As beautiful as Florida is, its unique environmental conditions take a much faster toll on building materials. No wonder InterNACHI has published an Estimated Life Expectancy Chart specifically for Florida!
The Florida-specific chart shows that many building materials used in the state have shorter lifespans. For example, a 3-tab asphalt shingle roof here only has an estimated lifespan of 10 to 12 years. If you check the standard chart, you’ll see it’s 20 years in other places.
Fortunately, a licensed and insured commercial roofer in Florida can help you extend the life of your roofing system.
To that end, the experts at Innovative Roofing created this guide on why you should hire a licensed and insured commercial roofing contractor. So please read on, as what you learn here can help you make a safer, more educated choice.
A Legal Requirement
The 2024 Florida Statutes Title XXXII, Chapter 489, governs contracting work in the state. Under this, anyone who wishes to perform roof contracting work must first:
- Meet educational or work experience requirements
- Obtain roofing certification or registration by passing exams establishing their competency and qualifications
- Acquire a license from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)
So, a license is necessary for anyone who contracts residential or commercial roofing work in Florida. By hiring a licensed roofer, you can rest assured you’re dealing with a law-abiding professional.
Proof of Competency
When you hire a licensed contractor, you can count on them being competent and qualified roofers. After all, they had to prove the following eligibility factors to the Florida DBPR:
- Having at least four years of work experience
- Having a combination of education and experience
- Passing the state certification exam
Only after they’ve proven the above can they apply for their license.
Protection From Untoward Incidents and Liabilities
Before a roofer can apply for a contractor’s license, they must provide proof of insurance first. The DBPR requires license applicants to have the following types of insurance.
Public Liability Insurance
Public liability insurance protects customers against damages caused by their contractor or contractor’s team. While these are less likely to occur if you hire an experienced roofer, they can still happen. Reputable roofers know this, which is why they get insured in the first place.
Let’s say you hired a licensed roofer to repair your roof. While their team was working, one of the workers caused an accident. As a result, you or someone else on your commercial property got injured.
Your roofer’s public liability insurance should cover the medical expenses that may arise from the injury. However, if you hired an uninsured roofer, you, the property owner, could be liable.
Property Damage Insurance
Property damage insurance protects you from property losses or damages caused by your roofer.
Suppose they were working on your roof when one of the workers accidentally dropped tools or debris. As a result, something else on your property sustained damages (e.g., the pavement cracked or a window broke).
Your contractor’s property damage insurance should pay for the repairs or replacement. However, you might end up shouldering the costs if you hire an uninsured roofer.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Roofing jobs can be risky, considering roofers work at a height and can suffer from falls. While highly experienced roofers use protective gear, falls and other injuries can still happen.
Because of those risks, the Florida DBPR requires roofing contractors to have workers’ compensation insurance. They must acquire this policy within 30 days from their license’s issue date.
Workers’ comp covers the medical bills of insured roofing workers injured on the job. If the job happened to be at your commercial property, you won’t be liable to pay for those expenses. However, you might be if they don’t have worker’s comp.
Assurance of Quality Work
Licensed roofers have gone through a lot to get their licenses, so they do everything to keep them valid. Part of this is ensuring they uphold industry standards and best practices. If they don’t, the Florida DBPR may investigate and take action against them.
The Florida Statutes Section 469.009 also “incentivizes” contractors to deliver quality insured roofing services. Under this law, the DBPR can revoke, suspend, or deny license renewal if a contractor:
- Violates or conducts willful or deliberate disregard of OSHA standards
- Knowingly violates a building code
- Commits a misconduct that causes a customer financial harm
- Starting a job without all necessary approvals or permits
- Hiring unlicensed personnel
Since their license and careers are on the line, reliable roofers will always do their best to deliver high-quality work. You may not get the same level of assurance if you hire unlicensed roofers. Unlicensed roofers don’t have a license or reputation to protect, so they may not always worry about safety or quality.
Warranty Protection
Roofing systems are a hefty investment, so you want to ensure yours won’t fail in just a few years. You can get this peace of mind by hiring a licensed and insured roofer. They’ll provide you with product and service warranties to protect your investment.
You can trust our team here at Innovative Roofing to provide you with such protections. We’re also proud to be a Master Elite and a Master Select contractor for GAF, the world’s largest roofing manufacturer. Both are GAF’s top-level certifications given to only 1% of U.S. contractors.
As Master Elite Contractors, GAF has entrusted us with offering its best roof warranty benefits. A perfect example is the Golden Pledge Limited Warranty on select roofing systems. With this coverage, you can get protection against manufacturing defects and misapplication for up to 30 years.
Innovative Roofing: Your Local Licensed Commercial Roofer
Remember: You can make your roof last longer under the South Florida sun by ensuring only a licensed commercial roofer works on it. They’ll use their skills, knowledge, and experience to help keep your roof in top condition for many years. Plus, they’ll always strive to give you the best quality services.
If you’re ready to get your roof serviced by licensed pros, Innovative Roofing is happy to help. We’ll use our 40+ years of combined experience to exceed your expectations. We’ve done the same for all our other customers, and we believe our hundreds of 5-star reviews on Reviews.io and Google attest to that.
Call us today for all your roofing needs, and we’ll happily give you a free quote!
