Five Mistakes Homeowners Make
Although purchasing a new roof for your home falls under the home maintenance category, it’s a much bigger investment than typical do-it-yourself home maintenance projects. It’s a decision that requires the help of a roofing professional to avoid costly problems in the future. But even then, you have to do your due diligence before hiring a roofing company to be certain you are receiving reputable service.
Too often homeowners find themselves in a bind because they have fallen prey to roofing scams or made decisions to save money that didn’t work out as intended. With these situations in mind, we’ve created a list of the 5 big mistakes homeowners make when purchasing a new roof.
1. PURCHASING AND INSTALLING THE ROOFING SYSTEM YOURSELF
Even though big box home improvement stores sell roofing materials and say you can install a new roof yourself, think again. Even getting help from a friend who is handy with this type of work but not licensed or specifically skilled in roof installation is not a wise decision.
So many important decisions are involved in purchasing a new roof and even more so when it comes to installing it. With so many structural installation concerns and roof ventilation requirements, not to mention safety issues, a lot can go wrong with do-it-yourself roof installation. That’s why installing a roofing system should be left to licensed professional roofing installers.
2. SHOPPING FOR PRICE ONLY
We’re sure you’ve heard the expression, “you get what you pay for,” and the same holds true for roofing estimates. If you receive several roofing quotes and one is well below the prices of others, take some time to scrutinize the bid to be sure it includes all materials and services. For example, is the cost to remove the old roof included? Are there any hidden costs? What is the quality of the materials being used? How experienced are the roofers who will be doing the work? In short, find out why the bid is so low.
3. TAKING A ‘MUST ACT NOW’ DEAL
We’ve all been confronted with them — high pressured salespeople who force you to make a decision on the spot or lose the “special deal.” Be wary of roofing companies that entice you with a discount or low price for signing the contract right then and there. The only one who benefits in these situations is the salesperson who gets a bigger commission for getting the contract signed quickly.
Granted, there are reputable roofing companies that may offer a discount because of a cancellation and they’re offering the incentive to fill the spot. But if the discount is more than 10%, you might want to question their price margins and how overpriced their services may be compared to others.
Purchasing a roof is not a decision that should be made in a hurry. You need time to compare quotes, research companies and decide on the type of roof you want.
4. HIRING ROOF INSTALLERS THAT CAN START RIGHT AWAY
While a roofing company may be able to start right away because it’s the off-season or they had a last minute cancellation, when faced with this situation, you might want to do some more digging. Find out how long the roofing company has been in business, the experience of their roof installers and the company’s safety record. You should also check into the company’s reputation and make sure they have the proper licensing, certifications and insurance.
5. NOT ASKING ABOUT WARRANTIES
With all the details involved in buying a new roof, many homeowners forget to ask about roofing warranties. Reputable roofing contractors use materials from manufacturers that fully warranty their products from defects. In addition to that warranty, the roofing company installing your roof system should provide a warranty for workmanship. For example, Maxx Roofing provides a roofing manufacturer warranty and a contractor’s roofing warranty which guarantee the quality and performance of the materials used and our workmanship.
In fact, when you choose Maxx Roofing, you can be certain the decision is the right one! Whether you need a new home roof, a replacement roof, a storm damage inspection, or a seasonal roof inspection, you can’t go wrong with Maxx Roofing as your roofing company. Contact today to discuss your roofing needs.