A new roof represents a big investment in your home. For this reason, you don’t want to hire the first and only roofer you talk to. How to find and hire the best roofing contractor involves some homework and phone calls. The effort is worth it so that you can select a qualified and reputable roofing contractor. Care is required because, unfortunately, fly-by-night contractors are common in the home services industry.

How to Find and Hire the Best Roofing Contractor

1. Before talking to contractors, define your job. Do you want asphalt shingles? Do you want a metal roof? Do you need to redo the gutters along with the roof?
2. Form a rough plan for the work to done in terms of scope and materials. This information helps you contact companies capable of fulfilling your goals.
3. If you have questions about materials, write them down. You can consult contractors about materials as you call them to get quotes.
4. Let your network know that you’re looking to hire a roofer.
5. Ask neighbors, family, or friends who have replaced their roofs recently for referrals. They can let you know how satisfied they were with a contractor’s work.
6. Write down the names of roofing contractors referred to you.
7. Search online for roofing companies that serve your town or region.
8. Examine their websites for information about their services and specialties.
9. Add the companies that look like a good fit to your list.
10. Study online reviews for the contractors on your list. Find reviews on Google, Yelp, Facebook, and Angi.
11. Visit the Better Business Bureau website to see if any complaints have been lodged against the contractor. Keep in mind that any company that does many jobs and has been in business for years may have a handful of complaints. What matters is how the company responds to them. Reputable contractors fix any issues that come up.
12. Prepare a checklist to guide your meetings with contractors.
13. Ask each contractor about insurance, warranties, references, and deposit and payment requirements. You can expect to get two warranties. One will be from the manufacturer for the materials, like shingles. The other warranty is for workmanship. This is the contractor’s commitment to fix installation errors.
14. Choose at least three contractors who appear to have strong reputations.
15. Call each contractor and schedule a time to look at your roof.
16. During each appointment, ask the questions on your checklist.
17. The person visiting your home may write you an estimate at the end of the appointment. Alternatively, the contractor may send you one later in the day or the next day. This is also acceptable.
18. After you get at least three estimates, confirm that the contractors have the proper insurance.
19. Call references. Don’t be shy. This is an important step.
20. Compare your findings for each contractor and decide who is the best fit for the job.
21. Talk to your top pick to confirm the full details of the contract before signing it.
22. Get everything in writing and keep all records concerning warranties.