We often don’t give our roofs much more than a passing thought, at least until something goes wrong. From tropical storms to leaks, a damaged commercial roof can take time and money away from your business.
Acting quickly is the best way to protect your building and your assets. It will also help you to get operations back on track. However, choosing the wrong contractor can leave you with an even bigger disaster.
Use these tips to find a reliable commercial roofing repair contractor you can trust.
Check Their Reputation and Experience
Reputation is everything to a company. It’s how customers, clients, and investors see your business and it has a direct impact on your profitability.
Good contractors pride themselves on their reputations as well. If they don’t, that’s a red flag.
You can usually find a portfolio of past work and clients on a contractor’s website. This will give you a look at the type of work they perform and tell you that they’re proud of it.
Another factor to consider is how long the company has been in business. The more years of experience they have, the more expertise you can expect.
Knowledge and experience are crucial when it comes to commercial roof repairs. The more they have, the easier it becomes for them to identify issues and perform repairs.
The longer a roofing repair company has been in business the more likely it is that they’ve dealt with jobs like yours before.
Look at Reviews and Testimonials
Almost half (49%) of consumers say that they trust online reviews as much as a recommendation from someone like a friend or family member. If you consider yourself among this group, do your research and read some reviews before getting a quote.
Check the company’s website for testimonials, which are positive reviews that highlight customer experiences. Many contractors post testimonials online to encourage client trust.
A detailed testimonial can tell you more about what the company does, how professional they are, and how happy the customer was with the job.
It’s also worth checking the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for the company’s rating. Learning how a contracting company deals with bad experiences or negative reviews can be equally helpful. If they take their reputation seriously, they’ll at least try to resolve issues.
Ask for Referrals
If you’ve been in business long enough, you likely have a good network built up. Ask friends, family, colleagues, or business partners if they’ve ever needed a commercial roofing repair contractor.
This is a good way to get a list of possible companies you can look into. You may also consider asking on social media if it seems appropriate.
Once you have a list, you can begin your research and contact the companies to ask questions.
Ask About Licensing and Insurance
Never trust a commercial roofing company if they don’t have the right licensing and insurance. Failure to take this step can result in legal trouble if they get hurt while on the job.
You want to make sure that the contractors have all the required certifications and licenses to perform the work. If they don’t, you could get shoddy workmanship and have to pay someone else to fix it. Talk about a waste of time and money!
It doesn’t take long to contact the company or check their website to look for general liability and workers’ compensation coverage.
Get Bids to Compare Quotes
Any business professional knows that the key to getting a good deal is to carefully compare your options. Your commercial building is an asset you must protect. However, you also want to get a good deal on repairs or replacements.
Find the middle ground by asking for quotes on your project. You should get a range of prices that you can compare to the average expected cost for your area, the materials needed, and the work being completed.
Remember that the cheapest price isn’t always the best. You must consider the company’s years of experience and the value that you’ll get.
Get the bids in writing so you can get a clearer picture of what’s included in the cost.
Getting a quality quote also depends on how well you describe the project or how much information you get by asking questions. Your contractor should have a clear idea of what you need to be done.
Learn About the Materials Used
If you need a roof repair, you know that timely action is crucial to preventing further damage. That said, you don’t want this to happen again in the near future.
Hiring a commercial roofing company to perform a repair with low-quality materials is the same as putting a band-aid on a wound in need of stitches. Eventually, you’ll need to go through the process again.
That’s why you want a licensed roofer that uses high-quality materials designed to last. If you don’t know much about commercial roof repairs and materials, ask them for recommendations.
Know Your Options
You want to hire a company that provides all the services you need. They may even recommend helpful services to keep your roof in good shape, like planned maintenance.
Your contractor should be as transparent as possible with you. Maybe they can offer an alternative to a replacement, or let you know what the best solutions are to keep your roof in good shape.
At the very least, they should let you know what options you have. You should never work with a company that tries to force you into something if it’s not what you need.
Do You Need a Commercial Roofing Repair Contractor?
The sooner you fix your roof, the fewer problems you’ll have to deal with later. After all, you don’t want to have to worry about leaks or structural damage.
If you need a commercial roofing repair contractor, you can leave it to our team at Eagle Rivet. We offer a variety of repair and replacement services for commercial and industrial clients. Contact us to request an evaluation of your roof today.
