Are you feeling stressed about trying to figure out which roofing companies in the Greater Seattle area are actually qualified to do a good job? Are you wondering how to determine if a roofing contractor is reliable before they even set foot on your roof?
Maybe you’ve heard horror stories from a neighbor, family member, or friend who has been on the receiving end of a bad roof job. Or maybe you’re like most homeowners who are unfamiliar with the roofing industry and don’t know what it looks like when a roofer is qualified or not.
At RoofSmart, we’ve heard these worries countless times over the past decade. Most of the roofs that we work on are not at the end of their life. Instead, they are developing issues and failing way earlier than they should because they were installed improperly. This indicates that the roofers were either unqualified or uninterested in doing the job right.
So, we understand your worry and we want you to be able to protect yourself from dealing with poor workmanship. This article will help you achieve this goal. It will explain the qualifications you should look for, outline who is on our team, and provide actionable steps to ensure you hire the best company for your roofing needs.
In this article, you will learn about licensing and certifications for roofing companies in Washington State. You’ll also hear advice about how to evaluate the qualifications of any roofing company. This article is designed to give you peace of mind while you are evaluating roofing companies because you will know exactly what to look for and how to best protect yourself financially.
By the end of this article, you’ll be able to confidently select a qualified roofing contractor that you can trust to help you with your roofing needs.
What licensing do roofing companies need in Washington State?
All roofing companies in Washington State must have
- a business license for each municipality they work in
- a general contractor’s license.
But, in the state of Washington, you do not need to take a test to get the general contractor’s license (see the WA State Department of Labor and Industries website for registration requirements). All you need is to be bonded and have general liability insurance. This means that the contractor’s license does not demonstrate any sort of roofing knowledge or expertise.
This means that pretty much anyone can become licensed to come out and do work on your roof, even if they have absolutely no roofing experience. Having a general contractor’s license does not mean that they are qualified to do any sort of work on your roof. This sets you up to get an improperly installed roof that will develop issues early on (usually in about 7 to 12 years).
So, make sure that your roofer can not only demonstrate proof of insurance but also that there is evidence showing they are qualified. They should be able to show you the Certificate of Insurance for their business.
What qualifications should my roofer have?
So how do you know if a roofing company is qualified? What evidence should you search for?
The best way to know is to do in-depth research on the company. Look for these things:
- Portfolio of projects: See if they worked on roofs similar to yours or projects that are similar to what you want done on your house. This is especially important for specialty roofing jobs like metal roofing or something even more technical, like getting a roof deck.
- Background check on their business practices: Go to the State of Washington Department of Labor and Industries’ Verify tool and look up the roofing company by its name or license number. This will show you:
- How many workers they are paying workers compensation on (this will give you a better sense of whether they are doing the work themselves or subbing it out. We strongly recommend a company that does all the work because the best way for companies to ensure good quality is by doing it themselves)
- What insurance they have
- If they are up to date on things like insurance, bonds, licensing, and worker’s compensation premiums
3. Read their reviews: Search up the business online and check out their reviews. Look at the business’ websites, but also look around elsewhere on multiple review forums.
4. Get referrals: Ask family, friends, and other acquaintances for recommendations and referrals. A great way to know how a company operates is to hear about the experiences of people you already know and trust.
You can ask the roofing company for referrals from previous customers as well, but they’re definitely going to give you good ones. So, make sure that you also take into consideration all of the other research that you’ve done.
Looking for an easy way to know if a roofing contractor is qualified? Use our Qualified Roofer Checklist to confidently evaluate your roofer’s qualifications!
Should you prioritize the quality of your roof over price?
Thinking about the cost of a roofing job is important, and it goes without saying that you’ll want to find a roofer that can work within your budget. However, it costs more to have your roof done right.
If you’ve found a roofer in the area with a lower price then they are likely using cheaper, lower-quality materials and skipping steps to cut on costs.
In a rainy area like Seattle, it is crucial that your roofer takes steps to keep your roof watertight. But, if you opt for a cheaper roof, they might skip out on things like the protective waterproof layer that goes under shingles. Or they might not install the flashing that’s supposed to go all around the roof to help direct water off the roof and into the gutters.
When you choose a cheaper option, you risk hiring someone with less roofing experience who could install your roof improperly. This is a problem because it will lead to issues like leaks or mold that won’t even show up for about 7-12 years.
In other words, you won’t know something is wrong with your roof until it’s far too late to prevent it. We see this over and over when we are called out to repair or replace roofs that have issues much earlier than they should.
You want to look for a roofer who is not willing to cut corners to give you a cheaper price. You deserve a great-quality roof, and any reputable, qualified roofer will want to make sure that that’s what you get.
You’ll be able to see this when the roofing contractor inspects your roof and then gives you a proposal. If they are willing to go through the proposal line by line to explain what is included and why they included it, this is a good sign that they actually care about your roof and that they know what they are talking about.
If your contractor is not willing to explain the proposal or explain the price of the roofing job, that is a big red flag.
How do I protect myself from unexpected financial losses from my roofing contractor?
A good way to protect yourself from being held liable for companies who are not paying their suppliers is to get an unconditional lien release from any supplier or subcontractor that is working on your project. This will protect you if, for example, they do not pay for the roofing materials used on your house. Most importantly, you must get this lien release set up and signed before you pay your final bill.
The best course of action is to get the lien release set up in the beginning as a part of your contract before you pay the company any money at all. The lien release will protect you from having to pay back any debts caused by the roofing company not paying on their end. If you do not get a lien release, there is a chance that you could be held responsible by the bank to pay for what the roofing company owes them. This applies even if you have already paid the roofing company.
Any reputable company will have no problem adding an unconditional lien release to the contract. If the company has any issues with the lien release, then that is a sign that you should probably choose a new company.
How do I know if RoofSmart is qualified?
After reading this article, you no longer need to feel stressed and confused about the once ominous task of figuring out how to evaluate the qualifications of a roofing company. You also know exactly who you can expect to see from our team.
Remember that the best way to find a truly qualified roofing company and to protect yourself from the potential of paying for their mistakes (in more ways than one) is to do your research. So now you’re probably wondering what you would find if you looked into RoofSmart. Follow that instinct, and begin your evaluation of RoofSmart by using the State of Washington Department of Labor and Industries’ Verify Tool.
For an in-depth look at what makes RoofSmart a great option to work on your roof, check out this article that describes our qualifications as a company.
We strongly encourage you to research us, just like you would for any other company. Put us up to the test, and let us know how it goes!
If you’re reading this, it’s because you took the time to research RoofSmart and you liked what you saw. So now it’s time to get the process rolling by getting your roof inspection scheduled. Simply give us a call at (206) 487-4877 or fill out this short form to contact us and get started today. We look forward to hearing from you!
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