When you hire contractors for a home improvement project, you want them to be completely honest with you. This can help you decide on things more easily and spend your money without worry.
However, not every supposed professional is as honest as the person would have you believe. Some contractors would say anything just to get you to part with your hard-earned money. It’s just a sad reality that exists in most industries, including roofing and other construction-related services.
You can avoid being duped by unscrupulous tradespeople, though. You can do it by learning what you should watch out for, such as the lies that bad roofers often tell unsuspecting homeowners. Here are some examples.
“Your Roof Cannot Be Repaired. We Have to Replace It.”
While this is not always a lie – as some old or severely damaged roofs do need replacement – it isn’t always the truth, either. If your roof is way past its best years, and you’re starting to spend more frequently on repairs, then it would be more cost-effective to hire a professional for a new roof installation. However, if your roof isn’t anywhere near its end of life, and you’ve taken reasonable care in maintaining it, that person telling you to replace it is probably lying.
“You Can Save Money by Installing New Shingles Over the Old Ones.”
This might seem true at face value, but whatever you save with the installation, you’ll probably have to spend on more repairs and possibly another replacement soon. In many states, this style of reroofing is not legal, so you might become liable for breaking the law. Even if it’s legal to do it where you live, not tearing off the old shingles means your roofer won’t be able to inspect your roof properly for leaks, rot, corrosion, mold, etc. Water damage can go unnoticed for a while, but it doesn’t get better.
Then, there’s also the matter of weight. Multiple layers of shingles can get quite heavy. If the roofing structure or your load-bearing walls are unable to handle the extra heft, a leak would be the least of your problems. Your roof might become compromised to the point of collapsing.
“Our Warranty Covers Any Kind of Damage to Your Roof.”
This is a complete lie. No warranty covers all kinds of damage to a roofing system. As a matter of fact, neglecting maintenance can quickly render your warranty null and void.
What if someone installing an antenna, a satellite dish or an upper floor window causes damage to your roof? What if you decided to DIY a skylight, and your roof starts leaking torrents into your furnished attic space?
The best thing to do is to make sure you have a strong warranty for your roofing materials and another warranty for the workmanship if it’s not included in the first one. A warranty that sounds too good to be true is nothing but a ruse to get you to sign a contract.
Make sure to interview a contractor properly and perform a background check before hiring one. If you need a roofing professional that you can trust, get in touch with TopTier Roofing. We can also help you with your bathroom remodeling project. Call us today at (315) 877-3760, or tell us about your roofing project here.