Leaking within your roof can cause severe issues to your home or commercial building, but before calling a professional roofer, there are some things to consider, such as the money it will cost you and the time it will take.
This short guide looks at the best way to approach a professional before they do any repairs on your roof.
Consider Getting Several Quotes
Stumbling on a roofer and choosing them without any research or alternatives gives you a bigger chance of hiring a cowboy roofer who may make your situation worse. From felt support trays to guttering problems, the issues within your roof should be quoted by at least three roofers by our recommendation. This will give you a range of quotes you can choose from and will likely lead you to the best option locally to you. Also, you should know from various options if someone is too cheap to be authentic or too expensive.
The quotes you receive should also state the specific tasks they will undertake and the date they can be done on. Otherwise, you’re putting yourself into potential difficulties or misunderstandings, which can cost you money.
Look for Accreditation
Like many other trade and professional occupations, roofers have accreditations and memberships in associations that require a certain level of quality and proof of legitimacy. This type of accreditation will give you some security when choosing a qualified roofer. We’d recommend searching up the most qualified bodies and seeing if the roofer of your choice is accredited or a member of the body; if they’re not, then we’d recommend looking elsewhere.
It should be noted, if you’re looking for a minor fix, then a one-person band could be an option, and thus it’s unlikely they will be a member of any professional body.
Word of Mouth
Word of mouth is one of the best ways to gain clients for a business, but to do that, their service must be top-notch. If you’re not sure about which company to hire, we’d recommend asking friends and family for any recommendations. Moreover, you can also ask around on any local Facebook groups from people within your area that may have had the same or similar issues as you.
Read Online Reviews
Sadly, there are many fake reviews floating about on the internet. Companies take advantage of fabricating reviews to boost their chances of landing new clients, making the landscape for potential customers demanding when choosing a reliable and well-reviewed company.
To pick out a fake review, you should look at several things. First, you want to see the number of reviews. If a local company that’s been established for less than a year has over 100 reviews, then it’s likely they are fake or made by friends or family. Most clients don’t leave reviews, so it’s important to have a company with a reasonable amount of reviews within the time they have been established. Secondly, look at the people reviewing. Have they reviewed any other local companies? Are they posting a template-like text that’s seen across other reviews?
Most companies that have been around will also have a few places for reviews, so it’s worth checking out Google alongside Facebook and Trust pilot for possible negative reviews. Fake reviews tend to be hosted on one platform, so if you see a different side somewhere else, you’ll know if something fishy is occurring.
Check Their Website
It’s rare for companies not to have a website. However, with many web builder platforms existing, it’s never been easier to make a website with the correct information to transform users into customers. While professional roofer websites might look a bit old or dated, it will certainly help give them more legitimacy, thus considering it legitimately worthy proof.
As mentioned above, reviews are also a big part of a trader website. And whilst they might not link to a review platform, make sure the website includes their company phone number and email. It’s also worthwhile to check if they have a legitimate company address you can visit or at least see that it really belongs to them.
See Previous Work
From website to reviews, seeing the previous work of any professional is important. If they’re great at their job, they will likely have a gallery of work done on their website. Also, you can always reverse search if you think the images are stolen from another trader. Social media is another platform many roofers are on and are constantly showcasing their new and old work to gain new clients and interact with fellow roofers. We’d recommend seeing if they have a Facebook and Instagram profile for their previous work too.
Check Availability
So, you’ve found the perfect roofer for your job, but you realise they are booked up for a month, and your urgent work cannot be done. It’s a shame. Before you get quoted, make sure to ask the roofer if they are available as soon as you need them or for a specific date on which you can stay home and let them get on with work without needing to worry about the safety of your home.
Payment Options
Typically, a trades professional should request money after the work is done and will likely give you multiple ways of paying, including cheque, cash and card payments. If they are ordering to pay upfront, we’d recommend asking why and if it’s only a deposit or the total sum. Asking for a deposit for a piece of work isn’t unheard of, so we can see why many professionals would consider taking one. Especially as quoting and assessing work takes time, and even money before the work is even started. Thus there has to be some guarantee on their side too as they don’t want to waste the time of their labourers and office staff.
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