How To Choose The Best Roofing Contractor In Greater Seattle

Choosing The Right Contractor Will Save You Time, Money, And Headaches

Undergoing large home remodeling or renovation projects, such as a roof replacement or repair, is no small feat for most Greater Seattle homeowners. Replacing your roof can be expensive, especially when problems arise from choosing the wrong roofing contractor.

In the state of Washington, it can be a bit tricky to weed through the mess of roofing contractors. Horror stories we hear from our customers include not having their roof installed per manufacturer specifications, roofs failing after just a few years, poor customer service and practices, and on and on and on.

Not to mention, you should be able to trust the people who are working on your home and in close proximity to your family and loved ones!

Let’s talk about how to choose the best roofing contractor in the Greater Seattle area to avoid the trials and tribulations of hiring the wrong people!

Make Sure The Contractor You Choose Has The Proper Qualifications In Washington State

While it may seem like a simple first step, it is often overlooked because it’s more fun to find the cheapest deal, and hope it all works out. The state of Washington does not require specific competence for home contractors. Instead, home roofing companies just pay a fee and they’re totally legit (according to the government). That’s right. No test. Of any kind.

This means that although a company boasts that they are licensed, this does not mean they are trusted, reliable, or even qualified.

Contractors are required to register their business based on the services they provide. In most cases, roofing contractors fall into the specialty contracting classification as opposed to general contractors.

General contractors typically subcontract their services out to other businesses, while specialty contractors are only able to do that specific trade. Things get messy once you hire a general contractor you trust, but they start delegating those tasks to other companies – people you haven’t vetted.

Asking for a contractor’s license number will allow you to look into some measure of the legitimacy and credibility of the company. But it doesn’t give you much beyond that. Still, make sure to do it.Visit This website, ran by the Department of Labor & Industries of WA. Here’s a link to a very brief YouTube video on how to use it.

Having the proper licenses and certifications not only protects the contractor but also protects YOU from having to cover additional expenses if an issue arises.

Insurance Is A Big Factor!

Insurance is another big factor to keep in mind when choosing a roofing contractor. Far too many home remodeling companies do not have proper liability insurance to cover their own end, let alone the customer.

General contractors are required to purchase a substantially larger liability insurance package than specialty contractors because general contractors may have to outsource help for each service.

Even if a roofing contractor has liability insurance, be sure to check to see if it’s active and doesn’t have active claims or lawsuits against it (again at this link). Be sure to ask about product and manufacturer warranties; these can make or break a contracting deal for many Seattle homeowners. Many Cheap Charlies have a warranty on paper, but don’t answer the phone after they have your money.

Never Seek Out The Cheapest Roofing Contractor

If a deal seems too good to be true, it often is. And when it comes to the roof of your home, making the mistake of choosing the cheaper option over the better option can have serious consequences.

Quality work does not come cheap, no matter what people tell you and how much we all want to believe otherwise. Roofing contractors who are offering to complete the work for substantially lower rates than competitors are often trying to hide something. Comparing replacement roofing costs between multiple roofing contractors will help you build a base expectation of costs from different sources.

Weeding out the low-end side of contractor costs will undoubtedly be the best choice. This isn’t to say the most expensive option is the best option either; simply put, it’s important to gather all the information you can about various roofing contractors before making the final decision.

Do Your Own Research!

With all of the different avenues for information these days, finding the right roof contractor can be done from the comfort of your own home. For starters, check a contractor’s public reviews on Google or similar web pages. If ALL of the reviews are raving 5-star reviews, something may be a little fishy.

No one that’s been around the block is perfect!

Don’t disregard one contracting company based on a few bad reviews, but look into the issues further and see how the contractor resolved the issue at hand. This can say a lot about a roofing contractor and how they will treat you during the project.

Reading all the available information about the owner and employees of a contracting company will give you a better idea of who exactly will be working on your home. Are these people you would trust in and around your home?

Your New Roof Is Right Around The Corner!

Here at RoofSmart, roofs are our main thing! Focusing on one trade allows us to become the absolute BEST at what we do while building our reputation for quality roofing in the Greater Seattle area. 

We may not be the cheapest option out there, but that’s what we don’t want to be. Quality materials, equipment, and trained personnel don’t come cheap, and we’d rather stick to our core values than make your project turn out worse (and cheaper). 

Are you ready to start your roof replacement roof project? Give the meticulous roofing nerds a call!

You can get us at our Auburn office at (206) 487-4877 or by contacting us today. We are excited to answer any questions you have about the roof replacement process!