Being a commercial property owner is no less than being a full-time business person, even if your business does not operate within the property you own. Every decision regarding the maintenance and upkeep of the property is a business decision that must be taken after due consideration.
While many such decisions, like choosing a plumber or electrician, you may have to take often, there are certain others that most of us tend to forget about, until something goes wrong. Roofing is one such area. Most property owners don’t think anything can go wrong with their roof until it does. There are also many that have not faced any problems with the roof in decades of owning the property and suddenly one day, it starts leaking.
Most property owners have little to no experience dealing with roofing repairs. One might think of searching for websites showing how to reroof a roof or make repairs. But, doing it yourself requires experience, tools, and time. You’re probably better off hiring a professional. With an abundance of roofing companies present in the market, choosing a dependable professional can prove to be a confusing decision.
If budget is your only consideration, you may end up choosing the wrong professional. As with everything else, when it comes to roofing, you get what you pay for. A lower quote may mean that you will get subpar workmanship and low-quality material that will result in a roof that requires frequent repairs and may even need a replacement in as little as five short years!
Now, this doesn’t mean that cost should not be a factor influencing your decision. It just means that you must also evaluate all prospective commercial roof repair or installation professionals based on the following considerations:
Licensing And Insurance
Any business representative or owner that hesitates when asked for registration proof of their business, or in the case of roofers, a license to operate as a certified roofing professional, does not take the job seriously enough. Roofing is a serious business and requires a lot of skill and expertise that can only be developed with proper training. If a potential roofer does not have a license, they also probably don’t have the expertise required for the job.
Similarly, any certified professional will know the risks associated with a roofing job and will make sure they are insured. If you work with an uninsured roofing contractor and something goes wrong, you may have to bear the liability. For this reason, it is strongly recommended to inquire about the license and insurance of any contractor that you may be thinking of working with.
References And Past Track Record
Inquiring about the past track record of a roofing professional or company will help you get a clearer picture of what to expect when they work for you. Don’t just ask them about the previous projects they have completed, but also inquire about any accidents that they have seen happening on the job.
These questions will help you gauge the kind of professionalism you can expect from them. Also remember, a track record is just words until it’s proven. As your prospective contractor for client references that will testify to the quality of work, they are promising to you.
Inquire About Warranty
Almost all professional services under the sun come with a warranty and the case of roofing service is definitely not an exception. The average lifespan of a roof is between 20 and 50 years. Any contractor that knows what they are doing will know this and will be more than willing to offer a warranty on the job they deliver.
While chances are that you will never need to claim the warranty, it is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it, right?
Conclusion
While some readers may be thinking that they don’t know much about roofing and questioning professionals may not be the right decision, it is important to understand that you are paying for a service and you reserve the right to ensure you get the maximum value from the money you spend.
