A practical approach to online roofing research

By Elite Roofing. 

How to make informed choices while searching for your roofing contractor needs.  

Searching for a reliable local roofing company online can be a tedious task. When one uses search engines to find options, looking at information like customer reviews, photos and exploring company websites is important. However, a common concern during the research phase is verifying if a roofing company is fully lised and insured. Here at Elite Roofing, we've written a guide that provides research advise to help those seeking a reliable roofing service in their local area.  

The importance of a company being fully licensed and insured

As a homeowner, you’ll want to ensure that the company you hire to work on your roof is not only qualified and reputable but has the necessary licenses and insurance. Before confirming that a roofing company is fully licensed and insured, it is important to know why a roofing company should be licensed and carry all of the necessary insurance.  

First and foremost, having the proper licenses is a sign that your chosen roofing company has met certain industry standards and has been deemed competent to perform the work they offer. These licenses are often issued by state or local governments and require the company to meet certain criteria, though specific cities may implement their own rules.  

By hiring a licensed roofing company, you can rest assured that the work they perform will be done correctly and up to code. In addition, if any issues arise during the project, you have recourse to file a complaint against the company with the licensing board, which is something you can’t do if a company isn’t registered with the local municipalities.  

Another extremely important factor to consider is insurance. Roofing is one of the most dangerous jobs, and accidents can happen. If a worker is injured on your property, you as the homeowner won’t want to and shouldn’t be held liable for their medical bills and other costly expenses, as well as any damages to the property. A reputable roofing company will carry liability insurance to protect both themselves and their clients in the event of any accidents or damages that may occur during the project.  

It is also important to make sure that the roofing company carries workers’ compensation insurance. This insurance protects the workers themselves in case they are injured on the job, as it covers their medical expenses and lost wages. Without workers’ compensation insurance, the workers may try to sue the homeowner to cover their expenses. 

As a recap, general liability insurance protects a roofing company and the homeowner from damages it may cause, while workers' comp insurance helps protect a roofing company's employees from work-related injuries or illnesses. 

Ways to check if a company is legitimate 

When beginning your search for a reputable roofing company that is licensed and fully insured, there are a few different ways to check the legitimacy of a roofing company: 

1 -  Ask your chosen roofing company for their contractor's license number and a copy of their COI’s (Certificate of Insurance) for workman's compensation and their general liability policies. If a roofing company is unwilling to provide this information, you should avoid them! 

2 - Contact your state licensing board. Each state has a licensing board that oversees contractors and their licenses. You can contact your state’s licensing board to find out if the roofing company you’re considering has a valid license. This information is usually available online or by phone. 

3 - Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website. The BBB maintains records on businesses, including roofing companies. Check the BBB’s website to see if the roofing company you’re considering has a good rating, and if any complaints or violations have been filed against them. For our roofing company, Elite Roofing Contractor, we hold an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau's website.

Another good rule of thumb to check the legitimacy of a roofing company is to check for references. References from past clients will give you an idea of the quality of a company's work and the level of their professionalism. One of the easiest ways to check for references would be to look at reviews left on Google or Yelp. It is important to note that many companies purchase fake 5-star reviews to boost their rating on Google, but it is oftentimes very clear as to which reviews are fake, and which are legitimate representations of a client's experience. We don’t recommend basing a company's legitimacy off purely the number of reviews they have, or their rating, but instead by lookingat their written reviews to give you better insight into how a company performs their service.

One last rule of thumb is to check a roofing company's website. First thing first, if a roofing company (in this day and age) doesn’t have a website at all, that should be the first red flag; this can indicate that the company isn’t real or legitimate, that they don’t want to be known (indicating that this company may not even have a contractor's license) or that they’re some self-proclaimed handyman that thinks they can do roofing work without any knowledge of roofing!  

If the roofing company you’re interested in does have a website, there are also a few things to look out for, as well. Does their website look legit? Does it have obviously fake reviews and stock photos? Obvious fake reviews and photos are a clear indication that a website may be fake. Be aware of scam websites or websites that redirect you to a company with poor reviews and violations. Sometimes companies that have poor ratings on Google and Yelp, or violations with the BBB will create fake websites (oftentimes with generic names including their chosen service area), in hopes that their fake website will redirect leads to them. It is important to check if a roofing company's website has a phone number, an email that is associated with their business and nota personal email and a legitimate address posted on their website. Although it is often extremely easy to spot a fake website,  some of them are tricky.  

In all…

In conclusion, it’s crucial to ensure that the roofing company you choose carries all of the necessary licenses and insurance. Doing so will provide you with peace of mind and protect you from any potential legal or financial issues that may arise during the project. Checking if a roofing company is licensed and fully insured is an extremely important step in the hiring process will save you time, money and headaches.  

Original article source: Elite Roofing