How To Choose Roofers In Surrey

How to Find Good Roofers in Surrey

So you have decided it is time to bring in a professional to work on your roof. Whether you are getting a small problem fixed or getting the whole roof replaced there are many things to consider when making this important decision.

Steps to finding a professional roofer in Surrey:

1) Get two or more references of previous work.
2) Ask how long they have been in business.
3) Get at least two other bids for the job to make sure they are not ripping you off.
4) Get flat rate estimates so you know the total you will pay beforehand.

The best place to start asking about Surrey roofers is your family, friends, neighbours and work colleagues. Have they had roofing work carried out well (or badly)? Also, local estate agents may be able to recommend someone. When asking for references, be sure to check the type of job the roofer was called in to accomplish. Also, determine if the roofer specialises in residential or commercial work.

Good questions to ask a reference

Were you happy with the quality provided by the roofer/roofing company? Everybody has their own ideas of quality, so you should take a look at their house and judge for yourself.

Were they courteous and polite?

This is a very important consideration. The entire experience, from beginning to end, needs to be as stress free as possible. Plus, if the roofer enjoys their job, the quality and attention to detail will be better. The roofer’s attitude can and will affect the entire roofing job. Hopefully this will be the first question you ask. If the answer to this question is “no” then don’t go any further, you don’t want to work with that person.

Was a guarantee included?

If a guarantee was included, find out if it had a reasonable amount of time before expiring - somewhere in the region of 5-10 years. Also, was the guarantee of any use? Simply stating that there is an x year guarantee isn't enough. It needs to be detailed and in writing – you need to be able to understand its limitations. A good roofer is happy to stand behind their guarantee. Good roofers use quality materials and know their level of expertise. If a roofer does not offer a guarantee, it should be a big warning sign for you.

How to Hire a Roofer

Think about the last time you purchased a car. Chances are you didn’t go to the yellow pages, choose a dealership at random, and buy your car from the first place you visited. Many times, though, this scenario describes the way homeowners find a roofing company - they look in the phone book and call the roofer with the largest ad or the first one listed. But much like purchasing a car, finding a qualified roofer requires research and comparison shopping.

Ask For a Quote

Invite different roofers to look at the job and ask for a quote in writing. In the quote ask them to specify the time it will take to complete the job. Make sure that all of the quotes are for exactly the same piece of work with the same specifications. If there are any differences then you won’t be able to compare like with like. Estimates and quotes should be provided free of charge.

Create a Contract

Create a contract specifying the work to be done, total cost, payment schedule, start date and estimated completion date. Make sure the contract specifies that the roofer is responsible for all clean up and removal of any waste materials.

Things to Look For in a Professional Roofer

There are a number of things that can set a professional roofer apart:

Insurance

Be sure that the prospective roofing company you are considering is fully insured. Their insurance policy should cover Employer’s Liability, Public/Products Liability and Contract Works. They should be able to provide you with a copy of their policy.

Safety Commitment

Accidents can happen with almost any home improvement project, so ask your prospective candidate what steps he or she will take to prevent injuries and property damage. Again, if a roofer is good at his work he or she will be able to answer this question with ease.

Clean Up

Ask the roofer how he or she intends to leave the work area once the job is completed. You don’t want to be cleaning up after a roofer for hours (or even days!) after they’ve left your home. Also, ask about disruption during the project.

Tips

Small business roofers will be much more affordable because their overhead is lower. If it's a big job, ask for quotes from a number of roofing companies and discard the cheapest and most expensive options. The cheapest will have underestimated and will sting you for it later and the most expensive doesn't really want your business, probably because they are already very busy.

Beware! Things to Watch Out For

Exaggerated Sales Pitches

Anything that sounds too good to be true usually is. Be especially aware of extremely low estimates.

Door to Door Salesmen

Never hire a roofer that offers their services door to door.

Imaginary Problems

Be very wary of 'awful' or 'very complicated' problems. If you can't find about the 'problem' easily online it probably doesn't exist. This is a good reason why you should obtain multiple estimates. If one person talks about a 'terrible problem' and the others don't mention it then you can be fairly confident that they were making it up!

"This Needs Fixing NOW!"

Undue stressing of this is always a bad indication. An honest roofer will not pressure you into making a hurried decision. This probably actually means "We need cash flow NOW!".