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Q?
Does the Roofing Contractor have an office?
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A.
Don't be afraid to ask where the Contractors office is located. Visit their office. The appearance of a Contractor's office and facilities usually says a lot about the way the Contractor does business. Many "Roofers" operate out of garage or some other location that you may or may not find. Ask for a physical address!
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Q?
Is the Roofing Contractor licensed by the State of Illinois?
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A.
All Roofing Contractors are required to be licensed in the State of Illinois. If the Roofing Contractor is licensed, by law the number should be on all his vehicles, Contracts and advertisements. Ask for a copy of his Roofing license and number. Many General Contractors are builders and do roofing in addition to their other work; ask if they are licensed to do roofing.
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Q?
Does your Roofing Contractor have the insurance he needs to protect you and his Employees?
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A.
A specified amount of Workman Compensation and Liability insurance is required to be a licensed Roofing Contractor by the State of Illinois. Verify that the contractor has this insurance by contacting his Insurance agent and obtaining a current Certificate of Insurance. If your Contractor doesn't have these policies in force while on your property, it could cost you a lot more than just a roof.
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Q?
Does your Contractor have employees or Sub-Contractors installing your roof?
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A.
Many Roofing Contractors and General Contractors Sub-Contract their roof work. There are many good Roofing installers sub-contracting. But make sure the Sub-Contractor doing your roof has his own License, Work-Comp. and Liability Insurance. And if problems should arise, who will be responsible to handle the situation, the Sub-Contractor or the General Contractor?
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Q?
What am I in for? What should I prepare for?
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A.
Each roof is different. It can be a dirty job. If you own an older home you may have wood shingles under several layers of asphalt shingles. If this is the case, you may have debris fall into your attic. If there are gaps in the boards of your roof sheathing then debris may fall in. Talk with your Contractor before the job begins so you can prepare. You may have some clean-up to do. There will be tarps, materials and debris in your yard for awhile, this is part of the job. Rest assured if you have an experienced Roofing Contractor do your roof, things will be cleaned up properly and your roof will look great! And remember if the temperatures are hot there may be early starts and early quits.
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Q?
Were you given a formal proposal for the roof work that is being estimated?
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A.
There are certain times when it is necessary for a Contractor to hand write an estimate or proposal. During emergencies such as wind, hail or severe weather a Contractor may have to immediately prepare an estimate for the work to be done on many homes or businesses in the same area. Since most Contractors have pre-printed proposal forms or estimate forms, they would normally take these with them in such emergencies. These forms usually list the standard terms and conditions on them and some type of information on any extra work that may occur. Ask for a formal proposal, read it carefully. On many roof tear offs there can be rotted wood, broken rafters or a variety of things that may be impossible to estimate before the work begins. Discuss this with your Contractor and try to get as much information as possible on any additional charges that may occur and how these charges may be handled.
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Q?
Was the response to your call for an estimate done in a timely fashion?
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A.
Be prepared. Sometimes during the busiest Roofing season it may take up to 1-2 weeks before some Roofing Contractors can look at your roof. Allow yourself some time and be patient, call several months ahead of time to talk on scheduling to have your roof done. Some of the best Roofers are the busiest and it may well be worth the wait. A reliable Roofing Contractor will maintain contact with you after you have requested an estimate. Don't be afraid to call after a week or so. Once you have chosen a Roofing Contractor try to obtain a time frame of when the work will be performed and approx. how long the job will last. And once they start, make sure they will stay until the job is completed! Keep in mind that weather conditions will dictate when your roof will be started and how long it will take to complete.
