Picking a roofer to work on your home in Florida is not something to take lightly. Everything in your home relies on having a solid roof overhead, so you need to pick someone trustworthy. The right roofer will offer you quality work featuring reputable products and affordable rates. Knowing how to choose the best roofer for your Florida home is a process of several steps.
Make a List of Candidates
There are two ways to start generating a list of potential roofers. You can go online, and you can also ask family and friends for referrals. Between the two methods, you’ll come up with a lot of options one way, but it’s also important to get feedback about specific roofers from people you trust the other way.
One thing that you should always do is look for roofers who are known to be local, particularly if you’re looking to repair storm damage or just have someone to call when it happens in the future. National service providers might not always be in the area and able to respond as quickly as those roofers are always members of your community.
Vet Your List
If a roofer is going to work on your home, then the minimum you need to ask of them is liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance. Verify both policies before you sign anything and before anyone starts working on your property. If a roofer without these insurance policies gets injured on your property, you might wind up becoming your financial and legal responsibility.
You would also be liable for any damages that befall your home if the contractor doesn’t have insurance. With insurance, if a roofing tech accidentally breaks something on your property while they’re working, the insurance will cover it rather than you having to pay for it.
Check every roofer for BBB accreditation while you’re at it because that demonstrates their credibility. Also, check sites such as Google and Yelp for their reviews so that you can gauge how previous customers feel about the work they got.
Get Several Quotes
Quotes are an effective way to compare some of the roofing contractors that are on your list. Be sure to get a minimum of two quotes so that you have some comparison. Three is even better. If you go more than five, you might be overwhelming yourself with too much analysis and information.
When you get quotes, be sure that they come with a price guarantee. You should note that many roofing quotes have limitations on their price guarantees. Your quote might only be good for 30 or 60 days. Also, get the quote in writing. Verbal quotes over the phone or in person are useful, but only written quotes are reliable.
Check the quote for a detailed breakdown of labor and materials. The sort of materials a roofer intends to use is great information because you can research material quality yourself.
Ask About Replacements and Repairs
You need to know what the potential contingency plans are if things go wrong during the scheduled roofing services, especially for a full replacement. The weather might change, errors are always possible, and other unforeseen obstacles might arise.
The heavy rains that Florida residents are all too familiar with can delay a roof replacement or even cause more damage than you might already have. Any experienced roofer will have gone through situations such as these, and the good ones have protocols for inclement weather, the discovery of unknown issues, and mistakes. Ask them how they handle each situation.
Analyze Your Options for Roofing Materials
Asphalt shingles are a common choice for many homeowners, and they certainly have their advantages. For starters, asphalt shingles are very affordable roofing materials. Also, they fit the majority of home models. However, Florida is a state prone to wind, storms, and hurricanes. Asphalt shingles are very light in weight, so storm winds can blow them right off. A robust roof, especially a new one, can increase the resale value of your home substantially, but you have to make sure that you choose a material that’s going to stand up over time.
We Believe in Our Reputation
Our reputation with our neighbors in Winter Park and the surrounding areas is important to us, and we’ve worked hard over the years to earn the loyal clients and positive reviews that we’ve gotten. If you include us in your quotes for residential and commercial roofing, solar technology, storm damage, or new construction, we think you’ll see for yourself how well we can serve you. We also install and service metal, tile, TPO, and shingle roofs. Contact us today with any questions.
