Things to consider when using a roofing contractor

You may need urgent repairs to your roof that you do not have the skills or the times to carry out yourself. This may mean that you need to bring in a professional roofing contractor. While this is the best idea in most cases, here are some things you should find out before you hire a roof repairing contractor.

Make sure they have the right licenses and permits

Most state governments require that the roofing contractor have a license from the state before they can start working on roofing. Always ask to see the license from the contractor before you hire him. Some states will also ask that the contractor obtain a permit for each project and make sure that the contractor you hire knows how to go about obtaining a license from the local government.

Ask for references and know their experience

Any good contractor will provide you with a list of reference to clients he has worked for in the past. You may give these clients a call and ask how the work was done and what kind of work it was. If you find that your chosen contractor has never taken on a project like yours before, you may want to find someone else.

Make sure you get a written estimate

Getting a written estimate will mean that you can challenge costs that you may find extraneous. You can ask that the contractor give you a detailed summary of all the work that is needed, what materials are needed, the expected completion date and the total cost of the project. You should also settle on payment terms and make sure that you do not pay cash up front.

Make sure your contractor has insurance

Your contractor needs to have insurance coverage for any damages that he may cause to your property while working on it. Any injuries suffered should also be covered under their insurance plan. This will make sure that you are not financially liable should anything go wrong

Ask for a warranty on the work

Make sure you get your contractor to stand behind their work by getting them to give you a warranty should anything go wrong with the repairs they have made. This will mean that should the repairs fail within the agreed timeframe, they will redo them without any charge to you.

With these safeguards, you will have less to worry about when you get your roof fixed.