Fast-Track Your ROOFING CONTRACTOR

There is no such thing to be over protective when it comes to your home as well as your finances. There are plenty of roofing contractors out there which are willing to bend the guidelines to simplify things for themselves, resulting in problems for you and your roof. Even honest contractors make mistakes every occasionally. That’s why it is critical to know these 4 simple methods to protect yourself when choosing a roofing contractor.

Workers Compensation
Problem: You hire a roofing contractor to fix a leak on your roof. One of their workers decides not to use proper safety procedures and falls, breaking his leg. The employee holds you responsible to cover his medical expenses, because he was hurt on your property.

Solution: Roofers Compensation is really a kind of insurance covering roofing injuries. In case a roofing contractor has workers compensation, any injured employees are entitled to recover expenses for hospital bills and being unemployed. Be sure that your roofing contractor has workers compensation so you are saved the trouble and expenses of paying those bills yourself.

Liability Insurance
Problem: Your roofing contractor leaves your roof uncovered after removing your shingles. That night there’s an urgent storm. Water seeps into your house and damages your sheet rock, carpet and some nice furniture. Your roofing contractor has liability insurance, but you can find exclusions preventing coverage of the interior of your building. You wind up paying to fix the damages yourself.

Solution: If damage occurs to your home or building this is the fault of a roofing contractor, you want to be sure they will have good liability insurance. This can cover anything from broken windows to damaged interiors as stated in the problem above. Some contractors have liability insurance, but their insurance provider offers so many exclusions that it is almost like there is absolutely no coverage at all. Look for coverage that doesn’t exclude water damage and mold caused by leaving a roof open.

Business License
Problem: You hire a fresh roofing company to focus on your roof. A couple of months later you see a leak. You try to contact the business, but can’t find their information. You make an effort to look them up by their business license and you also find that there is never a business license issued for that company. You are forced to cover the repairs yourself.

Solution: Check in advance that your roofing contractor has a business license. If maintenance don’t possess a license, it may be a sign that they have no idea what they are doing. The company could easily disappear or walk out business.

In the state of Utah, your roofing company should have a shingle license and a general roofing license to set up a pitched roof. A flat roof installation only requires a general roofing license.

An over-all contractor is legally able to install a roof with out a roofing license should they have a general contractor license. However, there have been many cases of general contractors branching out and installing roofs themselves when they lack the proper training. This causes problems for building owners in addition to home owners. It is perfect for a general contractor to have a roofing license in addition to their general contractors license.

In Utah, the number for a general roofing licence is S280. The general contractors license is B100.

If your roofing contractor is in the center of working on your roof and you find that they will have given fraudulent business license information, (in Utah) you have the choice to terminate their service immediately. You are not required to pay anything to the contractor since they were operating illegally. After that you can find a qualified contractor to fix your roof and finish the job.

Lien Waiver
Problem: Your roof has been completed and you pay the contractor. However, a few weeks later, the contractor’s supplier contacts you requesting a fee for the materials installed on your roof. You discover that your contractor didn’t pay his supplier and that you will be now in charge of that payment. It has happened and can eventually you.

Solution: Be sure to request a lien waiver once the job is completed and before you pay. A lien waiver simply states that if the contractor fails to make his payments to a supplier or employees, you are not responsible to cover them. It is ultimately in place to protect the home or building owner from paying twice. If you have the lien waiver before you pay, it is conditional upon your payment. However, once your payment has cleared, the lien waver becomes unconditional without any additional paperwork.