One of the most significant home improvements you can make is to have new roofing installed. The roof shields your home and all its contents from the elements and shields your home from the worst of the winter and summer heat all year round. A high-quality roof can last for years, while an inadequately installed or defective one could lead to water leaks, mold, mildew, and much more in just several years. To ensure that you’re getting top-quality work estimates, request quotes from a minimum of three roof companies and evaluate what they’re providing. For accuracy, a dependable quote must include a number of important components, such as:
A Materials List From Roofing Companies
All shingles are not created equally, and even the slate materials aren’t the same in price and quality. So make sure to obtain an exhaustive listing of the various products that they’ll utilize, from the shingles to the type of nails that they’ll put in. Be sure to look for brand name size, weights, and other crucial specifics to be able to evaluate estimates. Roof decking materials, along with insulation and other elements, can significantly alter the cost of an estimate. Hence, be sure to ask questions if the estimate includes materials that are significantly different from those that other companies recommend. Ask about the manufacturer warranty on their products that are covered; the ones with longer warranties are more likely to last longer.
Don’t be afraid of asking roofing companies to list not only the material itself but also the cost of each element. Instead of giving you a single amount for everything listed, the company should provide each item’s cost. If all companies offer slate tiles with similar prices, however, one of them lists the price of the same brand, design, and size of the slate tile as significantly more expensive, the contractor may be slashing the amount they have paid for the materials.
Time And Labor Estimates
Although two roofing companies claim that it takes four days to set up your roof, you might not be getting the exact amount of work from them. Do they work eight-hour days, or do they work 10-hour days? Do they split their time between tasks? Find out if they’ll be hiring licensed, professional installers to complete the installation or subcontracting their work out to temp laborers. This is the cheapest option but might not perform the task as effectively, and the other may have the experience and expertise. Be aware that the time and effort required to complete the task can vary greatly from one task to the next. So, should you be wary of estimates that are more expensive than the average, consider the time to look over your home. Are you surrounded by gables? Do you have a steeply pitched roof? A more complicated roofing system will need more attention and care by roofing professionals.
Clean Up And Disposal
The most reliable roofing companies take care to clean up after their own mess. If you arrive home to a beautiful new roof, but you find your backyard strewn with wrappers of shingles, nails, shakes, and old felt, contact the roofing company and let them know that the job isn’t finished. To prevent this from happening, make sure that every estimate includes the price (if there is one) for cleaning the area and disposing of any old materials, as well as any leftover or scrap materials left over after the installation.
If you’ve carefully reviewed the quotes of several roofing contractors but aren’t certain which one to choose, then ask for recommendations and get in touch with them. Ask your friends and family who live in the same area if they are happy with their roof and also who completed the work for them. There are times when your neighbors are able to provide you with great suggestions.