The Right Roofer Makes All the Difference. Here’s How to Find Them!
Whether you’re a homeowner or a business owner, choosing the right roofer is vitally important. Your roof is your first line of defense against the elements, and your roofer’s job is to ensure that defense is as strong as possible. For homeowners in San Antonio and other storm-prone areas, the right roofer is essential to protect your property—or to respond quickly when you experience storm damage.
As leading San Antonio roofing contractors, our team at Dolan Roofing & Construction has worked hard to be the best option for residents throughout the region. But what qualities make a good roofer, and how can homeowners make the right choice? We’re providing a full breakdown of what you should look for in a roofer.
What Does a Roofer Do?
Before examining the factors to assess when choosing a roofer, let’s first break down what roofers do. Roofers are tradespeople who specialize in building, repairing, and maintaining roofing systems, either for homes, commercial buildings, or both.
The work that roofers do can vary quite a bit. Most roofers will work with a wide range of roofing materials, including asphalt shingles, tiles, metal roofing, and various single-ply membranes for commercial roofing and other low-slope settings. Roofers will do everything from procuring and transporting materials to removing debris. They will install all portions of the roofing system, including insulation, underlayments, flashings, and more.
In many cases, roofers may also work on systems such as gutters and drainage systems; roof ventilation; or even solar arrays.
As you can see, the roles of a roofer depend on the scope of the project they’re called on to complete. To find the right roofer, it’s important to have a good idea of what work you need done. Now, let’s review some qualities you’ll want to seek out in your roofing partner.
Qualities to Look for in a Roofer
Strong Reputation
One of the first things you’ll check when you start searching for roofers is online reviews. Google Reviews is a great place to start; while these reviews won’t tell you everything you need to know, they can help you start to weed out some candidates.
As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to find a roofing contractor with at least 4.0/5.0 stars and a fair number of reviews. Of course, it’s even better if the roofer has close to 5.0 stars with 100 reviews or more. Use these reviews to make a shortlist of roofers in your local area (more on this in a bit!) and then continue to thin the numbers from there.
For more information than just Google Reviews, you can also check sources such as the Better Business Bureau. Like Google, the BBB is not an end-all, be-all source of information. However, it can help you piece together a complete picture.
Complaints are not necessarily an issue—after all, the longer a company is in business, the more likely it is that a customer will have had a bad experience at some point. What’s more important is how the company responded. Did they work promptly to make things right? This is a good sign.
Licensing and Insurance
After you’ve identified some top candidates, you’ll want to start conversations with them. One of the first things to ask a roofer about is their credentials: a roofing license and proof of insurance. Most established roofing contractors will have these, and they can provide peace of mind knowing that your roofer is legitimate.
While not required in every state, credentials such as a roofing license and liability insurance help establish a roofer’s credibility early on. This paperwork also protects you as the homeowner from potential liability issues.
This is especially true when it comes to insurance. When you work with an uninsured roofer, you may be financially and/or legally responsible in the event that an injury or damage to your property occurs during a roofing project. Asking your roofer for proof of insurance is a good idea to avoid potential headaches down the line.
Business History
Like many trades, roofing is a highly competitive industry. Many roofing companies fail in the first few years in business, while only a select few will continue on.
If you’re looking for a roofing company, it’s a good idea to find a long-lasting partnership, not just a one-time contractor. Over the course of working with them, they’ll learn the ins and outs of your unique roofing system, your needs, and much more. Plus, finding one roofer is hard enough—you don’t want to be left searching the next time you need roofing work!
In addition, working with a well-established roofer means you can trust them to be around to make good on any promises, guarantees, or warranties. Many roofers will offer some form of workmanship warranty, but if they’re just starting out, there’s a high likelihood that they won’t be around a few years from now if anything happens.
Workmanship and Manufacturer Warranties
Speaking of warranties, it never hurts to ask what kind of warranties a roofing company can offer you. As mentioned, the best roofers will frequently offer a workmanship warranty. While this may not apply to work such as repairs—or it may only be good for a short period—a workmanship warranty is a good sign of a skilled roofer, as they’re willing to stand behind the quality of their work with a guarantee.
In addition, you should ask your roofer if they have any relationship with leading manufacturers in the roofing industry. This could include companies like Owens Corning, GAF, CertainTeed, or other trusted names. These companies frequently offer certifications to roofers who have designated high aptitude with their products—and those certifications often come with some of the best product warranties in the business.
Asking about manufacturer relationships both helps you establish the quality of a roofer’s work and gives you greater peace of mind, knowing that your roof could be covered both by a workmanship and product warranty.
Material Expertise
Whether you’re a homeowner or a business owner, you may have a particular vision for your ideal roofing solution. This may require a specific material or even a specific product, depending on how much research you’ve already done into roofing solutions.
When evaluating roofers, it’s always important to ask what materials they work with. For example, if you’re interested in residential or commercial metal roofing, it’s critical to work with an experienced roofer. These roofing systems can last for decades, but they require a specialist to successfully install.
That said, if you aren’t sure what material will be best, it’s also a good idea to work with a roofer that has a wide range of experience. Roofers who specialize in only one material may try to make it work in a situation where it shouldn’t be used. Roofers who work with more products, however, are better able to make recommendations that are custom-tailored to your specific needs and budget.
Property Care
Roofing is messy work, whether you’re replacing your home’s roof or installing a brand-new commercial roofing system. Because of this, we always recommend asking roofers about the steps they take to protect your property during the roofing process.
For example, will they protect your property using roofing tarps? Will they haul away debris and complete a final walkthrough and cleanup check?
While roofing work is messy, there are always methods to make the process as seamless as possible. The best contractors will understand this and do their best to leave your property as they found it—just with a new roof.
Personality Fit
Last, but definitely not least, you should always evaluate the personality fit of any roofing company you consider hiring to work on your property. This comes down to a number of factors, but overall the main question is does this feel like the right company to work with?
Here are some ways to assess this.
Communication
How well does each roofing company communicate with you? The best roofers should respond promptly, whether you’ve just submitted an inspection request or if you’ve called their office. Are they transparent with information? Or do they dodge tough questions?
If a company is hard to get in touch with now, just imagine how difficult it will be to coordinate with them throughout your project. Or worse yet: how hard it will be to contact them if anything goes wrong with your roof.
Helpful & Honest
Any good roofing company knows that the average person won’t know a lot about roofing. That means it’s our responsibility as roofers to be open, honest, and ensure our customers are well-informed.
Friendly & Courteous
Does your roofer provide recommendations on products or materials for your roof? Do they provide reasons why they recommend specific products? Do they educate you on how your roof works, on potential trouble spots to be aware of, and on how to take effective care of your roof? This is all great information to have as a customer, and it’s good to work with a roofer that’s willing to educate you.
Our industry isn’t just about working with roofs—it’s about working with people, too. Oftentimes, the roofing process is very stressful for a customer, whether you’re installing a complicated roofing system on a commercial building or restoring your home following a major storm.
The best roofers are those who go out of their way to ensure you’re comfortable with the process from start to finish. They’ll be happy to talk to you and answer questions, and they’ll always keep you informed throughout the roofing process.
Dolan Roofing & Construction: Top Roofer in San Antonio
At Dolan Roofing & Construction, we work hard to be the top choice for roofing here in San Antonio. Throughout our time in business, we’ve learned a lot about how to take care of customers’ needs and make them feel like a part of our family.
We have a strong reputation in both commercial and residential roofing services, covering a wide range of roofing materials to protect your property from Texas storms. What’s more, we always strive to be courteous, honest, and highly communicative, ensuring you’ll always know what’s going on over your head.
If you’re in need of roofing services, it’s important to identify the best possible contractor—as the right roofer will be able to keep your roof in excellent condition throughout its lifespan. We’re here to be your trusted roofing partner, and we’re happy to answer any questions you may have.
Ready to get started? Reach out to our team to book an inspection!
