How Roofing Contractor Licensing Helps You as the Homeowner

You know that it's important to hire licensed roofing contractors because of the increased reliability, but what do you know about how the licensing benefits the customer? Here are four facts that show how valuable roofing contractor licensing is.

You know that it's important to hire licensed roofing contractors because of the increased reliability, but what do you know about how the licensing benefits the customer? Here are four facts that show how valuable roofing contractor licensing is.

1. Installation Quality Is One of Your Roof's Most Important Features

Even the most expensive, best-quality roofing material won't be able to prevent leaks if flashing is installed incorrectly or not at all. You’ve probably heard frightening stories about roofs failing prematurely due to poor installation. That's because roof systems are designed to be used in specific ways with specific installation techniques in specific situations.

If an asphalt shingle has too few nails, if the nails are the wrong sort, or if the nails are placed at an incorrect angle, at an incorrect depth, or in the wrong part of the shingle, your house's roof covering could be compromised.

Not only that, but the manufacturer's warranty could be voided for incorrect installation too.

2. Standardization Helps You Compare Contractors Objectively

When you obtain two distinct price estimates from different contractors, but one lacks a license, it becomes challenging to make a fair comparison of the value represented by each quote. However, if you know that both contractors are fully licensed, insured, and reputable, it's easier to compare.

The higher price may be due to travel charges, extra services that come with the roofing package, or other factors in this situation. You can compare the value of the quotes to analyze which one is best for your needs without worrying about whether you can rely on the roofing contractor's skills or not.

3. People May Be Dishonest

The title roofing contractor doesn't automatically mean someone has your best interests at heart. Of course, this doesn't mean roofing contractors are dishonest, but if you don't check licensing, anyone who has a vague idea of how to put shingles on your house could pretend to be a roofing contractor just long enough to get your money — and then disappear forever.

In fact, this is a common problem, especially after storms. If you've already called your regular contractor and they're busy all week because of the hurricane that just ripped through, having someone show up at your door and offer to repair your roof can seem like quite a windfall.

Ensure you perform your due diligence by reviewing their license, references, and online reputation prior to engaging a contractor, helping to eliminate any potentially risky propositions.

4. Licensed Contractors Protect You from Liabilities

Checking that a contractor is licensed and insured before starting work on a project also protects you financially in a number of ways. Firstly, due to the insurance coverage, you are not responsible for any injuries the contractor might accidentally sustain while working on your roof. Secondly, since a trustworthy, licensed roofer will enter into a contract for the job and will not require full payment upfront, you are safeguarded against the possibility of the project being left incomplete. If any circumstances arise that necessitate the cancellation of the job, you will not forfeit the entirety of the money you invested in the project.

As you can see, these four facts show how roofing contractor licensing benefits you as a customer. Not only can it help you feel more at ease about hiring someone, but it can help you make a good hiring decision, protect you from storm chasers pretending to be roofing contractors, and much more.

For more information about how Econo Roofing can help you with roof repair or replacement, feel free to get in touch whenever it is convenient for you by submitting our online form or by giving us a call during business hours.