When a homeowner wants to find a reliable roofing contractor, they often call one or two of the bigger roofing companies in town, based on name recognition or an ad they saw on TV or a billboard. But as with many other industries, the best roofers are not always the most reliable roofers.
Here are five ways to find a reliable roofer:
- Recommendations from friends. You probably know many people who have had work done on their roof in the recent past. Recommendations from people you trust are one of the best ways to find a reliable roofing company, because you know the opinion is authentic.
- Rating services. Your local Better Business Bureau, as well as contractor rating and review services such as Angie’s List and HomeAdvisor, can be great resources when researching roofing contractors.
- People who work with roofers. Certain organizations and professionals interact with roofing companies on a regular basis. These include real estate agents, home builders and remodelers, and apartment rental and property management companies. You might even get some recommendations by calling a local or national contractors association or a shingle manufacturer.
- Yard signs. Many roofing companies will leave a yard sign in front of houses they’ve worked on. This can give you an idea of which companies your neighbors trust, although it’s always helpful to talk to people and not go on reputation alone.
- Social media. You can find and read reviews of roofing contractors on Facebook, Google+, and Yelp. In addition, look for contractors who interact regularly and in a positive way with their customers and the community, on those sites as well as Twitter and LinkedIn.
Once you’ve gathered the names of a few recommended roofing contractors in your area, the next step is to call around. Don’t hesitate to talk to several companies, rather than going with the first one that picks up the phone.
Even if you go with a roofer that comes highly recommended, it’s still a good idea to make sure they’re a good fit for you. In our next article, we’ll review some things you can look for and ask when talking to a roofer, to get a better sense of their reliability.
About the author: EMA Construction is a Cincinnati roofing company with more than 20 years of experience in roof installation, roof repair, seamless gutters, gutter guards, vinyl siding, and window installation.
