Is your roof in need of repairs or a replacement?

It's important to make sure you engage with a reputable roofing company. This will help avoid problems down the road that could result from shoddy workmanship that is often common with a bad or even fraudulent roofing contractor. Below are just four points worth remembering that can help you note the difference between a good and bad roofing company.

Experience

While every roofing company has to start somewhere, you ideally want to to zero in on a company that has extensive experience within its field, and for that experience to be complemented by a good track record (more on this in a moment). How much experience are we talking? Well, there's no set benchmark, but if those involved in the company can boast an accumulative amount of experience extending beyond a decade, then that's a good start. Always ask about when the company started, as well. Typically the longer they've been around, the more confident you can be that that longevity is for a good reason.

And don't forget to request proof of all their current roofing licences.

Proof of work / testimonials

Any company can tell you they're the best of the best, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are. People can lie and, by extension, they can create lies for their business. It's usually rare that you'll come across a disengenuous roofing company, but they are out there. Sometimes this may be due to an overinflated sense of self, sometimes it can more concerning - like a company outright lying to secure your business.

The best way of getting around the potential games is to seek proof of their previous work, that it was good, and that they have previously satisfied customers. Look for genuine testimonials online. So don't just look at those on their website, but those on independent review sites, as well. If the word around town is that they are, overall, a professional company that possess a good amount of positive customer feedback, then you can move forward.

Cost

Cost is always an important factor, and knowing when you could be getting ripped off or suspiciously undercharged (a sign of potentially shoddy workmanship) matters. How do you judge cost? Well, part of it does come down to the above point of testimonials. The more positive the feedback towards a certain roofing company, the more confident you can be in the fact that you're dealing with a company that will charge you a fair amount - not too much, not too little.

Don't be afraid to ask about prices. Most good roofing companies will always offer a free inspection that will conclude with them providing you with a quote. If you're engaging multiple roofing companies to see which one comes out cheapest, you can compare their quotes and couple this with confirming which ones have the best track records. 

Be wary of shady contractors

The final point we cannot reiterate enough is to be cautious of shady contractors. Research will help ensure you don't fall victim to one, but be especially vigilant in the wake of severe storms - this goes double if your home/roof actually sustained any damage. Sometimes door-to-door "contractors" will approach your home or leave a leaflet in your mail offering to fix or replace your roof at a substantially reduced price. If this happens, politely decline their offer or throw the leaflet in the trash.

Most reputable roofing companies don't go around door-to-door trying to sell their services. They know that they'll get plenty of calls after a storm hits and focus on handling those jobs as efficiently as they can.

SEE ALSO: 16 roofing disasters waiting to happen