You’re most likely being inundated with roofing contractors that are trying to earn your business. You need to know that not all these roofers have your best interests in mind. Follow these steps to protect yourself and your property.

Check Their Certifications

A qualified roofing contractor will display their license number (CCC####### and or CGC######) on their contract, business cards, and marketing materials. Verify that this license number belongs to the company that is operating the business. This information can be found at https://www.myfloridalicense.com/. Make sure that the business has been a FLORIDA business for at least 10 years and has done over 5000 projects in that timeframe. 

Check Their Contracts

All contracts should have the company's office location, phone number, license number as stated above, and email address. If this information is not provided, that is a RED FLAG.

Don’t be Pushed Into The Tarp Contract

The “Tarp Contract” is a contract that can have language in it that can bind you to a roofer in order to tarp your property in exchange for your insurance deductible. That deductible is to be paid to the contractor replacing or repairing your roof in the event your insurance carrier is offering to pay for repairs or replacement of damaged property. 

Check Their Reviews

Visit www.google.com and search the company, make sure there are more than 30 reviews. Make sure the company also has an A + with the BBB, if there are negative reviews make sure the company has at least responded to those reviews to resolve the issue. 

Make Sure The Contractor Offers Financing

Not only does a contractor that offers financing have to go through credit checks on the company to offer it but the fact financing is offered means that the contractor pays their bill to suppliers. Almost all insurance claims take 90-180 days to settle. An alternative option to having your roof replaced or repaired with a quick turn-around time is to have your contractor provide you with a scope of work you can provide to your carrier, while you finance your roof at low monthly payments.

Review all documents presented to you before you sign.

A roofer can NOT file a claim for you under law, you do not need to sign documents to receive an estimate. A roofer CANNOT negotiate a claim for you. 

Make Sure The Roofer Outlines Code Items

It’s in your best interest to make sure your property is up to code, not only does that help ensure a sound property but also helps with insurance adjuster inspections in the event you have to choose a new insurance carrier. If the contractor does not provide FBC “Florida Building Codes” upgrades to your property then there is a possibility that the contractor is cutting corners. Examples of this are “Renail Decking, Replacing ALL damaged/rotten plywood, New Drip Edge”

Liability and Insurance Documentation

Make sure that the contractor your selecting has Full Liability Insurance of $2,000,000 and Workman Comp coverage on the Company and the Crews

Workmanship Warranties

Some contractors might offer you a “10 Year Warranty on Labor” as good as that sounds, most leaks will happen within the first month of a roof that’s installed. If that contractor is what we call a “fly-by-nighter” then you might not ever see them again to honor that warranty. That’s why it’s important to select a contractor that will be here not just a month from now, but years down the line.

If you’re looking for a trustworthy and reliable local roofing or solar contractor, Universal Contracting & Solar has you covered. With our team of professionals in Florida, you can rest assured that your roof will be provided with the best care and get the job gets done. Visit our website at www.ucroof.com or call us at (239) 321-5886 to learn more.