Blog Entry - 7/25/2008 - Jamie W. - Roofing and Energy
Bills
Does your roof need to be repaired? There are many warning
signs: ceiling spots, blistered, curled, or missing shingles,
cracked flashing, granules in the gutter, and peeling
paint.
There's a biggie that a lot of people miss though! Problems
with your roofing can result in Higher heating and cooling
bills. If your monthly bills are higher than usual, damaged
or insufficient roofing may be causing the problem.
When you check for roof damage, don’t forget to
look over the gutters, because they keep your house dry
and protect siding, windows, doors, and your foundation
from water damage.
Blog Entry - 6/30/2008 - Jamie W. -
Thinking about what makes a quality contractor
I saw this list the other day: Mistakes people make when
shopping for a new roof:
1. Shopping price only.
There’s more to a roof than just the price quoted.
Look for quality and referrals too. Check out the BBB
for references as well!
2. Basing your buying decision on the quickest to respond
or because a company can "start right away".
Instead think abut these attributes:
- How long has this company been in business? You want
to make sure that this company will still be around in
case you have problems with your roof.
- Number of years of roofing experience for installers?
- What is their Safety record?
- Make sure the company is licensed, bonded and insured
in your area!
- Does the company offer a maintenance program?
- Make sure you get a contract. Insist on a written proposal
and examine it for complete descriptions of the work and
specifications, including tasks the roofer will perform,
types of materials, financial arrangements, and guarantees.
3. Getting a discount for signing the contract "tonight"
or other high-pressure sales tactics.
This forces the homeowner to make a quick decision, so
as not to miss the “unbeatable price.” No
matter how good the price may seem, do not buy a roof
from a company that asks you to make a decision before
you are ready.
4. Signing the deal because you like the sales person
(or not signing it because you don't).
Although you may feel a certain comfort level with a sales
person, it should not be your sole reason for making a
purchase. Be wary of a sales person who cannot provide
real references from CURRENT customers.
5. A deal too good to be true probably is – check
out:
- the Quality of the materials!
- the warranty!
- Hidden costs!
- References!
6. Purchasing the roof based on warranty alone.
A lot of people think that long-term warranties are all-inclusive
insurance policies designed to cover virtually any roofing
problem, regardless of the cause or circumstance. Roof
warranties typically do not warrant that the roof system
will not leak or is suitable for the project where it
is installed. Even the best manufacturer warranties that
cover material and workmanship generally provide only
that the manufacturer will repair leaks that result from
specific causes listed in the warranty.
7. Mistaking advertising for quality.
There is nothing wrong with finding a company through
the media, but do as you would with any major purchase
find out everything you can! Compare pricing, check references,
and check workmanship. A good contractor will provide
you with access to all of the information you need to
make an informed decision.
8. Having a friend do the work.
Having a friend -- one that is not a licensed roofing
contractor working for a reputable roofing company is
a bad idea. Even if this person is "handy",
have they ever installed a roofing system? Do they know
what areas of a roof are most vulnerable and why? Do they
know how to properly ventilate the roof? No to mention,
any work done by an unlicensed contractor will not include
a warranty. The cost of roofing repairs may be high and
you don’t want to commit to such a major investment
without a warranty.
9. Doing the work yourself.
Big box retailers will tell you that you can do it (and
they can help!), but beware! Roofing in particular is
tricky business. DIYers can harm a roof with incorrect
roofing techniques and severely injure themselves by falling
off or even through a roof in need of repair of replacement.
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Blog Entry - 6/1/2008 - Jamie W. - Options when reroofing
What are my options if I decide to reroof?
You have two basic options -You can choose to completely
replace the roof system, this means you do a tear off
of your existing roof system, or re-cover the existing
roof system, involving only the installation of a new
roof system. If you've already had one re-cover installed
on your original roof system, check with a professional
roofing contractor. Building code requirements often allow
no more than one roof system re-cover before a complete
replacement is necessary. |
