When you’re looking for a residential roofing contractor for your home, you want to make sure you work with only the best. A quick Google search in the Sacramento area for “roofers near me” or “residential roofers near me” will give dozens of results. It can seem like there are more roofing companies than there are roofs in the Sacramento area sometimes. Choosing the right residential roofer is essential to getting exactly the results you want on your roofing project.

We’re going to go over exactly what you should look for in a roofer to ensure the greatest success in your roofing project, and why you should always choose Roof Recovery for all of your residential roofing projects.

Selecting A Roofer for Your Home:

The Process

The process of selecting a residential roofer is a bit involved and should be: you are contracting with this firm to work on quite literally the roof over your head, the part of your home that covers everything else, and that you can’t live without. We’ve streamlined the process as much as possible; however, to try to touch on the essentials while also underlining any other important part of this process.

1. Get referrals locally.

When you choose a local contractor, there is less of a chance of any potential issues or scams occurring. They’re also more familiar with local rules and regulations than any national contractors might be, and they have established relationships with local work crews and suppliers.

2. Look for badges of honor.

Otherwise known as manufacturer designations, these “badges of honor” serve as recognition of the business’ legitimacy within the industry. Roofing contractors worth their salt should not only have them, but they should also be proud to share them with you.

3. Research them on the Better Business Bureau.

The Better Business Bureau is a completely objective third party with one objective and one alone: to rate businesses based on customer feedback, how well they do their jobs, what kinds of licensures and certifications they have — basically everything about running a business. A high rating by the Better Business Bureau is essentially a guarantee of excellent workmanship.

If, on the other hand, the contractor you’re looking for doesn’t turn up on the BBB.org website at all, that should be a huge red flag. Bad contractors and those with problematic licenses are known to blow in after a big storm or some other disaster looking to take advantage of concerned homeowners. Don’t be fooled by these “hanging out a shingle” contractors. There are plenty of residential roofing contractors in the greater Sacramento area who won’t leave you in the lurch.

4. Check that they have proper licensing and insurance.

In the State of California, you cannot operate as a contractor without being licensed by the state’s licensing board. Additionally, you will want to make sure your contractor carries worker’s compensation insurance, at a minimum, to cover their employees if anyone gets injured on the job. Make sure that your contractor is happy to furnish documentation both of licensure and of the insurance they carry. If they don’t carry insurance, an employee who got injured while working on your property may sue you for the damages they incurred.

5. Be mindful of safety.

A contractor who doesn’t have safety or training programs in place may be one to steer clear of. GAF, the roofing industry’s largest advisory body, trains roofers in applying best practices and safety concerns in their CARE (Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence) program and is proud to have trained more than 230,000 industry professionals to date.

6. Handle your own claim.

Contractors who claim to be able to handle your insurance claim for you may be breaking the law in doing so. Make sure you handle your own claim yourself and definitely don’t work with someone who tries to do it for you.

7. Get an extensive warranty.

A roof should be sturdy for a lengthy period of time, and the warranty should cover not only the materials but the workmanship as well. Otherwise, you may be stuck paying for repairs that should have been covered under a better roofing company’s warranty from your own pocket. And nobody wants that to happen.

8. Know your material choices.

A good roofing company will help you explore the numerous options for choices in a roof replacement, including options that have nothing to do with the type of roof you currently have. They will make assessments and analysis based on where you live, what style home you have, what your budget is, and more. They will take this seriously and give you as much time as you need to select a material.

Of course, you can help by doing a little Googling on your own about types of roofs available and familiarizing yourself with what’s out there. Not only will you knock your contractor’s socks off with your expertise, but it’ll be a much more comfortable conversation for you both. Also, if you notice that your contractor is really pushing you towards a particular kind of shingle or roof and it’s one you’re really not fond of or is outside of your budget, you can say “no thanks” to them right then and there and find yourself a roofer who will take your concerns and care into consideration.

9. Pay your deductible.

A lot of “hanging out a shingle” contractors not worth your time will say they can start a project without you paying your deductible. This is straight-up insurance fraud. Don’t be fooled! You always have to pay your deductible before you can start roof repairs or installation, so if you have a contractor telling you otherwise, don’t work with them. Roof Recovery will be thrilled to help you out instead.

10. Don't give in to pressure.

Your residential roofer shouldn’t be pressuring you into anything. If they are, we strongly suggest you find a better residential roofer.

We have to be careful reading all of these wonderful reviews; our heads start to swell. We’re so grateful that our customers’ experiences bear out what we strive to do, always: provide excellence and quality in our materials, staff, contractors and more. We understand completely how important the roof over your head is: as far as structures go, home is everything to us. And we know it is everything to you. That’s why we consistently provide services and experiences that compel our customers to tell the world how we’re doing, and for those reviews and testimonials to be highly positive and speak to the quality of our values.

If you’re looking for a residential roofer in the Sacramento area, you’ll find a great many. If you want to work with a contractor who routinely and regularly works hard to ensure our clientele is getting the service you deserve, contact us today at Roof Recovery. We look forward to working with you.