Why You Shouldn't Hire a Fly By Night Roofer
When you need work done on your roof, no matter if it's a simple roof repair or an elaborate roof replacement, it's imperative to not be tempted by the often low ball estimates provided by fly by night roofing companies.
One reason why these companies are able to charge less is because of their limited overhead cost. Their team usually consist of only 1 or 2 crew members while outside contractors will be hired on a per job basis, making it difficult to quality control the workmanship.
Lack of WSIB and liability insurance is another reason for the discounted quote. If these unqualified roofers, who are not trained or certified with Working At Heights, have any mishaps, a lawsuit will be landing on your doorstep. Since the fly by night company does not have WSIB or liability insurance, you as the homeowner, will be responsible for any injuries sustained while working on your property.
Hiring a fly by night roofer will almost guarantee problems before you know it. And trying to find them will be close to impossible since these companies are usually around for only 1 to 2 years before they close the business and open up a new one with a new name, dodging any previous dissatisfied customers looking for them to fix the lousy job they did.
How to Identify Fly By Night Roofers
It's easy to distinguish between an established roofing company versus a fly by night. If you watch out for the tell-tale signs below, you’ll be able to vet them out like a pro.
- Bargain prices, especially ones that come in way lower than the average quotes received.
- Lack of digital or physical presence: no professional looking website, company vehicle with logo and/or physical location.
- Labour warranty and manufacturer warranty are not available.
- Unable to present WSIB, liability insurance or business license
- Reviews via trusted sources (Homestar, Google or Better Business Bureau) are non-existing
Benefits of Hiring an Established Roofing Company
It's human nature to look for bargains, but it's also true that sometimes you get more than you bargained for; especially when dealing with fly by night roofing companies. You may pay substantially less by hiring them but may end up incurring way more cost because you have to hire an established roofing company to fix the problems created by the unqualified roofers.
With established roofing companies like Nailed It Roofing & Construction, you are guaranteed they will still be in business while your roof is still under warranty. This means you will not incur additional cost should you need them to repair any problems.
Another benefit with hiring a reputable roofing company is that they take pride in their work. To ensure flawless workmanship, they go through rigorous training and must pass the manufacturer's tests in order to be able to claim certified status. With manufacture certifications, it is an acknowledgment that the roofing company has passed all qualifications and has the knowledge to install one of the best roofing products. This also allows them to provide the most extensive warranties available. These warranties (both labour & manufacturer) are transferable once which makes it an added feature for those looking to sell their property in the near future.
When hiring any contractor, it's advisable to contact a few companies and request for quotes. Proceed with caution with estimates that are substantially lower. Check reviews from past customers and look for ones that had work done with a similar project scope. Your roof is worth investing the time and money on to avoid future problems. Do your research before signing on the dotted line. You can find more information on "How to Hire the Right Roofing Contractor" here.
At Nailed It Roofing & Construction, we are GAF certified and also work with leading industry suppliers to provide quality workmanship to each and every roof we build or repair. We take pride in our work thus we include 10 year Labour Warranty and 40 year (or Lifetime Limited) Manufacturer Warranty. Our aim is to exceed customer expectations one project at a time.