How to Choose the Best Roofing Contractor

After performing thousands of home inspections, it’s safe to say that I’ve seen my fair share of bad roof installations.  To most of us, the roof on your home is the most expensive item you’ll ever have to buy.  And I get it,  it’s tough to fight the urge to call a few roofing contractors, get estimates from whoever will answer the phone and hire the one who gives the lowest price.  The truth is that roof installations are just like everything else – you get what you pay for.

My world revolves around houses and contractors.  I spend every day of my life looking at problems and trying to explain them to everyday people like you, who may not know much about houses.  I see the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to houses,  so I can help you when the time comes to have your new roof installed.  We’ll look at different shingle options, the underlying details, and warranty you may (or may not) get on your new roof.

There are many different types of roofs you can get for a house.  Wood shake, tile, slate, metal, and rubber are just a few of the options besides asphalt shingles.  This article will assume you are having asphalt shingles installed as your new roof covering.  Most of the homes in my part of the country have this type of roof covering, as do nearly 70% of all homes in the U.S.

GET 3 QUOTES FROM ROOFING CONTRACTORS AND CHOOSE THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE.

This is horrible advice, by the way.  Folks love to tell you anytime you have work done around your home that you should get 3 ‘bids’ and choose the guy whose price lands in the middle of the pack.  I’ve never ascribed to this idea, as there are way too many variables involved:

• How skilled is the contractor?
• How smart is the contractor?
• How well does the company communicate with you about what is happening?
• Do they answer the phone when you call?
• Do they return your call in a timely manner?
• How long have they been in business?
• Do they have reputable referrals?
• Do they have insurance?

I could go on forever, but you get the idea.  There are a lot of moving parts when dealing with hiring people to work on your home, and I implore you to not get caught up in the price trap.  Just because someone calls himself a professional doesn’t make it so.  I would argue that you are more likely to find that the opposite is true.  There are very few actual professionals out there.

When it comes to your roof, you only see the top layer of the job, and all the critical details that make or break a roof install are covered up by this top layer.  Even the crappiest roof install can look good on the surface,  so it is very important that you hire a roofing contractor who will make sure the details are perfectly executed before the shingles are installed.  You get no second chances when it comes to a roof.  Either it’s done correctly, or you tear it off and start over.

Oh, and there is no such thing as a ‘licensed roofer in Kentucky,’ or in many other states.  I found this list after about 30 seconds of research, so take it with a grain of salt: List of State Laws Regarding Roofers.  Be cautious if your guy claims to be ‘licensed.’  Even if you live in a licensed state I would put no faith in a roofer’s claim.  After all, everyone you see driving on the road should have a license…and we all know that everyone is horrible at driving. Well, except you of course.

Any roofing contractor that should get even the slightest bit of your consideration will put together a ‘bid’ or proposal of what the work scope will be.  What does this proposal look like?  Is it broken down into what gets done, and more importantly, what doesn’t?  Is it detailed in what the company is telling you?  Is it written on a cocktail napkin? (I’m not joking.)   In most circumstances, this proposal is your scope of work with this roofing contractor.  It spells out what they will do for you, what they won’t, and what you will pay them for the job.

SPEAK THE LINGO. DON’T LET SOME FAST TALKING CON-MAN CONFUSE YOU.

Understanding the terminology will help you navigate through the process while talking to your potential roofer.  Let’s look at the most widely used terms in the roofing world, and get a quick explanation of what they are so that if you see them in your roof proposal, you’ll have an idea of what they’re talking about.

What is a ‘Square of Roofing?

Your roof is priced and sold to you using a term called ‘a square’.  A square is a 100 square foot area of your roof slope (a 10×10 section) This term usually applies to the pricing of underlayment, ice and water shield, shingles, and just about every other thing you’ll see on your roofer’s bid.  The next time you are spending date night in Lowe’s, stroll down the shingle aisle and look at the price tag of shingles.  The price they advertise is for one bundle, but for most styles of shingles, it takes 3 bundles to make ‘a square’.  If your roof calls for 30 squares, you need 90 bundles of shingles to get the job done.

What is a Flashing?

Flashings are pieces of metal (usually) that are installed at the weak (or leak) points of a roof installation to prevent water intrusion.  A quality roof will have them installed all around the edge of the roofline, where vertical walls meet the roof slope,  around pipes that stick up through the roof, and around all sides of the chimney. 

Improperly installed flashing, or flashing that is missing altogether, is where the vast majority of roof leaks stem from.  Most roofs don’t leak in the middle of a roof slope, they leak from failed or improperly installed flashings.

One of the most critical pieces of flashing that is typically always missing is called a kickout flashing. Missing kickout flashings usually cause hidden water damage in walls below a gutter-to-wall intersection.

What is a Ventilation?

Attic ventilation is part of the roofing system where cooler air is brought in through the lower intake vents, and hot attic air is exhausted out of the upper vents.  Both sides of this equation are important, and ideally, you want as close to even in/out as you can get.  Too much exhaust ventilation and not enough intake ventilation can create a negative pressure environment that will draw air from your living space (this is the last thing you want).  In a perfect world, your attic should not ‘communicate’ or be connected to the living space below in any way.  I wrote about this in my DIY Attic Insulation Guide that you’ll want to read if you haven’t already.

THINGS TO WATCH FOR WHEN CHOOSING A ROOFING CONTRACTOR

It’s uncommon for roofers to give you a bottom-line price without actually breaking things down in the estimate. If possible, you should also request a line item estimate on things.