If you own a commercial building, it’s your responsibility to ensure it’s up to code. Failure to do so could result in fines, damages, or the failure of your business. Whether you rent out your commercial property or are running a business of your own, you must ensure the building’s integrity.
A roof in disrepair can lead to severe and expensive damages down the road. Even a small leak can have devastating consequences such as wood rot, damaged drywall and insulation, harmful mold, and more.
If you have any doubts, you need to call a commercial roofing service today.
But how do you pick the right one? Keep reading to find out.
1. License and Insurance
First, you need to make sure the commercial roofing service you’re considering is licensed and insured. Each roofing contractor should be licensed through the state. Ensuring they have a license will provide you peace of mind that they’re a legitimate company and know how to comply with the local coding laws.
You’ll also want a roofing service that has both liability and worker’s comprehension insurance. Liability insurance will cover the costs of property damages, should the roofers inadvertently cause damages to your building.
Worker’s comprehension insurance will cover the medical costs of any roofer who may be injured on the job. This is important to you because they could choose to hold you liable for their medical expenses if their employed didn’t provide coverage.
2. Experience
Next, while experience and competency are not mutually exclusive, it never hurts to inquire about a company’s experience in the industry. In this case, you need to ask about commercial roofing experience. Commercial buildings often use different roofing materials than residential buildings, which can prove challenging to roofing contractors unfamiliar with commercial roofing.
The more experience a roofing contractor has, the better equipped they’ll be to take on the unique challenges your building may present. Additionally, they’ll be able to quickly recognize obvious and not-so-obvious signs of roof damage.
Finally, it’s quite possible that an experienced commercial roofing service could significantly increase the longevity of your new roof. Their workmanship will be well-honed by years in the trade.
3. References and Reviews
Did you know that nearly 88% of consumers research products or services before investing in a company? Why should you be any different? After all, finding the best commercial roofing service is important for your business, is it not?
To get a better understanding of your local roofing companies, check out their testimonials from previous customers. References and reviews are a great source of information pertaining to customer service, quality workmanship, fair pricing, and more.
If you can’t find reviews on a company’s website, check their social media pages. Last, but not least, use a search engine like Google to search for the company name and ‘reviews’ to find what you’re looking for.
4. Costs
As a small business owner, you can appreciate more than most the importance of cost comparisons. Every dollar you spend on your business is a dollar you’re not paying yourself or your employees. Therefore, you must compare and contrast the costs of commercial roofing companies to ensure you’re getting a fair price.
That being said, it’s important to know that cheap doesn’t always mean good. In fact, it can mean quite the opposite. Trying to save money by using underqualified roofers could cost you much more in the long run.
A low-cost roofing contractor could:
- Be unlicensed
- Be uninsured
- Use poor materials
- Offer zero warranties
- Work alone (which could draw out the roofing process for weeks or months)
- Etc.
You should absolutely shop for the best deal. Just recognize that the best deal and the lowest cost are rarely the same things.
5. Warrantees
Speaking of warranties, does the commercial roofing service you’re considering offer any? If not, it may be a red flag that you should be doing business with another company.
Most roofing material manufacturers offer a minimum of a 20 to 25-year warranty on their products. Commercial roofing materials will sometimes be guaranteed to last even longer. On top of that, a good commercial roofing contractor will also guarantee their work.
It’s important to understand, however, that these warranties don’t cover damages from things like severe weather and other external forces. Roofing contractors can’t be held liable for forces outside of their control. Fortunately, that is where your commercial building insurance should pick up the slack.
6. Contracts and Communication
As a consumer, one of the worst experiences you can have is dealing with a company or contractor who doesn’t know how to communicate well. Whether they speak in generalities about costs and timelines or can’t seem to get back to you in a timely manner, it can complicate the entire process. Not to mention, add to your stress and frustration as a business owner.
When hiring a commercial roofing service, make sure they have positive customer ratings pertaining to communication. Additionally, make sure the contract you sign with them is clear, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Make sure everything is in written form, including:
- Costs
- Warranties
- Insurance issues
- Service dates
- And more
Don’t sign anything until you completely understand the context of the contract.
7. Free Quotes or Estimates
Finally, finding the right commercial roofing service means choosing the one that will earn your business. Talk to roofing companies in your community and ask them to come out to inspect your building. They should offer you a free inspection and estimate.
If not, it may be because they know their prices aren’t competitive in the industry. If they’re not willing to provide you with a free quote, it’s probably indicative of their overall customer service.
Perhaps they don’t want your business badly enough. In that case, there are plenty of other companies that do.
Do You Need to Hire a Commercial Roofing Service?
If you own a commercial building and haven’t had your roof inspected in a while, we highly recommend getting it done soon. As noted above, small issues with your roof can lead to big problems down the road. Contact us today to get a free quote and see what we can do for you.
