Residential homeowners can expect to replace, at most, two roofs in a lifetime of home buying. This hardly qualifies them to have enough experience to recognize signs of bad roof installation. In previous blog entries, we have discussed what to expect from expert roof replacement. This entry should give our readers a sense of what a roofer should NOT be doing during roof replacement.
Preliminaries for Roof Replacement
Good roofers keep appointments, call back prospective customers, and send out a qualified estimator before accepting the job or quoting a price. If you speak with a roofer and get no sense of good customer service, move to a better roofer. You should NOT see:
- An unprepared or rushed estimator—Expect your estimator or roofing consultant to provide you with full service and a methodical estimate, not a ballpark figure
- A magnet sign on a company vehicle—Is the “roofing contractor” peeling that one off and then slapping on a sign for a mortgage company or a birthday clown?
Installation
You have a few activities to avoid on roof replacement day yourself. Do not hover over the crew; do not leave your cars in the garage, and do not pepper everyone with questions. Move cars to the street so the crew can use your driveway. Channel all questions to the site manager and leave everyone to do their jobs without you second-guessing them. You should NOT see your roofer:
- Ignore landscaping or fail to protect bushes from falling roof debris
- Skip vital installation steps, like not inspecting sheathing, not bothering to install fresh underlayment, or “forgetting” to install drip edge
- Install fiberglass-asphalt shingles in irregular patterns, crooked lines, or without uniformity
- Use incorrect nail patterns or code-violating attachment methods–This is tricky, because some building codes get very specific about attachment points, types and lengths; if in doubt, politely ask your roofer to verify, in writing, the applicable code and the company’s compliance with that code
- Hiring different crews every day of the installation
Assurance and Insurance
To assure yourself of a quality roofing job, research your roofer. Ask for proof of insurance and get names and numbers of references; then call the references. A roofing company of the quality of Bill West Roofing knows what NOT to do during roof replacement. Our crews are well trained, our estimators are thorough, and our site managers respect you and your home. Contact Bill West Roofing today!