With the recent hail and windstorms that we have had in our area lately we want to help inform homeowners how not to be ripped off by a roofing contractor. In the state of Texas there is no licensing for roofing contractors at all. Any one can open a so-called roofing contractor business, rip people off with little or no consequences, and when the heat gets to bad; close it and open another company with no oversite.
First you want to make sure your roofing contractor has been in business for at least 5 years. You should also check to make sure they are a member of the local better business bureau, the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas, or are accredited through a national shingle manufacturer’s accreditation program. You need to make sure the contractor carries liability and workman’s comp insurance. Most roofing companies are not properly insured; where their liability insurance does not cover your house while they are working on it and does not cover the workers while they are working on the house. Ask all contractors for proof of insurance by receiving the Certificate of insurance so you will have the insurers information and can call the insurance company and verify they have the proper insurance coverage. A lot of roofing contractors use inferior material, use bad installation techniques, and may use three or four different manufacturer’s products on your home. Any one of these things can cause your warranty to be void.
There is a law now in Texas where you must pay your deductible or you and the roofing contractor can suffer consequences that can result in a fine and/or jail time for both. If you are doing the right thing and paying your deductible, you should get a manufacturer’s roofing system with all the bells and whistles and the best warranty you can find.
