Searching for and Hiring a Roofing Contractor!

It is my first home. It’s been at least ten years since we moved in, but I still felt relatively inexperienced with home ownership. So far the sailing has been easy. There has been a clogged toilet here, a broken window there, but nothing major popped up until we had a major storm that damaged the roof. Some fairly large branches tumbled down and landed right on the roof ripping probably fifteen or twenty already rotten shingles off in the process. The next day I began noticing water damage in my living room ceiling. It quickly became an emergency. Luckily I made a series of good choices starting that very day.

• A good roof translates to a healthy house and structure. Leaks can lead to many problems. If left too long some of these problems can be very expensive to fix.
• When you start searching for roofing repair services ask your friends, neighbors and coworkers first. Often you can get great referrals this way. You could also try asking your homeowners insurance company.
• Type the names you’ve received into an internet search engine and see what comes up. Some might have a company website, some may not. Don’t let a fancy website fool you into thinking their company is superior quite yet.
• Have two or three roofing contractors come by and give some roof repair estimates. Don’t agree to a verbal contract. Get everything in writing.

Get it done the right way the first time

I remembered watching my neighbor’s get their roof repaired two summers ago, once in June and again in July. When I asked him about his experience he said “Just make sure you do a little background check on whoever you hire. The first guys were from out of state, but they were fast workers and seemed reliable.” Turns out they were fast because they wanted to make a quick buck and get out of the state before my neighbor knew there were any problems. Find a company that has a good local reputation in your town. When it comes to a roof don’t just hire the most affordable Joe off the street. The cost of roof repair can be excruciating if you have to pay twice in one season.

Hire a local professional

I eventually got in contact with a real estate advisor who helped introduce me to a local roofing contractor. He had been in the area for nearly 30 years and had expertise in many areas of construction. The roofing quote he provided me was detail oriented down to every nail and shingle. I was impressed. I wanted to make sure everything was in writing if we were going to agree on anything. We sat down together at my dining room table and ironed out a solid contract that covered the amount of time, labor and materials it would take as well as the costs associated. Even though it was somewhat expensive I felt confident that I had made the right hire. I knew if I waited any longer the damage to my home would only worsen.

I used www.real-estate-yogi.com to find my home repair services. They have access to nationwide real estate and home improvement services. Call them toll free at 1-800-987-1397 for a free consultation.