First Choose A Roofing Contractor
- NEVER consider bids from contractors you have not met or interviewed.
- Check out our page on Selecting a Roofing Contractor for more information.
- Be sure your contractor can be located, will stand behind his warranty, and provide the services he promised.
- Never base your decision on the lowest bid price. A low price can signal a lot of discrepancies and shortcomings in the reliability of the contractor.
Quality & Completeness of Roof System Recommended
Be sure the roof system will provide proper ventilation and waterproofing underlay. Most shingle warranties require a lot of ventilation – 1 square foot per 150 square feet of floor space to be vented. In Utah, roofing felt is required on the whole roof deck, and ice and water shield is required two feet in from exterior walls.
Quality of Product/Decided on a Warranty
Choose a shingle quality that suits your needs. Your contractor should offer three price ranges of shingles to choose from (good, better, best). Select a color that looks good with the rest of your home. Warranties range from 20 years to lifetime. The length of the warranty is an indicator of performance
and value. Choose products with warranties that do not prorate during the first three to five years after installation on any grade of shingle.
Permits
Make sure your contractor gets required permits – and follows through with inspections.
Insurance
Make sure your contractor has liability and workers compensation insurance with limits large enough to cover your job.
How Long is Reasonable to Wait for Work to Begin?
Weather permitting, the time period from contract signing to job start should be from two to six weeks. This is dependent on the time of year and the contractor’s backlog. Roofing is highly dependent on the weather, but a contractor should be straightforward about his availability from the start.
Clean Up
Your property should be cleaned up every day by the end of the day. Your contractor should provide a dumpster and haul out all of the torn off materials. Make sure it is clear whose responsibility the clean up is.
Preliminary/Post Inspection
Schedule an inspection before the job begins with the job supervisor. Take note of the condition of landscaping and equipment under or near the roof eaves. Be reasonable, it’s not possible to re-roof a house without some damage to landscaping. Discuss and agree on what is reasonable, and sign a checklist. When the work is complete, do a post inspection to determine if any valid property damage exists.