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You might be great at DIY projects, but it is better to hire a professional for roofing, as your minor mistakes may turn out to be major blunders! Before you think about hiring a roofing contractor, you should decide the type of roofing that you want, and you should also finalize your budget.

It will be very easy to choose a roofing contractor, if the most important criteria for you is low cost, but trust me, you have to face a lot of post installation problems! If you want to ensure that you choose the right roofing contractor, you should follow the steps mentioned below:

Research and List



The first thing that you would do when I say 'research' will be to browse the Internet, but you cannot always trust the Internet when you want to do a major project like roofing! That does not mean that you avoid the Internet completely. In addition to the information on the Internet, you should also ask your friends and neighbors for referrals. Go for local contractors, it will be easy to verify their authenticity. Make a list of all the contractors who are good for the job.

Contact and Interview



After you are done with the list, contact every contractor on the list, and arrange a meeting with each one of them. Now comes the most crucial part; the interview. Here are the questions that you should ask the contractor:

Question

Reason

Is your business registered?

Trusting a registered contractor is easier. Ask him for his registered business name, and office address, and note it down.

How much experience do you have?

If the contractor has more experience, the probability of him making mistakes is less.

Do you have the required licenses and permits?

If the contractor has the necessary licenses and permits, you can assume that he is qualified for the job.

Do you have a list of references?

You can contact the people in this list, and inquire about the quality of the contractor's work.

Do you have insurance?

If he does not have insurance then you might have to pay from your pocket, in case of a mishap.

How much will you be charged?

Describe the work that needs to be done, ask the contractor for roofing costs and estimates. You should know whether you can afford him.

Finalize the Contractor

After interviewing several contractors, you will figure out the merits and demerits of each one of them. The references that you took from the contractor will surely help you arrive at the right decision (it is important that you validate the authenticity of the references, before consulting them). You should take all the information that you have gathered and compare the contractors. Do not be in a hurry to finalize the contractor, take all the time that you need. When you have made up your mind, contact the contractor, and inform him that you want to hire him. You should ask the selected roofing contractor for the following:

Written proposal with detailed description of the project

Number of people who will be working on the project

Contact number of the project supervisor

Date of completion

Warranty period

Do not compromise on quality to save a few bucks. If you take some effort, you will surely find a good roofing contractor. The selection process might be time-consuming, but if you are sure that you have chosen the right man for the job, then the new roofing will last long.

Note: You can contact the Better Business Bureau to seek information about contractors. Negotiations on the terms and conditions may not be possible after you sign the agreement, so read the agreement carefully before you sign it.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-to-choose-a-roofing-contractor.html