Many homes will require roof repairs or new roof installations come spring. Preventative maintenance is very important in the care of your roof and in extending its life. However, roof preventative maintenance tasks are much more difficult to complete in the winter months. You may go many months with heavy snow fall and freezing temperatures, making it difficult and dangerous to get onto your roof for an inspection. This spring, ensure that you are putting your roofing needs in the best hands. Find a roof repair company based on these important characteristics.
Availability
Once the ground thaws and all of the ice on your roof melts, you will want to have your roof inspected for any needed roof repairs immediately. With so many other homeowners looking for roofing inspections, you may have some difficultly in scheduling a roofing company. If you begin looking now, you will have more options. However, you will want to choose a company that can come and look at your roof in a timely manner. Waiting too long can cause additional and more expensive problems with the roof. There are currently over 50,000 establishments engaged in the installation, roofing, siding, and sheet metal work, so you should be able to find a company with somewhat close availability.
Specialty of roofing company
Some roofing companies may have specialties, whereas others might simply be general labor. You may find roofing companies that are strictly commercial roofing and others that work main on residential roofing. Although there are many similarities between the two, the problem lies in availability of materials. A roof repair company that specifically focuses on commercial gutter installation or commercial roofing will mainly have commercial roofing materials. It may take them longer to come across the needed materials for your residential roof repair.
Experience in the industry
The amount of experience a business has in the industry usually says a lot about their business. A business that has been around for many years is more likely to have many satisfied customers, or else they would have not made it this far. Always request how many years of experience your roof repair company has in the roofing and gutter inspection industry. Residential roofing repair often requires specific knowledge and experience. Hiring a roofer who knows more about different types of roofs is generally better able to provide you with recommendations, suggest repair plans, and identify any likely problems with your roof.
A roofing company that is more experienced also can offer you consultation around other exterior parts of your house, including the siding, windows, gutters, and even driveways. A vast majority of homeowners (88%) across all regions of the country see the exterior of their homes as one entity and not a sum of its separate parts. In many cases, these different sub parts are directly related. For example, a problem with the roof can also cause problems with the gutters and the exterior windows.
Price and payment options
Although you do not want to ultimately choose your roofing company based on price, you can use price and services to compare different companies. However, do not sacrifice experience and high quality materials for a cheaper price. The roof is one of the most important parts of your house, and thus, should be treated as such. Try to budget yearly for home repairs. Otherwise, the high cost of a roof replacement may need to be taken out of the equity of your house. On average, homeowners will spend between 1 and 4% of a home?s value annually on maintenance and repairs, which tend to increase as the house ages.
One of the most important tasks on your spring to do list this year should be to have your roof inspected. Required roofing maintenance tasks get put off for many months of the cold, winter season for safety reasons. However, the snow and ice common in many areas of the country put a lot of strain on your roof. When you are choosing your roof repair company this spring, look for years of experience, types of roofing specialties, availability, and use prices to compare services.