For the highest level of quality control, you want a roofing crew with a single foreman who manages every aspect of the project, recommends Mike Ross of Ross Roofing and Construction. Oversight leads to continuity, which in turn improves results.
“If you have one guy doing the tear off, one guy doing the installation and then another guy finishing it up, how can you be assured some detail isn’t going to be overlooked when they change over?” says Mr. Ross. “You want the person who takes it apart to put it back together.”
Mr. Ross also recommends checking whether a prospective roofer has a strong Better Bureau Business rating, especially if the roofer offers you deep discounts. “Many of these people have several complaints, with a D or D-minus rating. There’s a reason they’re $1,500 cheaper,” he says.
He also recommends using a company with A-plus rated liability insurance that you can verify with a certificate. The industry, he says, is plagued with contractors using inexpensive overseas insurance rife with loopholes. “It’s super-cheap, but there’s little to no coverage,” says Mr. Ross. “Sure, it’s a great way for a contractor to save $50,000 in their bottom line, but is it really the coverage you want to have?”
Also, remember that manufacturers won’t honor warranties on products that were installed improperly, so make sure your roofing contractor is certified by the manufacturers of the products it sells and installs.
Finally, says Mr. Ross, get references. Every company should be willing—eager, in fact—to show off its portfolio of finished projects and refer you to the addresses of houses currently undergoing work.
