Let’s face it; replacing the roofing need in winter for your home is right up there is not going to the dentist… Regardless, keeping your roof in good condition is very important and since replacing a roof can be quite expensive it’s a good idea to get it done right the first time and only when necessary. Read the tips below and at Handy American to determine when you need to replace your roof and how to go about finding and hiring a good roofer to do the work for you.
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When determining whether or not your roof needs replacement it’s a good idea to quantify how old your roof is. The average shingle roof has a life span of about 20-25 years. With that figure in mind it’s usually a good idea to attempt to repair your roof whenever possible if it’s not close to 20 to 25 years of age. A good roofing contractor should be able to tell you if your roof can be repaired or if you should consider replacing it. The problem with that last statement is that you first need to find an honest roofer that you can trust.
Since roofing projects can be so expensive it’s critical that you compare several bids from several contractors prior to making a decision on who to hire. Not only do you want to look at several bids but you also need to make sure that all of the roofers giving you bids are well qualified so you can ensure that you’re looking at comparable bids. In order to do that you’ll need to pre-qualify the roofing contractors and we’ll show you how to do just that.
Prior to pre-qualifying any roofers you’ll need to get a list going of potential roofers in your area. It’s always good to start by asking friends, relatives and neighbors for any referrals or recommendations they have. For more referrals you can look to home improvement stores, materials suppliers in your area and general contractors.
To pre-qualify the roofers you can begin by checking for a license. You can easily check for a license by contacting your local state licensing board.
These days it’s also a good idea to check for reviews and complaints online by doing a search for the contractor in question. Several classified ad websites and yelp can also be used to find reviews for local contractors. The bottom line is it’s a good idea to see some feedback a check a few things out prior to having a roofer bid on your project so you know you’re getting a good bid from a well-qualified contractor.
When you have the roofers bid on your project it’s important to ask for referrals that you can speak with. You should also ask the contractor to help you set up meetings with past clients so you can see samples of their past work. You can also ask if the roofer is currently working on any projects. If the answer is yes you can then ask if you can stop by to see the handy work of the roofer. Since replacing a roof is quite expensive it’s very important that you see samples of the contractor’s past work and speak to some of his past clients.
While replacing your roof can be like pulling teeth, the situation can literally implode on you if you don’t do your homework and hire a good contractor for the job. Pre-qualify roofers prior to having them bid on your project and reviews several bids prior to making a decision for best results.
