My wife and I need A new roof on our house. How do we go about getting A good deal along with good workmanship

Question

WE ARE BOTH ON A FIXED INCOME AND 59 AND 60 YEARS OLD.

Answer 1

Some guy at Home Depot will refer his cousin, or the guy that brings him donuts in the morning. What does he know?

Government bureaucracies are no better, they can give you facts and figures, which may or may not reflect the integrity of a business accurately. How many government bureaucracies have you dealt with do you feel are well organized and have your best interests at heart? I rest my case.

No, the best thing to do is to get a referral from someone you know who has had their roof done, or who is in the construction or remodeling business. If you want a good deal you'll want to go with a small contractor as opposed to one of the large companies that run TV ads all the time. The large companies all hire small contractors anyway, so you can cut out the middle man this way. It doesn't hurt to get 2 or 3 estimates, just to keep 'em honest, but let the referral outweigh the lowball.

Most small contractors require a 50% down payment, with the balance at the end of the job, upon your approval. Being small-time contractors they don't have a lot of capitol, and don't want to risk buying material that they can't pay for if the customer burns them. So, it's only fair. OK?

And don't be afraid if the contractor has only a couple of helpers. A couple of experienced men that are a little slower and do a good job is better than a roofull of wetbacks with no quality control whatsoever.

In my opinion, 90% of the talent in the construction industry are small-time contractors who have had to rely on their skill and integrity for years to gain a client base to scratch out a living. If you can find this guy you have it made.

Good luck!

Answer 2

check out the local chamber of commerce for licensed contractors, then check with the better business bureau

Answer 3

Don't hire illegal immigrants (they can botch things up very badly)  and make sure the person is liscensed and insured.  It's better to pay to have something done right the first time than it is to have to pay someone else to redo the job.

Answer 4

Go to Home Depot, and the roofing section. Ask the salesperson about local roofing contractors. Maybe he, or she can supply you with the names of some reliable contractors that get their supplies there.

Answer 5

Get a minimum of 3 estimates from local roofers in your area.  Ask for and follow through on references.  Check with your local Better Business Bureau to see if there are any unresolved complaints.  If your income falls below a certain level, you can check with Habitat for Humanity, or a similar organization.  Hope this helps.

Answer 6

First you need to know a little about roofing.

#1. Ask if your house needs to have the old layers of roofing taken off. I would say yes if you want the best job.

#2. You can have standard 3 tab shingles put on, or you can go with an architectural shingle which can be 2 times the cost.

#3. A lot of roofing companies now use a product called "Ice and water shield". It is like a thin rubber roll that seals the nails from the shingles to prevent water backing up behind the shingles during winter freeze/thaw or during hard storms where shingles may blow off. Ask if they are quoting that item.

#4. Ask if they are removing the old metal roof edge around the edge of the roof, If so ask that they install new roof edge in a color that goes with your roof selection.

#5. Ventilation. *Vent Ridge is the term for a venting strip placed at the peak of your roof, They cut back the roof plywood a couple inches on each side of the peak and then install this vent ridge. It lets hot air escape and keeps rain and snow out. This is obviously more money. Have them quote this as an option.

#6. Standard gravity roof vents. These are just metal roof vents that require a round hole cut in the roof decking - usually placed 2-3' down from the peak of the roof, generally they are put on the back side of the roof only - to conceal them a little. I like to place them about every 6' in line along the back of the roof. I like to have gable end vents in addition to these roof vents.

#7. Flashing should be mentioned and included such as around chimneys, up against any side walls that the roof butts into, and vent pipes.

#8. Cleanup of all debris should be stated in proposal, they should get you a certificate of insurance from their insurance agent that shows they carry workmen's comp and truck insurance.

#9. Remember you want a proposal not an estimate. You should have an exact dollar price, with optional prices on some areas I mentioned. If some of the roof decking is found to need replaced after the tear off, you need to have them state how much it will cost for materials and labor to replace each 4' x8' sheet of roof decking (plywood). Also have them include leaving you 2-3 bundles of shingles for any storm damage you may have later.

#10. Look over proposals get (3). Discuss with your wife which of the companies seems to be the best. Ask your local lumber yard who is a good roofing company. Take note of any houses currently getting a new roof, wait until roof is done and just stop and ask them how the roofing contractor worked out. Prices should be withing 10% of each other , watch for low price and a vague proposal - some roofing companies hire salesman by commission, they can be very pushy. Don't go for a couple of guys and a truck - they will take forever to finish- if they finish at all.

Sorry reply is so long - just don't want you getting ripped off.

And don't pay until roof and cleanup is all finished. You can pay some down if asked, but not more than 10%.

Pay them promptly when done if everything is ok.

Answer 7

You should definately get as many quotes as you can to make sure you are getting the best deal. When I had my roof done, I went to this site and got quotes from roofing contractors. http://www.QuoteMyRepair.com  

Make sure you let them know as much info about your roof so there are no surprise costs after the job is already started. Oh, you can also get a really helpful booklet from this site that tells you all the questions you should ask a roofing contractor before you hire one.

Good luck,