8 Questions to Ask Your Contractor When You Need a New Roof On Your Home | Chevy Chase, MD

Your roof is one of the most important features of your home. It protects the rest of your house, so the highest quality is imperative. This is not a time to skimp. It's also not a good idea to delay if your roof is on its last legs. Stalling may cause wind and water damage that could result in other issues with your home. Since roofing is a difficult home repair task that most people don't tackle themselves, make sure you ask your contractor these questions before entering into an agreement with him.

1. Do you have liability insurance? If something happens to your property while they are working on your roof, the contractor's insurance would cover the cost of fixing whatever damage occurs. Ask to see the insurance certificate. If questionable, contact the insurance company to confirm.
2. Do you have workman's comp? Roofing is a dangerous job and you want to make sure you're not liable if one of his employees gets hurt while working on your property.
3. Are you licensed in my state? You want to ensure you're hiring a professional who takes local code requirements seriously.
4. Do you have references? Make sure they are local and recent.
5. Will you remove the old roof? If the contractor tries to talk you into re-shingling over the old roof, find somebody else. Yes, it's easier and less expensive, but unless you remove the old roof you risk covering up problems that will just be harder to get to in the future.
6. What does the estimate include? Make sure they include a container for the disposal of refuse, the cost of taking it to the dump, roofing material, a drip edge, and an agreed-upon price for plywood if they find any spots that need replacement.
7. How will you make sure my property is not damaged in this process? Refuse containers should not be set on asphalt or concrete driveways, ladder stabilizers used to protect gutters, and a plan in place to protect landscaping. If bad weather arises, do they have tarps to cover the roof?
8. What is the warranty on the roof? Whatever material you choose for your new roof, there should be some sort of guarantee of it lasting at least 25 years.

Replacing a roof is a sizable investment, so make sure you have a reputable company who is known for quality work. If you're in Maryland or the greater D.C. area, we've been providing customers with roofs and other home improvements since 1960. We're happy to answer these and any other questions you may have. For more information, contact us.