If installed and maintained properly, a commercial roof should last you decades. But to ensure that it does, you must select your roofing contractor carefully. Given that a commercial roof is a relatively large investment, it’s best to spend your time and energy researching which contractors are right for the job. We promise it will save you from a costly headache later on.
Interstate Roofing has been helping clients with their roof repair needs for more than three decades. We know what it takes to get and keep a satisfied customer. We also know what to look for in a qualified contractor. Here are a few of our top tips for selecting a contractor for your commercial roof repair needs.
Get Feedback
A good place to start when looking to hire someone for just about anything is with your friends and family. Do you have any relatives or know any fellow business owners who recently had roof repair work done? If so, ask them who they used and how satisfied they were with the contractor’s work.
Can’t think of anyone who has hired someone for commercial roof repair recently? You can always turn to social media and post the question there. If you’re unable to find someone you personally know to make a recommendation, you can still solicit feedback about contractors in your area through online reviews.
Some of Interstate Roofing’s reviews and testimonials are posted directly on our site. These testimonials come from customers and companies we have worked with in the past and provide good insight into how our client base feels about our work. You can also go to sites like Facebook, Google, and Yelp to see what others have to say about us and any other contractors you are considering.
Verify Credentials
Once you find some roofing contractors with solid reviews, you should check each company’s credentials to make sure that it is properly licensed. There are many people who pose as experienced contractors when they don’t actually have valid credentials. So always be cautious when someone approaches you offering to perform work you haven’t requested. Instead, do your own research and make sure you are selecting the best person for the job.
Any legitimate roofing contractor in the Portland area will be properly licensed because Oregon law requires it. Anyone can say a company is licensed so never simply take someone’s word for it. Instead, be sure to look into it for yourself.
The Oregon Construction Contractors Board (Oregon CCB) and the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries provide online resources for you to verify licensing information. Most states do, so if you reside outside the Pacific Northwest, find an equivalent resource in your state to check for this information.
You can find Interstate Roofing’s license number at the bottom of our webpage, but any licensed contractor should be able to provide this for you upon request. Using the search option on the Oregon CCB website, we can plug in a license number and hit search to confirm the company’s license is active. Once you get to the result page, you can hit Choose Option on the left-hand side to pull up more detailed information about the company. You can also confirm this information using the verify tool on the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries webpage.
Check for Consumer Complaints
Once you have verified that the contractor is properly licensed, you should look into the company’s background to find out if there has been a history of consumer complaints. To do this, start with the resource used to verify the contractor’s licensing information. Once you pull up a more detailed company history on the Oregon CCB website, you can check for the company’s complaint and disciplinary history for the last 10 years. If a company does have consumer complaints, you want to see that the contractor has taken action to address them appropriately.
In addition to checking with the board that maintains licensing information, you can also check resources like your State Attorney General Office, State Department of Justice, or the Better Business Bureau to find out whether the company is in good standing. A search of Interstate Roofing on the Better Business Bureau webpage, for example, shows that we have an A+ rating with the BBB, a five-star customer rating, and zero consumer complaints.
Compare Costs
Although it can be tempting to go with the contractor who offers you the lowest bid, you should compare costs in other respects as well. For instance, if a contractor is coming in with a bid much lower than other contractors you have spoken with, ask yourself why. It could be a red flag that something isn’t quite right.
You want to look for a company that’s offering a competitive price while also having the know-how and experience to deliver quality work. So compare prices and be wary about anyone who offers a bid that’s way under what other contractors are offering. To request a free estimate from Interstate Roofing, follow the link here.
Once you have checked credentials, researched customer reviews and complaints, and compared prices, prepare a list of your top contractor choices. Meet them in person to discuss your commercial roof repair project. First impressions and your gut feeling can also go a long way in helping you make the right decision.
If you’re based in the Pacific Northwest and have a commercial roof repair need that you would like us to help you out with, give us a call. Interstate Roofing has been in business for more than 30 years because we know how to deliver quality work and customer service. Allow us to show you exactly how we’ve built our name and reputation.