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Selecting a Qualified Roofing Contractor: RThere’s More to Pick Than Just Price
by Royal Roofing
egardless of the price, your roof is Unfortunately, they aren’t all reputable, and many not affordable if it leaks each time it customers get taken advantage of.
rains. That’ll of course be long after
the contractor is gone, and you’ll
be stranded in the rainy season to
fend for yourself while your tenants • Licensed with a “C-39 Roofing Speciality” scream at you about water damage. license from the California Contractors State
Maximizing value is about selecting the best roofing License Board (CSLB)
contractor, who uses 1st quality materials with certified workmanship, all at an affordable price.
Too often, property owners and managers fall victim to letting their guard down. Many roofing salesmen hope you skip the background check and make a knee-jerk decision to get a “deal.” Then, you’re unfortunately stuck with a problematic and leaky roof for years to come...
At the same time, you’re busy managing your business and your personal life. You shouldn’t have to spend hours and hours getting “second” opinion after second opinion, and the good news is: you don’t have to. If you pick the right contractor from the start, you’ll achieve peace of mind for 10, 15, or even 20 years or more! Plus, you’ll save thousands of dollars in potential emergency repairs and eliminate the stresses of a leaky roof.
Maximizing the value of your roofing needs comes down to two key factors. Do you need a master’s degree in construction management to understand them? Are they more secretive than the Coca Cola recipe? Will you fall out of your chair when you hear them? The answer to these is NO, but what is shocking is the amount of people willing to compromise on one (or both) of these components, and most don’t realize their mistake until it’s far too late...
Two Key Factors to Picking a Contractor: (1) Who is Doing the Work and (2) The Quality of Their Materials.
HOW TO VERIFY YOUR ROOFER IS QUALIFIED
The roofing industry is approaching $20 billion with almost 200,000 contractors. THAT’S big business.
• Bonded with the CSLB
• Insured with workers’ compensation insurance and at least a 1M General Liability policy
• Reputable with a long list of referrals and proven pedigree
LICENSED
You should NEVER use an unlicensed contractor, and especially not for your roof. When you’re in your home or office building, you’re standing between gravity and the elements, and you don’t want to take a chance by letting your roofer cut corners. Once you identify a roofing contractor that you’re interested in, the first thing you should do is contact the Contractors State License Board at www.cslb.ca.gov or at (800) 321-CSLB (2752) to ensure they have a valid license that’s been active for at least 20 years. After all, how can you believe a contractor with a 2-year-old license giving a 15-year guarantee?
BONDED
While you might have a special bond with your Golden Retriever, California requires a different type of bond with all of its contractors. A Surety Bond is a contract between a roofing business, the licensing authority, and a “Surety Company” (think insurance company) that financially guarantees that the contractor does what they say they will. Why should you care? This benefits consumers (you) financially in the event of defective construction, legal violations, and other violations made by a bad contractor. You can view the CLSB bonding requirements on their website, and it’s vital (and
To protect yourself, you first need to ensure your contractor is:
APARTMENT MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE - JUNE 2021 CS-23