5 Tips for Choosing the Right Cincinnati Roofing Contractor
Replacing a roof is the kind of thing that most homeowners do once in a lifetime. The process can seem overwhelming, even to dedicated DIY-ers and handymen. These simple tips will let you find the right Cincinnati roofing contractor for your home or business.
1) They don’t call you, you call them
You don’t want to let the roofing storm-chasers go to work on your roof. Door-to-door salesmen are not always the same, but whether they’re selling vacuum cleaners or roof repairs: their job is to make the sale so check them out online after they have made contact with you.
When your roof is in need of repair, you should contact a few recommended companies. Cincinnati roofers are available online. You can also find them by word of mouth—but you may not have the time to ask around if you have damage to your roof.
2) Make sure to get their insurance information
Your Cincinnati roofing contractor has to have worker’s compensation and liability insurance. This point is non-negotiable; you want to be sure that an insurance company will be there in the event that something goes wrong. An employer who doesn’t have the basics covered is taking a gamble with your roof and their business; you don’t need the added risk.
3) Getting a quote
In the old days a roofer had to come to your home and measure and ask you a thousand questions. The reality is that they do need to know the answers to several questions and they can’t quote without knowing the dimensions of your roof. The good news is that today they don’t have to necessarily come to your house to get those answers.
You can now fill out an online questionnaire and with satellite images we can now get precise measurements. These measurements will show the pitches of the roof from an “eye in the sky” that will provide us enough information to give you a 98% accurate estimate. Then when the Cincinnat roofing contractor comes to the home to get the contract signed and set the installation date, they can verify the measurements and also see any extra things that might have been missed. This saves the roofing company a trip but the satellite images do cost the company so don’t be surprised if there is a charge for the convenience of getting a fast and accurate estimate without a ladder.
4) Always review the contract
When you think that you’ve settled on a company, have them draft up a contract and walk you through it. Pay attention to parts that they gloss over, try to downplay, or urge you to sign without reading. Nobody adds stuff to a contract just to make it longer.
Once you’ve heard their version, accept the contract and take it to someone with experience in legal matters. If you have an uncle in the legal business, it doesn’t hurt to pay him a visit. Paying for a short consultation with an attorney might seem pricey at first, but weigh that money against what you’ll stand to lose to an unscrupulous roofer. Make sure that the way your legal expert interprets the contract is the same as the way the contractor explained it to you. Also keep in mind that attornies are paid to find trouble so don’t accept everything they find as urgent. Sometimes they just question things so they can convince you that they are earning your money.
5) Review your experience before agreeing to do business
That their estimate is reasonable and their contract is above-board, but you’re not quite in the clear. Review your experience and ask yourself some basic questions about your customer service experience to date:
- Did you get prompt returns to calls and emails?
- Did the staff you spoke to seem knowledgeable?
- Did the technician or salesman try high-pressure sales tactics, such as offering you a discount if you signed the contract that day?
- Did technicians bad mouth other Cincinnati roofing contractors or otherwise discourage you from seeking another opinion?
You need clear communication with positive, honest sales tactics to close sales. Choose a Cincinnati roofer who is personable, knowledgeable, and doesn’t turn their interview into a chance to bad mouth the competition. At the same time, realize that their time is valuable and they don’t give estimates for a living so when you find the one that you one that you want, call the others and tell them that you have found a roofer.
Finding a roofer, commercial or residential, that meets your needs can be difficult. When you’re worried about getting your repairs done, there’s a temptation to rush into a contract, no matter how many red flags you may be getting. Use these tips to slow down, focus on what’s important, and be sure that your roof repair will be top notch. The same process works for gutters and downspouts as well.
Call us at BestCincinnatiRoofing.com for a free estimate on your Cincinnati roof replacement today.
If you are looking for a roofing contractor in Louisville, KY, check out BestLouisvilleRoofing.com
