There is one key difference between a home repair such as a roof replacement and a typical home capital expenditure such as the purchase of a new car. While with a home repair such as a roof replacement the buyer cannot check most of the work for defects after completion, with a home capital expenditure such as the purchase of a new car the buyer can check most of the work for defects after completion. The key to a roof replacement is therefore the choice of contractor rather than the choice of materials and therefore the normal evaluation for a capital expenditure must apply.
Here’s a practical guide on evaluating contractors. You can use this evaluation to determine their credentials, the workmanship that they can deliver, the warranty that they offer, their reputation and the necessary paperwork to protect both parties.
Credentials that can be independently verified
Most states list contractors on the licensing board’s Web site. Some even list disciplinary actions and list the date when the contractor’s license will expire. Many manufacturers of roofing materials also list contractors who have been certified by the manufacturer to install their products.
Insurance limits and the certificate trap
In addition to verifying a contractor’s license status, check to see if the contractor has obtained a certificate of insurance for your job. Verify that the general liability coverage will be sufficient to enable the full reconstruction of your house in the event of a catastrophic loss. Verify that all crew members will be covered by the contractor’s workers compensation insurance during the time that they are working on your job. Verify that the policy’s effective date is current and will remain so throughout the duration of the work.
Workmanship signals visible in the proposal
By examining the workmanship specification, you can gauge the quality of the contractor’s work. Good quality roof installation includes a specification for the underlayment to be used. The specification for the ice and water shield to be used around chimneys, vents, etc. Is also included. The number of fasteners to be used per shingle, and the method of treatment for each penetration, are also included in a good quality roof installation specification. This specification should be clearly laid out prior to the contractor commencing work on your roof.
Find out how the contractor plans to measure the net free ventilating area of your roof, and how he plans to find out about the insulation in your attic. The contractor who intends to measure up the net free ventilating area of your roof and who intends to find out about the insulation in your attic is treating your roof as a system. He is treating your roof as a system and therefore will treat your home as a system.
- Full tear-off versus a second layer installed over existing shingles, with the reasoning stated
- Decking inspection and a per-sheet price for replacement of rotted sections
- New pipe boots, step flashing, and counterflashing rather than reuse or sealant
- Intake and exhaust ventilation calculated against attic square footage
- Drip edge at eaves and rakes, and valley construction method
Ventilation as a diagnostic
A good roofing contractor treats the roof as a system rather than a commodity. They will for example measure the net free ventilating area of your roof and check if your attic has sufficient insulation. This is far more relevant to your needs than being able to sell you a variety of ridge vents for example. But do they check if there is sufficient soffit intake to work in conjunction with the ridge vent they suggest? Probably not.
Warranty structure and what actually gets honored
A contractor can market the best home improvement product on the market but still be a terrible contractor. Therefore, the evaluation of a contractor’s workmanship for a roof replacement is very important and is different from the evaluation of the roofing material. The majority of roofing material is warrantied for a limited time, such as 5 years, 10 years, 20 years etc. Most of these limited warranties only cover defects in the material itself and not the installation of the material. For a contractor to offer an extended warranty for workmanship, the contractor must be certified by the manufacturer of the roofing material.
| Coverage type | What it addresses | Who administers it | Common exclusions |
| Standard material warranty | Manufacturing defects in shingles only | Manufacturer | Labor, tear-off, disposal, installation error |
| Enhanced system warranty | Full system components plus installation | Manufacturer, through certified installers | Mixed-brand accessories, inadequate ventilation |
| Contractor workmanship warranty | Installation defects and resulting leaks | The contractor | Storm damage, structural movement, neglect |
A 5 to 10 year workmanship warranty from a new contractor will not have the same value as a 2-5 year workmanship warranty from an established contractor. Ask the contractor how many workmanship claims they processed in the last year and how these were handled.
Reputation signals worth reading closely
A 5-star rating on a website with many reviews is not particularly revealing. Instead, read the worst reviews on the website (2-3 stars). What does a roofer do when a leak call occurs 3 years after the roof was installed? That will give you more information about the roofer than their best promotional piece. Before you shortlist anyone, it is worth studying how the top rated roofing companies handle these long-tail service calls, since that behavior is the clearest predictor of your own experience.
Patterns to look for
When reading through the top-rated Roofing Companies’ reviews, it’s wise to first read through the 2-star and 3-star reviews for that company. These reviews will outline to you the contractor’s ability to complete work in a timely manner, their clean-up policy, and their return call policy. Even more importantly, how the contractor responds to these types of reviews in a timely and professional manner will give you insight into the type of service you will receive as a customer.
Project transparency from contract to final walkthrough
A Scope of Work for Roofing Projects should clearly outline the work that is to be done for future reference. Reducing risk of future disputes to simple arithmetic, the Scope of Work for Roofing Projects should include, (1) a fixed scope of work; (2) a written change order process with associated unit pricing; and (3) a payment schedule that requires only modest up front deposits to ensure that materials are delivered on time.
- Written scope naming products, quantities, and manufacturer part numbers
- Permit responsibility assigned in writing, along with inspection scheduling
- Daily site protection plan covering landscaping, gutters, and driveway staging
- Magnetic nail sweep and debris removal specified as a completion condition
- Final walkthrough with photographic documentation of flashing and penetrations
Contractors trying to hide unknown margins will resist creating documentation of the work to be completed. On the other hand, worthy roofing contractors will detail the scope of work prior to your request.
