subject: How to Hire a Professional Atlanta Roofing Contractor [print this page] How to Hire a Professional Atlanta Roofing Contractor
Hiring a professional Atlanta roofing contractor shouldn't be hard. But it is. There are too many unscrupulous characters out there these days. Here are 7 items you can check easily to verify your contractor is a professional: Insurance General Liability AND Workers Compensation Supplier Relationship Credit References Manufacturer Relationship Guarantee Willingness to discuss construction details Willingness to provide a lien release form upfrontA professional roofing contractor will not only have all of these items but will expect you to ask for these things. Let's examine them.General Liability insurance covers the contractor and you if the contractor damages something during the reroofing process. Workers Compensation protects YOU if one of the contractor's workers is injured during the construction.If this coverage is not in place, your homeowner's insurance will be used to pay for the injured workers' medical bills. It's that important! An important note about insurance policy verification. You will personally need to check several things. Verify the insurance is current by contacting the insurance company listed on the certificate of insurance. DO NOT RELY ON THE CERTIFICATE ITSELF! This is so important I must repeat this: DO NOT RELY ON THE CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE. You must also verify the workers compensation covers the actual contractors who install the roof. Many contractors have a policy for the company but there may not be coverage for the installers. As Ronald Reagan once said, "Trust, but verify".A roofing contractor's relationship with his supplier is crucial. Contractors typically will work with one or two and in some cases, three roofing supply companies. The shingles, underlayment, nails, etc., all come from the roofing supplier. These guys are easy to find. If your contractor requests money from you before the insurance company has agreed to replace your roof, run! Call and verify whether the contractor is on good terms with the supplier or if they are on cash-only terms. This will clue you in to the stability of the contractor.The same idea applies to the credit references of the contractor. If they are on good terms, then it is a reasonable assumption to conclude they are a reputable company and they pay their bills.Why would a manufacturer relationship be important? If the material is coming from the roofing supply company why would it matter? The professional roofing contractor develops these relationships to achieve discounts and special orders you can benefit from. This might allow one contractor to obtain material unavailable to another contractor. Sometimes these relationships require special education and certification as well. This specialized knowledge of the manufacturer's materials will benefit you with a roof system which will last you for many trouble free years.Along these same lines, your contractor should be willing to stand behind his work. In a perfect world, there would never be any reason for a guarantee. Your roof would be replaced and you would never experience any problems. The reality is a little different. No matter how much care is taken, things happen. It's the response to the unfortunate occurrence which sets quality roofing contractors apart from sub-standard roofers. There is no industry standard on guarantees. You are on your own here. Look for lots of fine print, exclusions, etc. The more of this you see, the more likely it is the contractor will be looking for an out. Quality roofing contractors have a very simple guarantee. Their main concern is your complete satisfaction.Even if you know nothing about roofing, your contractor should be willing and able to discuss with you, in terms you can easily understand, how your roof system will be installed. Why they use an air gun vs. hand nailing? The importance of 6 nails per shingle vs. 4. Why a contractor should utilize 30# underlayment (or its equivalent) vs. 15#? How will an upgrade in the quality of shingle give you a higher return on your investment (even if the insurance company is footing most of the bill)?A lien release form is vital. Here's why this is important:The materials are purchased on credit in most cases byindividual job - i.e., your home address.If you contractor does not pay for the materials used on your roof with your insurance funds, the supplier can and will place a lien on your home for non-payment. You do not want this to happen. Make sure you obtain a lien-release for the materials once they at your residence.Your professional Atlanta roofing contractor will do these things for you. Be sure and ask.
