Top 5 Things to Consider Before Hiring a Roofing Contractor in Colorado
Follow these tips and avoid getting involved with a bad contractor. Do your homework and don't be fooled by a smooth talker - here are our top 5 pieces of advice to consider when choosing a roofing contractor in Colorado.
1. Are They Licensed and Insured?
Be sure your contractor is licensed and insured. In Colorado your roofing contractor is required to be licensed in the jurisdiction you live in. Make sure your contractor is licensed in your jurisdiction. Colorado’s state minimum for liability insurance is $1,000,000.00 - Mile High Roofing Inc carries a $2,000,000.00 policy. Roofing crews (the people who install the roof) are required to carry workers compensation insurance. Colorado’s state minimum for workers compensation is also $1,000,000.00 - All homeowners are entitled to be added to the contractors insurance policy as a temporary certificate holder. If a contractor can’t/won’t provide you with a temporary certificate, consider it a red flag and continue your search.
2. Are They Local?
One of the most important things to consider when hiring a contractor is if they’re local. At any given time in the state of Colorado there are thousands of roofing companies. After a hail storm hits, companies from all over the country flood the state looking for work. These out of state companies will typically come into town and work the storm for the season. After that they return to their home state. Now let’s say your roof leaks, your house fails the city inspection, or for any other reason you are unsatisfied with the work that was performed - it’s very unlikely that that company will make the trip back to Colorado to resolve the issue. At this point you are stuck paying out of pocket for any necessary repairs. Mile High Roofing, Inc. has been in business for 12 years and we stay in Colorado.
3. Is the Company Reputable?
In 2017 there was over 600 roofing companies registered with the Colorado Secretary of State, and thousands more not registered. There are more than 3,000 roofing companies registered with the Denver BBB. That is a lot of roofing companies to choose from. Make sure to do your homework before selecting a contractor. One of the best representations of a good contractor is the Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating. Mile High Roofing, Inc. has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
4. Is the Contract Up to Date and In Accordance with State Laws?
Colorado gets hit on average by 3 major hail storms every year. There has been so much fraudulent and unethical business practices performed in this state by some roofing contractors that the Senate passed a bill specifically geared toward the roofing industry to combat these unsavory roofing treacheries. On 6/6/2012 Senate Bill 12-038 was signed into order. There is far too much written in the bill to translate into this article but the link is attached below, MHR would recommend every homeowner read through this bill before contracting any company for a roofing project. We have listed a few key items that should be noted on a legitimate contract:
72 hour right of rescission - All homeowners are legally entitled to cancel their contract and have any payments refunded to them for any reason as long as it’s within 72 hours of signing the contract. This must be submitted in writing to your roofing contractor. Email is an acceptable means of rescinding a contract.
No payment of insurance deductibles - Any waiver of deductible is prohibited whether it be a refund, rebate or waiver. The following excerpt comes straight from Senate Bill 12-038: 6-22-105. Waiver of insurance deductible prohibited.
“ (1) A ROOFING CONTRACTOR THAT PERFORMS ROOFING WORK, THE PAYMENT FOR WHICH WILL BE MADE FROM THE PROCEEDS OF A PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE POLICY ISSUED PURSUANT TO PART 1 OF ARTICLE 4 OF TITLE 10, C.R.S., SHALL NOT ADVERTISE OR PROMISE TO PAY, WAIVE, OR REBATE ALL OR PART OF ANY INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE APPLICABLE TO THE CLAIM FOR PAYMENT FOR ROOFING WORK ON THE COVERED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY. (2) IF A ROOFING CONTRACTOR VIOLATES SUBSECTION (1) OF THIS SECTION: (a) THE INSURER TO WHOM THE PROPERTY OWNER SUBMITTED THE CLAIM FOR PAYMENT FOR THE ROOFING WORK IS NOT OBLIGATED TO CONSIDER THE ESTIMATE OF COSTS FOR THE ROOFING WORK PREPARED BY THE ROOFING CONTRACTOR.”
The contract must specifically state the following 3 pieces of information:
An estimated cost of work, an approximate date of services, and the roofing contractors liability carrier with contact information.
Keep in mind while the estimated cost of work must be written on the contract, that amount is an estimate an with insurance work that number is subject to change.
A legitimate insurance contract should state that if the customer has an RCV policy, the customers out of pocket cost will not exceed the insurance policy deductible.
5. When are They Asking for Payment?
It is never a good idea to make a payment in full before the work is completed. If you have a contractor that demands payment in full before work starts, look for a new contractor. I would never make any sort of payment until there is material delivered to your house. Once material is delivered it is pretty standard practice for your roofing contractor to collect a payment, typically half of the total contract price. This will allow both the customer and contractor to sleep well. The customer knowing that in a worst case scenario they do have the material required to roof their house, and the contractor knowing that worst case scenario they will break even on the job.
Please consider Mile High Roofing, Inc. for all of your roofing and exterior needs. Give us a call or schedule a free inspection today.
