A roof replacement project is a significant undertaking, no matter if it is a residential or a commercial roofing project. They both require significant amounts of preparation and investment so that the project can be executed smoothly and thoroughly.
Get in contact with a professional roofer to get informed as early as possible to avoid any missteps.
There’s a lot of prep work that goes into a roofing project. From creating a sufficient budget to comfortably handle the project’s costs to finding the proper materials that are best fitted for your home’s design, budget and climate as well as finding the proper local roofing contractor who can take care of your roof in a professional and timely manner.
It doesn’t end there as you’ll need to ensure that the job is being done properly, which is why a project manager is there to assist you with the entire process of overlooking the project’s progress. Once the whole project is done and dusted, you’ll still need to have some form of security to protect you from any untoward incidents caused by the materials or, in rare instances, a faulty mishap from your roofing contractor. Thankfully, there are insurances in place to protect your investment from unfortunate events like this. This is one of the first and most important things you need to look out for from your roofer before signing that contract.
Make Sure Your Roofer Is Insured
Before even getting that free estimate from your prospective roofing contractor, the first thing you need to ask them for is proof that the company is licensed and insured. It’s important to verify that roofers are licensed in the state where they operate. Afterwards, your roofing contractor should have valid and verifiable workers’ compensation and general liability insurance that will protect your home or your commercial building in case any accidents occur during the duration of the roofing project.
It’s also worth checking your residential and commercial roofing contractors’ on-site reviews to ensure that they don’t have any legal actions against them. You should also check reviews from third-party sources like HomeAdvisor, Houzz or Angie’s List®. If you even know neighbors and friends who have worked with them previously, then all the better since this can help you gauge if your prospective contractors are up to the task or not.
Your Roofer Should Have Workers’ Compensation
If it’s your first time handling a roofing project, you might be wondering what workers’ compensation insurance is and why it’s important. It’s essential that your roofing contractors’ insurance is valid before signing on with them. For instance, if a roofer falls off a ladder while installing your shingles, the injured worker or the person’s family could hold you responsible if your roofing contractor doesn’t have a valid workers’ compensation insurance.
Having valid workers’ compensation insurance protects you from these liabilities and puts you at ease during the duration of the project. The last thing you’d want is to worry about the doctor’s bills, emergency room visits or even funeral costs if a serious injury happened during the roof replacement project.
The Roofer Should Have General Liability Insurance
While the workers’ compensation insurance protects you from liability in case an accident happens to one of the workers on your property, general liability insurance protects your home from shoddy workmanship or second-rate materials, preventing you from paying for your contractor’s mistake. For example, your roofer needs to repair a small portion of your roof that was damaged by a recent storm while the rest of your roof and your home is in good condition that warrants no repairs. Your roofer climbs up onto your roof and works in close proximity to the chimney.
For some reason, your roofer accidentally swings a hammer and chips off a large portion of your chimney, damaging numerous bricks in the process. In the event that your roofer doesn’t have general liability insurance, you would still have to pay for the chimney repairs on top of the storm damage repair that was supposed to be done in the first place. Make sure that you double-check and even ask for a physical copy of their general liability insurance so that you’re protected from unfortunate events like this. If they cannot give you a definite answer or are unable to present a copy of both general liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance, steer clear, and look for another roofing contractor to work on the project. You don’t want to undergo even more stress when you find out that they lack these important documents since a roofing project is a significant investment.
Not All Roofing Projects Go Smoothly
As much as we want all roofing projects to be done in a smooth manner, there will be some instances where there will be some bumps in the road. This is where the best contractors stand out from the rest. It’s how they deal with these situations and challenges that make them the cream of the crop of the roofing industry. After all, roofing projects are one of the most dangerous jobs out there since contractors work on an elevated surface with unstable footing to ensure that homeowners have a safe roof above their heads.
A credible and capable roofing company would want to protect both the homeowners and their contractors alike from any kind of incidents, which is why they train rigorously to ensure that each job they do day-in and day-out is done with precision and timeliness. They further supplement this with insurance to cover any injuries and property damage if there are any unfortunate instances that may arise so that the homeowner won’t have to worry about anything during the project’s duration.
When in need of a durable roof system that can weather any storm and provide long-lasting performance, just turn to Bay Valley Contractors. We serve Concord, CA, and the areas in the Contra Costa, Alameda and Solano counties. We are a certified and insured roof replacement and remodeling company. Call us today at (925) 705-7889, or fill out this contact form to schedule your consultation.
