Can someone tell me what to look for in a roofer and what questions to ask the contractor before I have someone do the job? Thank you

glavine

If you have any friends that have had roof work done , id be more inclined to use them if they have nothing bad to say about the contractor.
you can also call you local home improvement store for references.

If you have no friends to call for this and no lowes or homedepot stores , just use the phone book.
I actually just thought of this, if you know of any carpenters call them, theyll usually have roofers they use when they need them

Tommyjo206

In addition to glavine's reply, if there is a Lowes or Home Depot in the area (within 25-30 miles) both chains will offer roofing installation. They will measure the roof and give you the amount it will be for the entire job. This comes with a 1 year warranty on the installation. If there is a problem, you do not need to remember who did the job and try to get them back. All you do is call the store and they take care of it. Lowes has a labor price in my region of $135 per square (for a single layer full tear off). Materials will run between $40 to $70 per square (depending on shingle type, vents ect). Since the installer will be doing an estimate first, you do not need to get up on the roof and measure.

ballengerb1

Both Tommy and Glav are correct but you should also ask if they can show proof of insurance. If a installer gets hurt while on your property you don't want that to come back on you. Keep in mind that when you call HD or Lowe's they are both using subs. Those roofer do not actually work directly for HD so don't assume they have insurance.

Tommyjo206

I have worked at Lowes for 10 years (lumber/millwork). The installers that Lowes and HD uses must have full and up to date insurance. Lowes mandates at least 2 million in coverage. I do not have the numbers for HD but their install program is very similar to Lowes. The installers must also be licensed for the work they do. If an installer that does flooring is not licensed to do roofing, the job will not be assigned to them.
Of course, going through Lowes, Sears or HD is somewhat higher priced. The corporation wants their share of the labor. But the consumer get convenience and knows if there is a problem, the corporation is standing behind the job. I have seen many local roofing contractors attempt to get on with Lowes but were disqualified. It is actually a tough program to get into.