How to work with a roofing contractor: How to choose the roofing material with help from your contractor, how to negotiate the roofing contract, and then, let the roofer alone to do the job.

This article series provides a simple, step-by-step guide designed to help you find the roofing contractor who's right for you. When you need to repair your roof or replace roof coverings on a building, this article gives advice to assist in finding and choosing a roofing contractor - by Jessie Srader, with edits and additions by DJF.

We also discuss how to choose roof material, how to negotiate the roofing contract, when to leave the roofer alone to do the job, and how to resolve roofing job disputes.

STEP 3: CHOOSING ROOF MATERIAL - Utilizing the Roofing Contractor's Product Knowledge

Whatever your roofing repair or replacement needs, you need a qualified professional roofing contractor you can trust and there are several aspects to consider. We have broken down this process into 6 steps that discuss how best to find success in reaching a good outcome with your roof project.

The six steps are listed here:

• STEP 1: FINDING A ROOFER - separate article
• STEP 2: CHOOSING A ROOFING CONTRACTOR - separate article
• STEP 3: CHOOSING ROOF MATERIAL - you are on this page
• STEP 4: NEGOTIATE ROOFING CONTRACT
• STEP 5: LETTING THE ROOFER ROOF
• STEP 6: RESOLVING ROOF JOB PROBLEMS - separate article

That's why this article was written as a simple, step-by-step guide designed to help you find the roofing contractor who's right for you.

Your contractor should have up-to-date knowledge on quality products for your project. He or she is the best source of information, but you should play an active role in the product selection process. Ask questions about different materials such as brand names, life span, thickness, design, available colors and warranties.

Selecting the best products is as important to your job as selecting the right contractor.

Photo of roofing contractor examining the roof edge courtesy of Trudy Seeger, Perkins Preferred Roofing .

[Click to enlarge any image]

STEP 4: NEGOTIATE ROOFING CONTRACT - Understanding and Negotiating the Roofing Contract

Prior to drafting a contract, most contractors will provide you with either an estimate or a proposal. An estimate typically provides a single price, a generically described product, a color and no options. A proposal offers more detail with a choice of products by brand name, prices, services and designs. A proposal will normally offer options-good, better and best-and include product samples and literature.

A contractor who takes the time to prepare a good proposal will most likely do a more thorough job. All items to be accomplished should be written as part of your contract.

Get the roofing contract in writing. Beware of verbal promises.

When a contract is presented, it should spell out the proposed work, prices and completion date. Read the contract carefully. Misunderstandings are the most common cause of contract disputes. Pay special attention to be certain the following points are covered in the contract.

• Building Permits -
  
  What permits are required by your local building department? Consider local ordinances, costs, posting requirements.
• Start and Completion Dates -
  
  including plan of action in case of weather delays. We require that once a contractor begins a job, she or he will continue working on the job full time until it has been completed. Beware of contractors who start the job then disappear to perform other work for other clients. You may have a hard time getting them back to work.
• Products Materials -
  
  what roof shingle or other roof material will be used, brands, colors, etc.
• Project Inspections -
  
  number of inspections, completion timetable
• Site Procedures -
  
  work hours, clean-up procedures on the around your home, safety precautions, etc.
• Terms of payment -
  
  detailed as method of payment to include a lien waiver upon final payment. Do not pay full job costs up front - reserve final payment until the work has been completed satisfactorily and the jobsite has been cleaned-up.
• Liens regarding roofing work -
  
  You should be aware that under the laws of most states, a contractor who does work on your home, or a supplier of materials for such work, has a right to place a lien on your property. Make sure all essential elements of your agreement are written down and understood by both parties.
• Suppliers & subcontractors:
  
  Also, require the contractor to inform you of who his supplier will be along with any subcontractors which will be used on the job. Either pay them yourself or require that you have a receipt showing they have been paid before paying your contractor.
• Right-to-Rescind the Roof Job Contract -
  
  providing the right to cancel the contract without penalty within a set period of time (usually three days).
• Safety -
  
  while the roofing contractor should be expected to follow safe procedures and to have appropriate workers compensation and liability insurance, discuss safety with your contractor. And if you see obvious unsafe practices like collapsing ladders at odd angles, or workers making you nervous, contact the roofer immediately and if necessary stop the job until you and the contractor are satisfied.
• Warranties - including both workmanship and product.

Roof Job Safety, Licensing & Insurance Comments

We [DF] hired a contractor to perform roofing and trim repairs on an older New York home that had lead-painted trim

. When our contractor began work, making a terribly dusty mess and taking on safety precautions, no drop cloth, no protective gear to avoid lead poisoning, we insisted that he either stop and do the job properly or end the job. He told us he wasn't worried.

We said that we knew his mother and that she would be worried.

The job stopped until roofer, his mother, and our building owners were confident in the safety of his proceedings.

Photo of roof workers installing solar panels, courtesy of Trudy Seeger, Perkins Preferred Roofing.

Ensure that the contractor you appoint has a well-established training and safety program for the roofing crew. Don’t take the contractor’s word for it but insist on him showing proof of undertaking safety training programs.

This is also the perfect opportunity for checking out whether the contractor has the requisite license to operate his business in the state and if all his subcontractors and employees are covered with insurance of $1 million or more.

If the contractor does not carry adequate insurance, it could spell trouble for you in case an employee or a subcontractor sustains an injury while working on your roof.  - Trudy Seeger, Perkins Preferred Roofing

Roof Job Warranty Comment

A new roof can be a pretty expensive affair. Never accept a roofing contractor’s verbal assurance that they will set things right if anything was to go wrong. This is because usually, the effects of faulty workmanship can take years to reveal themselves.

The disadvantage of appointing a contractor with no great record is that by the time you need to make a claim they may have gone out of business leaving you holding the short end of the stick.  - Trudy Seeger, Op. Cit.

Also see WARRANTIES for ROOF SHINGLES

STEP 5: LETTING THE ROOFER ROOF - Let the Roofing Contractor Do His/Her Work: Sit Back and Relax

A little well-planned research up front will undoubtedly save you a lot of time and trouble later on. Once you feel confident that you have the best contractor, the best products, the best value simply relax and let your contractor do his job. Do, however monitor the progress of your project to be certain your contractor lives up to his superior reputation.

Hopefully the information in this brochure will simplify the task of choosing a professional contractor.

If you are considering a roofing project and you live in the Houston, Texas area For a free estimate call A & M Roofing. Ask for Jessie Srader and Tell me you heard about it on the Net for a coupon for 24' of ridge vent for free with the purchase of a new roof.

Please feel to distribute printed copies of this pamphlet. All that we ask is that you do not charge anyone for the information, that all information contained in this pamphlet not be altered in any form, and that credit to the source website InspectAPedia.com/roof/Roofing_Contractor_Selection.php be provided. This information may not be reproduced electronically such as being copied to other websites.

Contributors to this article

• Trudy Seeger is the chief foreman of Perkins Preferred Roofing, a Woodlands Texas roofing contractors for homes, offices and industrial buildings. He writes on issues that customers face on a regular basis when undertaking roof repair or replacement. Tel: 832-702-0201, Email: info@perkinspreferredroofing.com
• REFERENCES lists additional technical reviewers and contributors for this article series

...

Continue reading at STEP 6: RESOLVING ROOF JOB PROBLEM or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Recommended Articles

• BEST ROOFING PRACTICES
• DISPUTE RESOLUTION on ROOF JOB PROBLEMS
• ROOFING CONTRACTOR CERTIFICATIONS
• ROOFING CONTRACTOR, FIND & CHOOSE
  • STEP 1: FINDING A ROOFER
  • STEP 2: CHOOSING A ROOFING CONTRACTOR
  • STEP 3: CHOOSING ROOF MATERIAL
  • STEP 4: NEGOTIATE ROOFING CONTRACT
  • STEP 5: LETTING THE ROOFER ROOF
  • STEP 6: RESOLVING ROOF JOB PROBLEM

Suggested citation for this web page

CHOOSING ROOF MATERIAL at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to BUILDING ROOFING

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