How to Find a Qualified San Jose Roofer

The roof over your head is literally your first defense against the outside elements. If your roof is in poor condition you risk serious damage to your whole house and all your belongings. Water can seep in, damaging the structure of the roof, walls and ceilings. Left in disrepair the cost of having the damage repaired will only grow over time. The quicker you contact a reliable San Jose Roofer to fix the problem the less it is going to cost you.

No matter what type of roof you have, replacing it can be a major expense. The materials are only a fraction of the total you will pay for a new roof. The biggest expense in hiring a qualified San Jose Roofer will be in labor. Roofing is a trade that requires skill and knowledge in a number of other disciplines including math, general carpentry, and framing construction. Finding a Roofer is the easy part. Locating a reliable San Jose Roofer with know-how and ability to do the work properly might be a little harder.

Where to Find a San Jose Roofer

There are several ways to begin your search for a reliable San Jose Roofer. Of course referrals from friends and family are clearly the best place to ask about a reliable Roofer. Find out if someone you know has worked with a Roofer before and if they were pleased with the results. Check out the work first hand. If you like what you see and get a positive report on a specific Roofer, ask for his contact information.

Check your phone directory’s yellow pages under “Roofing Contractors” or visit your local home supply center. A qualified Roofer will often leave business cards on a bulletin board supplied as a courtesy by the home centers. Do an online search for a database to find a qualified local San JoseRoofer. Usually only professionals will take the time involved to obtain a listing.

After you’ve compiled a list, you need to take the time to carefully evaluate each Roofer. Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if any Roofer you have in mind has any complaints on file and how they were resolved. Call the state licensing board to make sure the San Jose Roofer has a current license. If you find there are complaints or questions about the status of any Roofer’s license, you should probably cross him off you list.

Interviewing a San Jose Roofer

Set up an interview with each San Jose Roofer to discuss your project. An interview will not only help you to determine if the Roofer is capable of handling your project but it will also give you a chance to see how well you’ll work together. Remember that good communication is important to a successful project. Begin by asking about their experience. The level of experience of a Roofer will help you to determine if they have the ability to handle the job. Ask to see a copy of their state contractor’s license and make note of the number. You may need to check this later.

Make certain they have all the necessary insurances. A Roofer should carry liability as well as workers compensation. Request copies of all policies and the contact information for the insurance carrier. To make certain employees are covered, call the department of workers compensation. If the Roofer has no insurance or is under insured, you could find yourself dealing with some expensive damages or paying for an injured worker’s medical bills and other expenses and this could literally cost you your home.

Of course you’ll want to ask the San Jose Roofer for references from past jobs but don’t depend on these when making your final decision. It’s not in any contractor’s best interest to give you the contact information of a dissatisfied customer. Check with the local Better Business Bureau to find out if there are any complaints on file. If there are any you need to find out how they were settled. A single complaint should not rule out a Roofer but a series of unresolved complaints is a definite sign of problems.

Getting Your Bid from a San Jose Roofer

After you have your list of potential contractors, you’ll want to request some bids. Ask for a bid from each Roofer you feel comfortable with. Some people say the more bids the better but this is not necessarily true. If a Roofer feels there is too much competition he may simply walk away. In actuality, a well known Roofer could have other clients waiting while you're still in the decision process, thus you may lose a bid from the most qualified San Jose Roofer. So keep the bidding to a select few.

Remember when asking for a bid, you don’t want just a slip of paper with a number on it. You want an itemized list of what everything will cost including all materials and labor. Provide each San Jose Roofer with a detailed list of what you’d like included in the bids and this will help ensure that you receive some uniform quotes that are easy to compare. If one bid is significan'tly lower than another you’ll be able to pinpoint exactly where the differences are.

You don’t necessarily want the lowest bid, but the highest one isn’t a guarantee of better service or materials either. You should look for a balance of both reasonable price and good service. If one bid seems considerably lower than the others ask the Roofer why. One Roofer might have less overhead, fewer employees or even a cheaper source for materials and are able to pass the savings on to their customers but whatever the reason for the low bid you need to verify that it is legitimate.

Once you’ve found the San Jose Roofer you feel is right for the job, you’ll need to work up a contract.