Do you need a home or office roof renovation? Maybe you are having a hard time finding the right commercial roofing contractors to do the job for you. Roofs play a pivotal role in creating an appealing and safe home. Nobody wants a roof that leaks whenever the storm grows a little heavier or creaks whenever it is windy. It is therefore important to identify the industrial roofing services around you. Most homeowners have to replace roofs a little too often for these very reasons. Believe me when I tell you, the quality of the roofing material is just as important as the contractors you hire to do the renovation for you.
With the ever-growing number of renovation companies, it is more difficult than ever to find a residential roof repair company to complete a lasting roofing project. This article will give you some tips that I hope will go a long way in helping you find the right guys for the job of home or office renovation.
Set Achievable Project Goals
Certain questions should be answered to efficiently address the concerns of the project beforehand. These include:
- What are the factors driving the renovation? This could be a desire to change or upgrade finishes or to install new technology like solar panels.
- What are the issues that you foresee influencing the schedule of the project?
- What is the size of your budget? Is there any money left for contingencies?
- What other entities (for company renovation) will the contracted team need to deal with before and during the course of the project?
- What are your expectations in quality of installations or those of the board of managers in the case of a company?These questions help you address some possible troublesome situations before the project begins. They also help to search for the right contractors for the project in question.
Seek Recommendations on home and office renovation
The most suitable and dependable recommendations would be from your friends and family. If this proves cumbersome, consult the Remodeling Industry National Association for members in your locality. Some renovation contractors rarely meet code requirements. It is advisable to consult with a building inspector to know those that meet these codes on a regular basis.
Tom Silva, the general contractor of This Old House, suggests visiting your local lumberyard that sees contractors on a regular basis. They will provide valuable information on which contractors pay their bills on time and, more importantly, which ones buy quality materials. More tips on how to acquire professional roofers can be found at Hometown Contractors Roofing.
Interview the Contractors through Calls
After getting recommendations, make a list starting with those that have the best ratings. Make a list of questions to ask each of your prospects and make a call to each of them asking them the same questions. The following collection of questions is recommended by Tom:
- Can they provide you with a list of their previous clients?
- Have they undertaken any commercial roof installation projects of your size?
- Do they have financial references from banks or suppliers that they can provide you with?
- How long have their subcontractors been working for them?
- Do they have any ongoing projects at the moment? How many projects do they currently have ongoing?
With the answers, they give you it will be easier to know each residential roof repair company’s reliability, availability and how much attention they will accord your project and how smooth the process will be.
Arrange to Meet the Contractors
Based on the answers the contractors gave you, pick three to five of them and arrange a meeting. During the meeting, discuss estimates and other particulars of the project. The contractor should have the ability to answer your queries in a manner that gives you confidence in their ability to deliver on your project.
It is important that you establish good communication links with the contractor and make sure that you get along with them. This is because if they are to take up your project, they will be in your home or company for long periods of time in a day. It is also crucial that you don’t let the personality of the contractor fool you into believing in the quality of roof repair service they offer. You should make sure to check in with the consumer protection agency in your state and the Better Business Bureau in your locality before you hire the company to undertake your project. This is to make sure that the company has no history of client disputes.
Do a Background Check on the Companies
Meeting the contractors should help you narrow down your list for home and office renovators further. It is now time to investigate the facts to be sure that the contractors can deliver on quality. Call the former clients of the contractors that remained on your list to find out how their projects went. Tom also insists that you should not just believe the clients over the phone. Go ahead and ask to see the finished projects. This should help you compare their project to yours depending on size and topography of the land. Beyond this, there are also very important factors that should help you determine the contractors’ legality and ability to do your project. These include:
Roofing Certifications
A good contractor must have more than just assurances by word of mouth. A roofing certification alone is proof that the roofing company will stand by the work done. The most commendable certifications are given to the exceptional roofers that meet the stringent standards of the industry.
Transparency
The roof repair service company for your office renovation should be honest about information on their company and also about your project. They need to openly discuss estimates contract information and other important information about your project. Apart from this, they should be willing to provide you with local references and show you their recent projects to see the quality of the work they deliver.
Proactive Listening
It is an important quality of a good contractor to pay attention to the details of a commercial roof installation or a renovation. They should ask questions that aid in assuring that possible problems in installation are avoided. They will also be in a position to give an expert opinion based on your goals and how best to proceed with the office renovation project. You learn more qualities of a professional roofer at Yes Contracting Services.
National Roofing Contractors Association Memberships
In the roofing industry, as is the case in a majority of industries, roofing material is often superseded by new materials. For this reason it is of great importance that roofers keep up with industry trends and standards that have been put in place by the relevant regulation authorities. Roofers with membership in the NCRA are among the first to access the latest information on roofing materials as well as new safety regulations.
Credentials from the Green Building Council
If a roofing company has earned these credentials, it shows they are truly committed to environmental efforts. If you are in search of energy efficient roofing, you should choose a roofing company with a US tag from GBCC. They will save your expenses on heating and cooling and HVAC repair and maintenance.
Insured Roofers
There’s an equal risk of something wrong happening to the roof as there is for the people involved in roofing. You would be much safer to hire commercial roofing contractors that are covered if an accident occurs while the project is on-going. You should therefore look for insurance before you hire any roofer.
Comprehensive Warranties
Not even the best roof restoration service can guarantee a totally problem free roofing structure. Mistakes happen every now and then even when the most qualified professionals are involved. These defects during installation can yield improper functioning of the roof, and you may need to renovate your roof sooner than expected. A commercial roof installation company that offers a comprehensive warranty will help you get rid of this worry. It will also save you a lot of money in case of unexpected installation defects.
The Local Presence of the Contractors
It is advisable to hire a roof repair company that has an established local presence. This is mainly because a local roofer is well aware of the climate of your area throughout the year and hence will build your roof in good knowledge of what conditions your roof will experience in different seasons year round. This can assure high quality workmanship.
Experience
This might have already been established after seeking recommendations on the best commercial roofing companies for your an office renovation. However, if this is not the case, it is important that the roof repair company of your choice has years of experience. Experience gives the roofer knowledge on how the roof works and common errors during the roofing process. Experience also allows the roofers to be able to handle unique situations and gives you confidence in the roofing company to deliver a high-quality industrial roofing services.
Develop Construction Plans and Get Bids
By now you should have a short list of commercial roofing contractors who seem to have a clean track record and look reputable. At this point, you should focus on getting your project started. The contractors should be able to provide estimates based on the cost of materials, the labor and other expenses also factoring in their profit margins which should accrue to around 20% of the total cost. The materials should generally cost 40% of the total cost so the contractors figure should not be far off.
Set a Schedule for Payment
Setting a payment schedule before-hand is another great tip to knowing a contractor’s work ethic and financial status. A contractor that has financial problems will want you to pay half the bid before the work begins. This could also mean that they are worried that after seeing the work, you won’t be willing to pay the rest.
It is however important to note that in large projects, 10% is to be paid at contract signing and 25% is paid in three payments spaced over the project duration. A final 15% is paid on project completion. This step will help you judge the work ethic of your contractor and their ability to complete your project on time.
Do not Judge Contractors Based on Price
An extremely low bid could save you some money for your other projects. However, it is usually a sign that the contractor is either desperate for work or is cutting corners. In a healthy economy these are discouraging signs. Your comfort in payment should play a central role as well as the competence in deciding the contractor to take up your office renovation project.
The most basic fundamental factor in choosing a contractor should be your ability to communicate. All other competence issues held constant, it is better to spend more on a competent contractor you’re confident in.
Pen it Down on Paper
The proof of liability insurance, the payment schedule and the compensation payments of workers are important details that should not be left out when drawing up a contract. Other details on the contract document should be the start date and the projected completion date, the products and materials to be used in the project and the requirement of your contractor obtaining a lien release among others.
You should note that insisting on an all-inclusive contract is not based on mistrust. It ensures that your roof restoration service has no hitches and if there are any, you are exempted from most liabilities.
Plan a Contingency Budget
No matter how well planned a project is, it is not always flawless. You need to be prepared to handle unforeseen setbacks. This involves approximately 10% of the budget. It is wise to set the contingency fund above and beyond the set project budget. This ensures that unexpected costs are handled without going out of the formal budget. While it can sometimes seem unnecessary, proactive planning ensures that the project is efficient and of high-quality.
Those are some tips on finding the right company for your home or office renovation.