You likely know someone with roofing horror stories, even if you haven’t had to deal with one yet, yourself. Unfortunately, it’s often the case that a contractor is hired without much research done ahead of time and the end result is a shoddy job (or no job, in some cases) and a hefty bill. Don’t be one of the numbers in a statistic about people who don’t look into who they hire!
Don’t Figure into Roofing Horror Stories
If you’re hiring someone that you’ve never worked with before, even based on the referral of a friend, make sure to do some kind of additional background check. Google their name or company, check reviews and testimonials, look on sites like Angie’s List or the Better Business Bureau, if you can. The more prepared you are, the better an experience you’ll have just by avoiding bad experiences that others have potentially reported.
You may be tempted to go with the cheapest option, particularly during a time when money may be tight, but it could end up costing you much more in the long run. If the work isn’t built to last, it may not be long before shingles curl, flashing cracks, or other bits and pieces begin to fall apart. You don’t want to feature into roofing horror stories where you have a lot of problems post-job but can’t get in touch with the company. Instead, go by some of the options above, like looking at reviews, in order to work with the most (or one of the most) reputable local businesses.
Speaking of local businesses: be wary of those who don’t seem to have a local phone number or who only have a cell phone. This may be an indication that they’re from farther away than you thought and, more importantly, that they aren’t being entirely honest with you.
Something to keep in mind is that it’s usually beneficial to ‘shop around,’ or to get estimates from more than one company. That way, if you weren’t sure before, you can get an idea of the average, or ‘normal,’ price for the job you need done. It can also help you to identify which companies may be suspiciously high or low, both of which can mean big problems for you. Most roofing horror stories are a result of the customer’s lack of information, so arm yourself with facts about a handful of companies before making a commitment to anyone.
Finally,always get it in writing. Get a physical contract and make sure that you both read it and understand it (or have someone do those things who you trust) before paying any bills. This is another big way that you may be cheated from your finances before you even realize that something is wrong.
To avoid any roofing horror stories by only hiring the best, or for a free estimate for your roof, get in touch with Cox Roofing today.
Cox Roofing:
Cox Roofing is a full-service, certified roofing contractor providing residential and commercial roofing services to the state of Maryland, with particular focus on Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Harford County and Howard County. We pride ourselves on our personalized service which transforms your property into the residence or business of your dreams. Get in touch for your free estimate today.
