Hiring a Licensed Roofing Contractor
June 26th, 2008
You might not know if your home needs a new roof or not, but what you should probably look at is just how old the roof is that is on your home now. If it is older than 15 to 20 years, you may want to consider replacing it. There are a number of licensed contractors that will assist you in putting a new roof on your home and finding one often begins with talking to a relative or a friend for a reference. There are professional roofer associations that also have listings of licensed roofing contractors, as well.
If you hire someone who advertises himself as a licensed contractor, you should do what you can to verify that they are actually licensed and that the license is current. You can visit the Contractors State License board’s site at http://www.cslb.gov or simply by dialing 1-800-321-2752. You can also verify his bond information, get a list of his employees, the information on his insurance policies, and you can also find out whether he has had any legal actions filed against him.
When hunting for a licensed contractor, you should get at least three references of past work that has been done and acquire three different bids for your job. Whatever you do, do not pay down more than 10 percent or $1,000 on a job, whichever happens to be less. A contractor taking your money and running is not exactly unheard of, so be on your guard.
Beware of an improperly installed roof. This can lead to all kinds of water damage in your attic and the ceilings in your home, including causing the fiberglass insulation that may be in your attic to become useless. Be sure you are dealing with a reputable contractor with plenty of good references.
You should also be aware of the terms and conditions of any contract that you sign concerning the work you are hiring the contractor to do. The contract should make provisions to protect both you and the contractor from each other and it should not appear to be biased toward the contractor in any way. The best contract is a neutral one, but do not sign until you are certain that you understand the entire terms of it.
The contractor that you hire is also responsible for acquiring the necessary permits to begin the job from the local building department. Building permits are typically required, especially if you live in an urban environment.
Once the job is started, never pay in cash and always keep a record of what payment number you are on in a file. If their work gets held up, do not hesitate to also hold up their payment until work resumes.
