Get as many estimates as you can from roofing contractors that have experience in what you need done.  If you want to change from shingles to Mexican clay tiles, you need someone who has done this over and over.  In other words, don’t just go by estimates.

Before getting estimates, however, you should have your own work plan written down.  Without this, you will be getting estimates on work you don’t need, understand, or want.

When the contractors show up for the estimate, watch what they are looking at.  If someone wants to add services you didn’t know you needed, or you don’t believe you need, ask other contractors if they see the same problem.  For instance, if you have a roof leak over your kitchen yet one contractor is telling you that you must have your entire roof replaced, don’t do anything until you get a second or even third opinion.

Don’t go after the lowest estimate, either.  Typically you get what you pay for.  If there is a reason you like the lowest estimate – the contractor is local, has great references, or can start the next day – ask how he can do the work so cheaply.  This is important to know.  He may already have the supplies from a canceled project, or maybe work is slow.  You need to find out for sure that he isn’t missing anything important.

On his estimate look for something that includes the cost of cleanup.  Many installers forget about this and do a very ineffective job of removing trash and debris.

Next, understand your financial obligations.  A deposit is sometimes required, but the amount, the reason, and the method are what you need to think about.  If a contractor tells you he wants a deposit to be make sure he is being paid, he already knows he can put a lien on your house until he’s paid in full.  If he needs supplies, offer to buy your own or even go with him and pay for them yourself.

Your goal is to not give him any cash up front.  Some people can take the money and disappear forever, or at least, not show up for weeks or months.

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Chances are, you yourself aren’t an expert in any type of roof repair, construction, or replacement.  More than likely, the only thing you’ve done to your roof is to climb up and clean the gutters.  For anything more detailed, you need to hire someone who can evaluate the problem correctly, give you a fair price, show up to do the work, and get it done right.

Many handymen and misc. types of laborers claim they can fix roofs.  If you’ve ever been to a local big box home improvement center, there’s a good chance you were handed a business card in the parking lot by someone who, among other things, listed “roof repair” on his long list of abilities on his card.

This is not the type of person you should be hiring to fix one of the major portions of your home.  Done wrong, he can and will cause you more problems in the long run.  Between shoddy work and possible issues with the local zoning and code ordinance authorities, you could have a major problem on your hands.

Also important to keep in mind is the fact that only a licensed professional will have the appropriate level of liability insurance and bonding.   This helps take care of any personal or property injury and mishaps while the roofing contractor is working.

Roofing can be a messy project.  One of the major problems that homeowners encounter, and one that few homeowners even think about beforehand, is – what  happens to all the shingles and tiles up there now?  Well, they get tossed to the ground!  And broken, shattered, and strewn all over.  You will also have nails all over the place, too.  If these old roofing supplies are not placed neatly on a tarp which can be carried away, you will have broken tiles, nails, wood splinters, and even worse, all over your yard for literally years to come.

A licensed roofing contractor will know how to prevent this devastating and dangerous mess, and he will be liable for any injuries to your property or your family if there is damage from disassembling your roof.  This includes everything from throwing a tile that ends up going through your car windshield, to having your four year old step on a rusty nail.

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