Every homeowner feels their hands getting sticky when they are advised to replace their shingled roof in the next several years. There are too many stories of roofing contractors who only wanted the quick buck which resulted in shoddy work or un-kept promises, and you know you have to sort through the weeds to find a trusted roofing contractor near you.
So how do you maneuver through this minefield?
In this post we will go over 3 key discussions to have with your local roofing contractor that will help give you peace of mind.
1. Choosing a Warranty Length
Shingle materials come with a variety of warranties for the actual shingles. They can range from 20 years to 40 years with the most common being in the 30 year range. The length of your warranty can affect how much the basic roofing materials will cost you.
So why does this matter?
First, if you are planning on remodeling or demolishing your house in the next 25-30 years, you will not want a long warranty.
Second, the warranty may only cover the shingles themselves. If the other parts used on the roof have short warranties, you may want to consider their life span before you choose a long shingle warranty. Make sure you ask your roofing contractor about the warranties on parts of the material.
2. Manufacturer’s Warranties
The manufacturer’s warranty covers the actual shingles that will be installed on your roof. If the shingles become defected from sun, ice, or other weather during their warranty period, they will be replaced at no cost.
But there is a catch…
Most manufacturer’s warranties will not cover the labor cost for a roofing company to perform the replacement work, it will only cover the actual shingles that need to be replaced.
And that brings us to our third and often overlooked point:
3. Workmanship Warranties
According to GAF.com, more than ⅔ of roofing problems come from poor installation techniques, not the roofing materials. Improper installations generally are not covered in the manufacturer’s warranty.
So how do you avoid that horror story of the roofing contractor who refuses to fix his mistakes?
First, directly ask the roofing company what their workmanship warranty is, and don’t let them distract you by talking about the warranty on the shingles. You want their warranty, not the manufacturer’s warranty!
Second, ask to see or talk to some of their previous customers. A few short interactions with previous customers will let you see the roofing contractor’s workmanship as well as hear about the customers’ experiences. Websites such as Homeadvisor can also help find a roofing contractor near you.
But the best part?
If you live in PA, MD, or DE; you already have access to a quality roofing contractor! We at JMK Roofing pride ourselves in our quality workmanship, professional crews, and most importantly, keeping our word when it comes to our workmanship warranty! Click here to get a free quote today!
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