Since roofs are such an essential part of any property, you need to make sure you're hiring a high-quality roofing contractor to install, repair, and maintain the structure. Here are the most important questions to ask when hiring roofing contractors for a project.
There are many different types of roof structures and styles, built from a range of materials. When hiring a roofing contractor, you need to feel sure that you're getting a professional who has relevant experience for your request.
Check if they've worked on the type of roof you have in mind – pitched or flat roofs, for example – straight away. If they say they have the right experience, ask for evidence of their previous work. If it looks high quality, you might be onto a winner.
You should only hire roofing contractors when you feel sure they know what they're doing. Formal roofing qualifications are not legally required for roofers in the UK, but you still might prefer to hire a roofing contractor who has gone through a formal education process.
You can ask whether they have any formal qualifications – National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ), for example – and for evidence of their training. They should also hold a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card that allows them to work on construction sites.
Whether they hold formal qualifications or not, you can also check whether they're registered with any industry bodies, like the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) or the Confederation of Roofing Contractors (CORC).
Roofing can be dangerous work, and accidents are a real possibility. When something goes wrong, it could damage your property or harm either you or the roofing contractors. In cases where the roofers are at fault, it's important that they hold the proper insurance coverage.
Always ask whether roofing contractors have public liability insurance and employers' liability insurance. If they do, you should easily be covered and compensated in the event there's an accident. When roofers don't have the proper insurance, it's a sign you should consider other professionals instead.
Knowing a roofer is qualified and experienced is great, but reading reviews and speaking to previous clients is the easiest way to get real insights into their service quality. Always ask for a handful of references from previous clients, ideally those who have asked for something similar to your request.
This way, you can learn about their service standards, communication style, value for money, and how they handle problems when they arise. If the roofing contractor won't supply references, it could be because they're hiding low-quality work and dissatisfied clients.
Reputable roofing contractors will stand behind the quality of their work by offering warranties or guarantees. These terms give you peace of mind, knowing that if something with the roofing work they complete goes wrong or is flawed, the contractors will step in and make things right.
Remember, not all roofing contractors offer guarantees or warranties. For those that do, conditions can differ considerably – that means you need to ask what they cover and for how long. If they aren't willing to offer any guarantees or warranties at all, consider choosing an alternate roofing contractor.
The total price you pay for roofing work is important, but how and when you pay matters, too. You need to find out the price of the roofing work, with a detailed breakdown of the associated material and labour costs. That includes whether or not a deposit is required, and how much it would be.
With details like these in writing, it's far easier to compare quotes between roofers. For example, you might prefer to hire a roofing contractor who charges a little extra but offers better payment and deposit terms than the alternatives.
You also need to ask about change and cancellation terms, in case circumstances change partway through the work. Cancelling work at short notice could result in a breach of contract and lead to penalty charges. Make sure you fully understand the terms you're entering before agreeing to any work.
Major changes to a roof structure can be quite disruptive for you and the rest of your property. It's best to have a clear understanding of how long the roofing work will take and how it's going to affect you, given this.
Take a moment to ask roofing contractors how long they expect the work to take, and push for solid deadlines to hold them accountable. If they're giving you unclear answers or refusing to set deadlines, you might be better off hiring a different roofer instead.
Since roofing projects can be large and expensive, it's best to get a written contract in place that lays out all your expectations and the terms and conditions. This means that if you run into disagreements later on, you can point to the written contract to back up your case.
The contract should include the scope of work, payment terms (including amounts to be paid, payment dates, deposit requirements, and so on), timelines, materials, permit requirements, and anything else that could affect the successful delivery of the work.
It's great if your roofer is willing to supply guarantees or warranties, handling issues that appear after the work is complete. But you still need to have a clear understanding of the process should any issues arise.
You won't want to wait around for weeks or months before a fix is delivered, so get clarity on this before moving ahead with a roofing professional. If a roofing contractor is vague or unclear about how they handle these situations, it might suggest an unwillingness to help should a situation arise.
