What to Look for When You Choose a Roofing Company

When you need some work on your home’s roofing, it is important to get the right roofers to handle the job.  There is no shortage of companies offering these services so how do you choose the right roofing company for the job?  Here are some tips.

Look at their experience

Most roofing companies will have a good general experience and there are also specialists out there.  But always look for examples of the kind of work you want.  If you have a slate tile roof, look for examples of previous slate roofs they have worked on.

Also look at their experience for the type of job you want.  Most all roofers will do maintenance and repairs.  Many will also do full roof replacements.  But you want to consider the type of roof you have – is it particularly steep?  Are there concerns such as being in a conservation area?  You want to know your roofer has the experience for the exact type of job you are looking for.

Look at reviews on and off-site

Companies will proudly display customer reviews on their website because this shows the quality of their work.  This is a good measure of what they do – that people were happy enough to put their name to a review for the website.

There are also independent review sites that the company may feature on.  Doing a general internet search for them will bring up any reviews on these sites and can give you a wider view of their customer feedback.

Getting the quote

Start creating a list of roofers who have the experience and positive reviews.  Also look at where they work – for example, if you are in Wolverhampton then you want a company either in the area or that cover the area.  No point in ringing a company in Scotland for a quote as this would just make the job more complicated.

Have quotes from at least three different companies to get a clear idea of costs as well as what would be involved with the job.  Don’t always just go with the cheapest one – look at things like timescales, when they can start the work and what kind of guarantees come with it.

Make sure you always get the quote in writing unless it is a small, emergency repair job.  Here you will often ring a 24 emergency helpline to get someone to deal with a problem that is letting water into the house right now.  For all other jobs, make sure you get a formal, written quote to protect both parties.

Other things to check

Before committing to anything, there are a few other things to check.  Make sure that they have the right insurance in place to protect themselves and you.  This will include liability cover if they cause damage to yours or someone else’s property while doing the job.

If they are refurbishing 50% or more of the roof, make sure they are either part of the CompetentRoofer scheme or that the Local Authority building control team are contracted before the work starts.  This is to ensure all work complies with Part L of the current regulations.