Be Your Own Contractor With These Tips About Your Home’s Roof
Knowing all you need to know about roofing before you get someone to put a new one on your home is essential to making sure you get what you need. Read on to increase your knowledge on the subject, along with tips that will really help. You may learn some important things about roofing that will save you both time and money.
Inspect your roof once a year at the bare minimum. Typically, roofs suffer the most damage during winter and spring. This means it is important to pay extra attention during these times.
Remember: safety first. The weather is key to whether or not you should be up on a roof. Until the weather gets better, put a bucket underneath a leak. Check your roof out when the weather gets better to see if the issue is something you can fix.
When it comes to roofing, you always want to take the climate into account. For instance, certain roofing materials, like clay, are better in cool climates. But, if you use clay in a rainy area, you can have roof deterioration very quickly. If you aren’t sure, be sure to ask a knowledgeable professional.
First ask people you know whether they have used a roofing contractor recently and whether they can recommend him to you. Ask those people you know best about their opinions on the work done, if they thought if was a fair price, and if the materials were of good quality. You might also inquire about the clean-up involved after completion or whether certain materials and work was covered by warranty.
Make sure that your roofer has liability insurance. If for no other reason, this lets you know that your roofer is professional and reliable. Secondly, if a worker sustains injury on the job, the roofer’s insurance will cover medical costs.
Avoid paying the entire cost of the job in advance. Normally, you pay 25% or so to start the job. You wouldn’t want them to perform less work than you anticipated.
When you have a short list of contractors you want to contact, find out what kind of warranties are available. Look for a warranty that lasts 3-5 years, however longer is better. You should have defective supplies covered and poor workmanship, too. Don’t forget to get copies of any warranty that you are offered.
Be sure the roofer has all necessary licensing for doing the job. Never take a roofer’s word as the gospel truth. Check your local building department and call them to find out what is necessary.
Make sure any contractor you are considering has insurance. If you hire a contractor without insurance and something goes wrong, you have to pay for it. Don’t just ask the contractor if he or she has insurance. You need to find out if it’s current and also see the actual documentation.
That wasn’t so bad, was it? Keep all of this in mind while you are searching for the perfect roof for your home. You don’t want to end up with a roofing experience that leaves much to be desired.