Hiring contractors is one of the many tasks assigned to landlords or property managers. These contractors can be plumbers, electricians, carpet cleaners, or roofers. Each of these contractors’ professions provides a vital service that contributes to properly managing and maintaining your property investments. As you know, these contractors are needed, but more importantly, you need to know how to hire the best contractors for your properties. This time we will discuss how to hire a roofer.
Unfortunately, your property cannot settle for just any roofer. You want to hire a roofer who is excellent at their job and committed to completing their work promptly.
HIRING A QUALIFIED ROOFER
Entry-level positions for roofers are available to those even without a high school diploma. Due to the nature of laying roof shingles, constructing a roof is generally completed as a group effort. Training for proper roofing generally happens on the job, so ensuring your roofers are well-trained can be a challenge.
Luckily, you won’t be looking for individual roofers. Roofing companies will provide their own team of workers. Unlike electrical and plumbing work others may have done, roofing work is done on the exterior of a property and can easily be viewed and evaluated. Online reviews and other forms of evaluation can help determine if a roofing company is up to par.
HOW TO HIRE A ROOFER – SAFETY CONCERNS
Your roof is your first line of defense from the elements that can take a toll on your property. These elements mainly include rainfall and harsh sunlight. A poorly constructed roof can leak during heavy rain. This rain can cause water damage in the attic or even cause an electrical fire if water comes in contact with electrical appliances. Poor roof construction can also cause your property to overheat due to the way the sun heats the building, which could be dangerous for children and the elderly.
Not only do negligent roofers pose a danger to your property and everything inside it, but they also pose a danger to themselves. The obvious risk is falling from the top of your building. Other risks include dehydration, heat stroke, or sunburn, especially in summer. While as a landlord, chances are if an accident happened to your roofing crew, you would be held responsible, but your property managers should keep somewhat of an eye on their operations, if not just to make sure everything is going smoothly.
ARE YOUR CONTRACTORS INSURED?
Legally your roofers have to have some form of insurance. You need to know what is covered in those insurance policies by asking for a copy of any insurance documentation they may have on file. Individual roofing businesses may also have additional warranties or service guarantees that they may offer their clients.
WHEN HIRING A ROOFER, YOUR BEST BET IS TO SHOP AROUND
Shop around for the best roofing contractor you can find. They will all offer slightly different services at different price ranges, but your goal is to sort them out and find the best fit for you. Also, you need to do all of this before you actually need any roofing work done. You are contracting out this company, and they will be your go-to resource for all of your roofing needs. You need to be on a first-name basis with all of your contractors, and they should know you as well. For contractors, apartment, condo, or dorm contracts are difficult to come by, so they need to know you have valued clients and should be treated as a priority.