What You Should Be Asking Your Sarasota Roofing Contractor

Whether you have experience dealing with Sarasota roofing contractors or not, when starting a new roof replacement project or repair project it’s important to ask the right questions. While roofing is not rocket science, it can be daunting to find the right roofing contractor for the job. You don’t want to choose a contractor who just meets the minimum standards. Below is 7 things you should ask your Sarasota roofing contractor before starting your next roofing project.

1.) Do I need to replace or is a repair possible?

Sadly, many Sarasota Roofing Contractors will pitch you a roof replacement when in fact your roof can just be repaired or a smaller sections replaced instead of the entire roof. Knowing the severity of the issues along with key information like roof age & roof type will lead you in a direction to know if repair is possible before replacement. A 20 year old shingle roof with several leaks in different areas will probably need replaced, but a 10 year old shingle with a few leaks over the garage may just need repaired or a smaller section replaced. Talk to your Sarasota roofing contractor about the details of the leaks & issues and find out if a repair is available instead of replacing the entire roof.

2.) Do you have references?

This is one of the most important questions to ask your Sarasota roofing contractor. Just like any contractor you invite to your home, you want your roofing contractor to have good reputation and verifiable work references. Ask your contractor for addresses of prior jobs so that you can personally go out and see the work. Most roofing contractors have before and after photos as well which will help you verify their references. Here at Florida Southern Roofing, we have a ‘testimonials’ page with real customers reviews of work we have done for them – we welcome you to read through!

3.) What type of warranty do you offer?

Generally, roof replacement projects offer a longer more extensive warranty. Some roofing contractors offer no warranty for repairs, or a 1-5 year warranty for the fixed area only. Generally 2 warranties are offered for roof replacement projects; The workmanship warranty which covers the work performed to fix issues (provided by the contractor) generally 1-10 years and the material warranty (provided by the manufacturer) generally 5 years to a lifetime. Find out what types of warranties your Sarasota roofing contractor offers before starting any project.

4.) Do you have workman’s comp insurance?

Years ago employers with three or fewer employees didn’t have to offer workman’s comp insurance; now they do by law. Still, some roofing contractors will not comply to this requirement. Why? Insurance isn’t cheap. The problem, of course, is when the chance is taken on your property and somebody gets injured. If you hire a company that doesn’t offer workman’s comp and someone gets injured on your property, you might find yourself being held responsible, and you will be forced to fork over thousands of dollars for their medical bills. To protect yourself, make sure the Sarasota roofing contractor you hire insures each worker that will be at your home for your next roofing project.

5.) Do you have a local phone number and office?

Don’t fall for storm chasers. Just look around this area after a threatening hurricane hits close by or even a major thunderstorm. You will see lots of trucks full of contractors looking for work. While some of these contractors may be licensed and insured, what happens when the project gets done and then something goes wrong? Who do you contact to fix a leak months later or fix a product that wasn’t installed correctly? If you choose to deal with a company not local to Sarasota, you may not be able to get that same company back out to fix any issues you have in the future.

6.) How long have you been in business?

This is a good question to ask, as a roofing contractor is likely to be more efficient and better at the job if they’ve been doing it for a longer period of time. That’s not to say that amateur Sarasota roofing contractors should be punished, of course, but there is great peace of mind that comes from choosing an experienced roofing contractor.

7.) Do you offer a written contract?

While this may seem like a no-brainer, some roofing contractors may work on a handshake. Make sure you find out if your Sarasota roofing contractor provides a written contract with the scope of work, the cost, the cleanup, and the details of any warranty offered.