should also be able to supply you with a reference list of past customers that you can call to ask about their personal experience with the company.
#3 Certifications
A quality roofing company will also have certifications from industry manufacturing companies. When a contractor has certifications, they are able to offer extended warranties on products and extended warranties on workmanship. If a contractor does not have these certifications these additional warranties cannot be purchased from the contractor. In most instances, certified contractors use best industry practices and have been vetted by the manufacturing company. However, this is not always the case. To ensure the contractor uses best practices ask them about how they train their employees and what training their certifying company has provided.
#4 Industry and Community Involvement
There are many roofing contractors to choose from, however, not all of these companies are created equally. There are many great roofing companies out there doing great and honest work. However, there are just as many, and in so markets even more doing things the wrong way and are untrustworthy. With that being said, when looking into a roofing contractor another great attribute for the contractor to have is community involvement and industry involvement. The roofing industry is rapidly changing and there are many people around the country working hard each day to help move the industry forward in many great ways. Between technology, training and the industry’s overall image there are industry leaders that work hard together to continue to push the industry into the future. Whether they are involved with local or national associations or just working hard to implement best practices for their business that increase transparency and offer customers more than just a “new roof.” They have created an experience that is worth sharing and talking about with people you may know, all while providing the best roofing practices that they will stand by.
Choosing a roofing contractor can be difficult, but if you choose the right one, you can bring great value to your home. This is a big financial investment and an important one for your home and everything in it. When choosing a roofing contractor be mindful of what the state requirements are to be legally operating a roofing business in the state of Massachusetts. To make the right choice for your home, think about how roofing contractors are changing the industry and creating an experience for a customer to help them understand the process and give them a great roofing system that is backed by the contractor and a manufacturing company that stands by them. Although a new roof isn’t always a desired purchase, it is an important one. So if you are tasked with choosing a roofing contractor for your home, review this guide and start to search the internet.
Or look no further than Red Dog’s Roofing to provide you with a roofing solution you can have peace of mind with.
“Protect your home with Generations of Experience….”
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