Spotting a qualified home inspector from a pretender among roofers Denver is not always easy. Knowing how to differentiate one from the other could save you a lot of headaches and money paid to unqualified individuals.

Here is a guide on how to protect yourself against the bad inspectors in roofers Denver:

1. Hire Certified Inspectors

Engage the services of a certified home inspector. There are many home inspector associations, some of which have been around for some time and enjoy positive reputation.

2. Get Recommendations

Get referrals and recommendations from friends and real estate agents on who are the best-qualified home inspectors available. Trustworthy and legitimate agents prefer the services of qualified and reputable inspectors since they want their clients to be fully-informed of the condition of the house, particularly its roof.

3. Length of Inspection

The average inspector takes at least three hours to complete a home inspection. An inspector announcing that he could do it for substantially-less time should raise red flags on your end.

4. Cost of Second Inspection

A house will always have defects on it. That is normal. After the owner fixed a problem noted by an inspector, a second visit will take place to verify the repairs made. In many states, the return visit of a home inspector is considered a courtesy call with no extra fees charged against the owner. Always ask the inspectors about their fee policy to avoid misunderstanding.

5. Recommending Contractors

The business of inspectors is to inspect homes. They could be creating conflict of interests if the contractors recommend or suggest a particular contractor to perform a work.

6. Attend the Inspection

If you cannot be present for the entire duration of the inspection, make sure that you can attend at least 30 minutes of it. You can ask clarifications and questions during this time and note which items are considered minor or major. Some inspectors recommend further inspection for things that they do not cover in their work. For instance, a suggestion for a pest inspection may be made since home inspectors are not qualified to conduct pest control inspections.

7. Sample Inspection Report

Ask for sample reports on actual inspections made. The average length of a comprehensive report should be about 20 to 50 pages long with pictures of the problems.

8. Insurance

Errors and Omissions Insurance are obtained as protection in case the home inspectors made a mistake in appraising the worthiness of the roof. In some cases, the insurance company’s liability for such mistakes is limited only to the home inspection fee.

Engaging the services of Denver roofing contractors for difficult roofing work is not a straightforward undertaking. While most contractors are honest in their dealings, some roofers simply cannot be trusted. Knowing how to spot these dishonest contractors makes a difference between spending the right amount for the work required and losing hard-earned savings to unscrupulous contractors.

Using Shortcuts

Contractors can shorten the completion time of a project by saving on labor time through the use of shortcuts. Houses that are greatly damaged by hurricanes have poorly-secured roofing and substandard framing. The most common cause of shingles getting blown by strong winds is the inadequate use of fasteners. Shingles tend to buckle and eventually lift or separate when subjected to strong winds, which raises the risk of rainwater leakage. By skimping on the basics, roofing contractors manage to complete a project in record time while saving substantial money from the reduced number of materials and labor needed to finish the roof. The result is a poor and substandard work that is prone to all kinds of damage and disaster.

Baiting and Replacing

Dishonest contractors under a package contract with homeowner will intentionally wait until the project is well under way before advising their client that a certain product is no longer available, and offering a more expensive substitute or upgrade for the discontinued product.

Another common dishonest practice for roofing contractors is substituting low-end materials for the high-grade ones that were agreed upon. For instance, they could use galvanized nails instead of stainless steel nails in fastening cedar shingles. Distinguishing the difference between nails just by looking at the nail tops on the roof surface is difficult. Other contractors use sheet metal drip edge in place of aluminum drip edge, which most homeowners cannot easily distinguish.

Overpricing of Materials

Knowing the prices of the different materials that your contractor will be using on your house is advisable. Directly inquire from the suppliers the wholesale and retail prices of each item. If your contractor intends to add a markup on the prices, set a cap or limit in your contract to avoid overpaying for materials that could have been purchased at much-lower prices.

Skipping Preparations

Contractors can increase their profits and save on labor costs by skipping preparations. Roofing, painting jobs and wall/door installations are the more common works where violations of this kind are committed by dishonest contractors. Painters may skip on primer or paint only the newer seams. Roofers could apply substandard tar that dries out in a short time and fails to provide protection against leaks.

A perfect scenario in Denver roofing projects is one where a project starts on time and finishes on the scheduled completion date without any unforeseen disruptions and delays of activities. Unfortunately, this ideal situation does not exist in the real world since contractors and roofers face numerous unexpected delays in the delivery dates of their projects.

Delays

Delays are events that have an effect on the final completion date of a project. One of the most common causes of delays is the client-induced delay. It can occur when clients, who may be contractually and procedurally bound to comment on documents, approve the same, supply information or equipment, fail to immediately respond to the contractors’ request for such action. These client-induced delay negatively impacts the expected delivery date of the Denver roofing project.

The cause of delays may also be self-inflicted as when a particular assembly designed for a specific work did not function.

Delays have different consequences to the project and the contractor. A simple client-induced delay could overload a contractor’s document-approval process and lead to more serious ramifications. It could also affect other projects undertaken by the contractor.

Disruptions

Similarly, the fact that small disruptions in activities could result to more serious consequences to a project such as huge time and cost overruns is established. Disruptions are events that prevent a contractor from completing a project as scheduled. Some of these are anticipated during the work process because they are expected to occur as normal errors and mistakes committed by both contractor and client.

One of the most common causes of disruption is product changes initiated by either contractor or client. These are normally initiated in construction projects through “change orders” that materially affect a portion of the work being made. Not only do “change orders” affect work progress, but it also entails, more often than not, additional expenses on the project.

Disruptions and delays could also come from the weather.

Solutions

Overcoming disruptions and delays caused by weather is not difficult. Contractors just have to make sure that weather conditions are ideal for the project. Getting weather updates on a regular basis will eliminate this factor.

To avoid delays and disruptions, contractors should anticipate these events while planning Denver roofing projects. Client-induced delays can be minimized if not eliminated by opening channels of communication. This solution applies to disruptions caused by product changes. In addition, thoroughly discussing the project details with clients during the planning stage will do away with most of these unplanned changes.

Having a new roof along with the usual warranty that goes with it could lead to a false sense of security for some people. Thinking that your roof is secured by the warranty could be farthest from the truth.

An article that appeared in the official consumer website of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) highlights the importance of thoroughly understanding roof warranties and hiring roofing contractors to install the new roof system. Whether the building involved is residential or commercial, always consider the following things before entering into contracts with roof manufacturers.

1. Don’t Forget the Fine Print

Read the fine print carefully. Most people never bother to read them, which could lead to misunderstanding in the future on the exact coverage of the warranty. Coverage differs from one manufacturer to another, although they may come in the usual 10-year warranty. Some warranties may cover “all defects” while another promises to “keep the roof watertight.” These are totally different things and could make a big difference when issues appear in the future.

2. Choose a Reputable Contractor

In most warranties, the first two years of the warranty period is covered by the roofing contractor who installed the roof system. Choosing a certified and reputable contractor is important to maintain this type of warranty, particularly if the manufacturer is strict on this matter. Make sure to hire a contractor who could stay in business to be able to respond to future problems.

The diverse provisions and coverage of warranties underlines the importance of choosing a roofing contractor whom you can trust. A good contractor will advise you on the important provisions in the warranty with emphasis on those that are often misunderstood by homeowners.

3. Take Good Care of Your Roof

Performing regular preventive maintenance is important not only to keep your roof in good condition and last a long time but to keep the warranty effective. Some warranties require regular roof maintenance otherwise they become invalid. Manufacturers expect homeowners to take reasonable care of their roofs that are subject to the warranty.

4. The Limited Value of Warranties

Lastly, never rely on warranty for a long-term sense of security. A warranty effective for 10 years does not mean your roof will remain in great condition after 20 to 30 years. The actual worth of warranties is for people who have plans of selling their properties in the near future. Warranties no longer matter after they lapse since people will care more about how well the roof is maintained.

Maintaining your roof in good condition so that it lasts for years is not difficult. Periodic inspection and regular maintenance work are all it takes, and it does not cost much. Neglecting to observe proper roof maintenance will prove expensive in the long run.

We strongly recommend performing regular maintenance work on your roof. Immediately replace or repair damaged portions such as cracked shingles. The alternative could be total roof replacement.

We listed below factors that affect roofing costs to give you an idea how or why there are times when Seattle roofing costs could get really expensive.

1. Roof Size

Schedule all roofing jobs to be carried out at the same time. The more square foot of the roof that needs to be worked on, the less is the labor cost per square foot. If you plan to repair a portion of your roof, inspect the other areas to assess whether these could be included in your planned repair. Repairing the roof one area at a time will cost you more in the long term than having a large portion of your roof repaired at one time.

2. No Maintenance

Maintaining a wooden deck on your roof so it stays in tiptop shape costs less than $100 a year. Replacing one from the ground up costs thousands of dollars. Maintaining a deck is easy. Just keep it clean by removing leaves and dirt between the boards and applying sealant to keep moisture out of the wood and prevent rotting. Failure to follow simple maintenance procedure could make a big difference between spending a hundred dollars to throwing away thousands of dollars.

3. Roof Materials

Different roofing materials are available to the homeowners. Each one has distinct installation needs and demands its own equipment, expertise, support materials and method. Of course, prices also vary with some costing more than twice the price of the cheapest roof. For instance, metal roofs are expensive because of its installation cost, which requires special skills and training on the part of the contractors.

4. Complex Roof

Labor costs more and could push up your roof repair expenses if your roof is complex with installed chimney, skylight, dormers and sidewalls. Contractors have to work around these areas and install flashing on each one, which not only slow the progress of work but require more effort on their part.

5. Hiring Inexperienced Contractors

If you are planning on saving money on the repair of your roof, you can choose less expensive roofing materials or simpler designs with less styles and modifications. Never cut down on expense by hiring cheap labor. You may end up with inexperienced contractors and inferior work that would entail additional work – and more expenses – if not a total makeover just to restore your roof to acceptable condition.

Dallas has a humid subtropical climate. Humidity or moisture in the air is a common cause of rust. If you have a metal roof, it will ultimately experience rust or corrosion. Other roofing materials also experience wear and tear through time. When the time comes for you to restore your roof, be wary of unscrupulous contractors who are only after your money.

We compiled the following guides to help you avoid roof repair Dallas scams:

1. Door Knockers

Be alert for contractors knocking at your door soliciting roof repair work. Reputable companies do not knock from door to door because they are busy and have existing projects to finish. They get their business not from knocking on doors but from referrals of happy and satisfied customers.

2. High-Pressure Tactics

Do not sign contracts immediately with the first contractor to call up on you after your roof sustained damage. Unscrupulous contractors use high-pressure tactics to force customers to sign up for repair work without giving them time to think things through. Remember that you do not have to decide right away.

3. Insurance Assistance

Call your insurance for assistance. Ask the adjuster what the process will be and what you have to do. Take pictures of the roof, including the undamaged parts, before allowing any person to examine it. Request the repair estimates after the adjuster has examined the roof.

4. Deliberate Damage

Do not allow disreputable contractors to go up your roof before it was examined by known and reputable individuals such as insurance adjusters. Some of these contractors deliberately inflict damage to the roof while supposedly examining it. The result is an inflated assessment of damage that would allow the contractors to earn more from the project.

5. Background Check

Find out everything about the background of the roofing contractors you are considering before signing up. The information should include company profile and previous projects going back 12 to 24 months. Research will uncover things that could help you decide whether to push through with the contractor or look for another one.

6. Work References

Get referrals from your neighbors about contractors whose services they engaged in the past. Ask them how the work was done, the terms of the repairs and whether they were satisfied with the finished work.

7. Legitimacy Check

Verify the registration of the contractor with the city government of Dallas. It should be listed and able to apply for a building permit.

8. Verify Subcontractors

For subcontractors, verify from the parent companies to which they are affiliated. Call the company and ask about the status of the subcontractor offering its services to you. You will know if the subcontractor is accredited and in good standing with the parent company.