Don’t Go Cheap On Your Roof
Your home’s roof has the challenging, ongoing task of protecting the building interior from the ravages of the natural elements. Constantly exposed to changes in humidity and temperature, routinely coated in ice, snow, rain, and sleet, and subject to ongoing UV-damage, roofing must be well-made, seamless, and comprised of high-quality, high-performing materials. For these and countless other reasons, it’s never a good idea to accept the cheapest roofing quote . Whether paying for the installation of new roofing or seeking urgent repairs for roof leaks, you always want to look for roofers with adequate insurance, strong supplier relationships, valid licensing, and a commitment to consistently delivering superior workmanship. Read on to find out why.
Roofing Repairs From Under-Insured Companies Can Cost You a Fortune
Verifying whether or not a roofing company has an adequate amount of general liability insurance is one of the first and most important parts of the hiring process. Absent of this coverage, roofing professionals can wind up costing you a veritable fortune. If a hired worker falls off the roof or from a ladder while addressing your roof leaks or other problems, you may wind up having to foot the bill. Not only is it important for roofers to have valid general liability insurance, but these policies will also need to have sufficient limits for covering all potential damages. Depending upon the size of a roofing team and the magnitude of the jobs taken on, this coverage should offer between $1 million and $5 million of protection. Many top roofing companies also bind errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. These policies protect homeowners from damages or losses sustained due to human mistakes. When oversights or missteps are made during the work process, all resulting roofing problems will covered by E&O.
Why Unlicensed and Under-Insured “Roofers” Charge Less
Although a low quote for repairing your roof leaks or putting new roofing in might be initially appealing, there’s good reason why some roofers charge a lot less than the industry average. Sadly, the lowest quotes in this industry tend to come from roofers who are neither qualified nor equipped for handling these jobs. These are often service providers who haven’t taken the steps to obtain professional licensing and thus, they frequently lack industry-required training and the ability to pass critical competency exams.
More importantly, their prices are lower because their overhead costs lack the ongoing expense of insurance. They aren’t paying for general liability coverage or E&O, or they haven’t bought policies with sufficient limits. While this means that they can pass the resulting savings down to you, the risks of working with them are simply too high. Not only can you be held responsible for all workers injured on your property, but you’ll also have to cover the costs of repairing any faulty work performed. Moreover, hiring unlicensed parties to perform work on your property can even also to the cancellation of your own home insurance policy.
Look For Strong Supplier Relationships and Top-Quality Materials
Licensed roofers with adequate insurance definitely have savings to share. At Quinn’s Construction, our lengthy industry experience has allowed us to establish strong, long-standing relationships with the best roofing suppliers. As such, we’re able to source top-rated GAF roofing materials, and other high-quality roofing products for our work. GAF roofing and other materials like it are essential for creating strong, enduring roofing systems that stand the tests of time. Products like these also add remarkable amounts of value, marketability, and aesthetic appeal to the homes we service.
Best Practices When Designing and Building the Roofing Substrate
Most homeowners only consider the outer, visible portions of their roofs when choosing roofing styles and when hiring their roofing projects out. In reality, the most important parts of any roofing system are the parts that aren’t visible to the naked eye. Cumulatively, these parts are known as the roofing substrate. This is the surface upon which your roofing system is applied. When repairing roof leaks, quality roofers don’t just replace damaged or missing shingles. They account for how the decking, underlayment, flashing, and other underlying elements have been impacted by these events as well. This prevents future problems with warping, rotting, mildew, mold, and recurring leaks.
Low-cost roofing services often put “bandages” on leaky roofs, or quickly, cheaply patch visible problems without addressing their full cause. Professional roofers might charge a bit more, but they’ll fix your roofing problems right the first time. Best of all, by always using quality roofing materials, they’ll ensure that your newly repaired roof is able to endure throughout the years. It’s also important to note that licensed roofers have received extensive training, and they’ve undergone rigorous testing. As such, they have a strong knowledge of the latest industry developments and standards, and of the most recent updates to local building codes. Licensed roofers have the ability and tools for leveraging many of the most cutting-edge roofing technologies and installation practices. Not only will licensed, insured roofers get the job done right, but they’ll also take care of all permitting processes.
Rock-Solid Guarantees
Just as cheap roofers can’t generally afford the ongoing costs of essential commercial insurance, most don’t have enough consistency in their profits to confidently stand behind their work. When things go awry with their workmanship, they’ve got little motivation for making corrections. Conversely, legitimate, established roofing businesses have their reputations, their licensing, and their overall integrity to maintain. That’s why our work is always backed by solid guarantees. We stand behind the materials we use and the workmanship we provide. This is one of the greatest benefits gained by paying a bit more to work with a reputable, established roofing company.
When you pay to have new roofing installed, or when you pay to repair roof leaks, you always want to get your money’s worth. The returns on these investments are most easily calculated by determining exactly how the work performed affects the lifespan of your roofing. Cheap roof leak repairs might keep additional moisture out for several months or even a year or more, but poorly patched and shoddily fixed roofing systems will invariably fail again. Roofing work that’s performed with GAF roofing materials or other high-quality products can both protect and extend the overall lifespan of your entire roofing system.
