Your roof is the most important part of your home and choosing the right roofing contractor when you need repairs or maintenance work carried out is essential.
Here Old Plean Roofing Ltd provide their top tips on how to find a reliable roofer:
- Select up to three roofers to look at the job and if possible, obtain references from family, friends or a reputable trade association. You could also ask the roofer to provide references for previous jobs they have carried out which are similar to yours.
- Check which contractors are members of accredited trading organisations such as the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, the Guild of Master Craftsmen and the Buy With Confidence scheme.
- Ask each of them to give advice on which materials they would suggest using for the job and check what skills and qualifications they hold.
- Ask for a written quotation and when looking through quotes, make sure you are comparing ‘like with like’ when it comes to the building materials being proposed. Old Plean Roofing always use premium commercial materials to ensure the best outcome for all jobs. Also ensure the quote includes the firm’s terms and conditions.
- Don’t automatically choose the cheapest option but instead base your decision on the quality of the advice given and your confidence in the contractor.
- Check whether the contractor has the relevant insurances and a Health & Safety policy in place – and remember that once they are on your property you are responsible for them unless they confirm in writing that they are the principal contractor.
- Never hand money over prior to being sent an invoice and always pay via bank transfer or a bank card rather than in cash so that you have a paper trail.
- Ask for before and after photographs to form part of the job specification and make sure the roofer plans to clear away any excess building materials and rubbish at the end of the work.
- Ask whether they will provide a Risk Assessment and Method Statement noting the equipment they plan to use (eg any scaffolding) and how they will conduct the work. This should be provided following acceptance of a quote.
- Be wary of people who turn up at your door advising that a certain job needs to be done and offering to carry out the work there and then. Instead conduct your own research and do not be pressured by doorstep traders.
- Ask how long the job is likely to take and when they are available bearing in mind that timelines may change due to weather/ isolating requirements etc.
- Also ensure you are confident with the communications provided by the roofer in terms of keeping you up to date regarding when they arrive on site and phoning back when you contact them. Treat it as a red flag if phones continually go unanswered and messages are not returned promptly.
- Never engage anyone to power wash or paint your roof as this can cause damage to the roof and is against manufacturers recommendations.
Old Plean Roofing is a family firm run by Mark and Fiona Thornton based in Stirling and covering Central Scotland.
The company works with both flat and pitched roofs and is accredited by the Guild of Master Craftsman, the Buy With Confidence scheme and the National Federation of Roofing Contractors. They provide detailed quotes and are happy to have a chat regarding any roofing issues you may have.
For more details, call 01786 811033.