The Qualities of a Good Roofer

The Qualities of a Good Roofer

The following contribution is from another author.

There are lots of home repairs and minor construction that a person can easily do on their own or with a bit of help after getting some basic training. With the Internet and online free videos, it’s quite easy now to get some of the basic training and learn how to avoid rookie mistakes, as well as how to choose the right materials for the job as well at the local hardware store. However, some projects absolutely need to be handled by qualified and heavily experienced professionals. Handling electricity is one of those tasks, but the bigger one needs an expert emergency roof covering.

Covering the Legalities

Anyone touching your roof needs to absolutely be licensed for the work as well as have the insurance to cover the cost if a mistake is made. Yes, even professionals make mistakes, which is why good professional roofers are always bonded. It’s not enough to have a license, the roofing service also needs to keep it current as well. This tends to be an issue with borderline outfits who don’t always want to pay the necessary fees promptly until they have new cash on hand from a big project. However, you’re protecting yourself making sure these legalities are in place. Not having them can put you at risk for a big mess that ends up costing an entire second project with another roofer to fix if it goes south.

Evaluating Experience

Ask most folks how they measure experience in a professional roofer, and many will respond they ultimately end up relying on references. Has the roofer doing work for someone else, did it turn out good, and was that reference a known connection to the new client. Almost all clients don’t go beyond that. Maybe 1 out of 100 actually goes further and asks for proof of training, better known as certifications. Yet, interestingly, roofing certifications provide some of the best, objective evaluations of proven skill. So, ask for certifications if they exist. It’s to your advantage when choosing a roofer versus another.

Focus on Local Help

You do yourself a favor working with a local roofing installer versus someone from out of the area or out of state. First off, the more local a business is, the more their work is likely to be known and seen. Second, local businesses have an advantage of applicable knowledge on how their product works in the area, and for roofs that matters a lot. Granted, installed with minimum requirements, a specific type of roof should have a minimum performance delivery regardless. However, installation is still a personal act, and knowing how to apply specific skill-based changes that are unique for the area simply gives the product an advantage over that installed by someone who is unaware of the need. For example, in a wet area, local installers will know to take the extra steps for moisture blocks and barriers. Out of state providers may simply do the minimum needed to get the job complete but no more. The difference can be significant a few years later.

There will be plenty of roofers if you just do an online search or try the old-fashioned method of looking in a phone book for a service. However, when you really want a professional roofer with a high-quality reputation, like North Star Exteriors, then you need to do the homework to protect yourself. Remember, you’re the one who is going to live underneath that roof, not the contractor. So, at the end of the day, whom you choose ultimately affects you and yours in your home. Choose well.

Author

Eric is the creator of At Home in the Future and has been a passionate fan of the future since he was seven. He's a web developer by trade, and serves as the Director of Communication and Technology for a large church in Nashville, TN (where he and his family are building a high tech home in the woods).

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