Important Questions to Ask a Prospective Roofer

If you’re looking into hiring a roofing contractor, whether for minor repairs or a roof replacement, you have to make sure you’re hiring a good one – and to do that, you have to ask the right questions. 

“Are you licensed and insured?” In Florida, a licensed roofer can either be a certified contractor that can work on projects throughout the state or a registered contractor that can only work within a specific city or county. In addition to proof of a roofer’s legitimacy and competency, a valid license is your assurance that the roofer is going to comply with applicable building codes.

Insurance coverage is also important. Your prospective roofing contractor’s coverage should include general liability insurance (coverage for accidental property damage) and workers’ compensation or “workers comp” (for workplace injuries). Insurance is one of the key requirements for a roofer’s license; therefore, a “licensed” roofer that isn’t properly insured should sound suspicious.

“What is the project’s scope of work?” Even during the initial consultation, good roofers should be able to discuss the scope of the roofing work, which should be reflected in the quote or estimate. Ask them about details like which materials will be used, the amount of labor that will be needed and what their estimated timeline is. What you’re looking for is a roofer that knows the project inside and out, and can explain the details of a project clearly to someone who is not a roofing professional.

“How will you protect my property?” Your roofer needs to have a plan for preventing damage to your property during roof replacement. This may include covering surrounding landscaping with tarp, installing paths so installers won’t track dirt into your home and assisting with moving furniture and objects in your yard out of the way. Just as important is, as mentioned above, having general liability insurance will help make sure that you will be compensated for damage that may occur.

Earl W. Johnston Roofing, LLC provides roofing services to customers in Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs and Hollywood, FL, as well as the surrounding communities. Give us a call at (954) 989-7794, or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.