| By: Steven Briesemeister |
The normal life expectancy of a residential roof is around 15 to 20 years. Before this time period usually only roof repair is done. After this stipulated period of time, roofing contractors may be contacted for a new roof installation or roof replacement. Water leakage, natural wear and tear and living in states prone to rough weather such as the State of California may lead to an early requirement of roof repairs or roof installation from a roofing contractor.
How Can You Find a Licensed Contractor in California?
Referrals and recommendations from your friends and relatives is the best way because you will get a first-hand and honest account of the roofing contractors’ work. Other areas to find a contractor in California for roof installation, roof repair and roof installments might be a Builders Exchange in your area. Professional Roofers Associations are also places to find a good roofer.
Useful Tips to Hire a Roofing Contractor in California:
• Before hiring the contractor, check with the Contractors State License Board's (CSLB) Web site: www.cslb.ca.gov available also at 1-800-321-CSLB (2752). CSLB helps you check all valid licenses of roofing contractors based in the state of California and other details. These may include bond information, list of workers, compensation and insurance information etc.
• Get plenty of referrals and recommendations and make a choice based on the wide array of California roofing contractors’ names in front of you.
• Acquire multiple bids for your roofing contract. This no only narrows down the choice, but also helps you make a profitable decision based on comparison.
• Get the contract in writing, and never make the complete payment until satisfied with the job done.
• Make sure that the roofing contractor’s personnel are insured by compensation policies and insurance from Californian or other firms. This is because accidents and injuries do happen during a roofing project. And if your roofing contractor is not insured, then you will have to face the cost damages and lawsuits.
• Do not try and be your own roofing contractor. This term, knows as owner/builder can take a heavy toll on you if it goes wayward. This is often done to save money, but backfires if not done properly. If you still choose to do so, maintain the workers’ payrolls, the payments of the roofing material taken and other associated stuff. This is important because any mistakes on your part will be severely punished by California law and liable to Mechanics’ liens and violation of the law.
Roofing Scams
Roofing scams in California generally involve bogus coatings and swindling homeowners with excess costs for repairs of intentional damages by employed roofing contractors. While most dishonest roofing contractors push homeowners into hasty decisions and use poor quality materials to make roof repairs. When these get damaged after the completion of the contract, the resulting roof repairs or roof replacements is charged recurrently by the roofing contractor.
Lodging Complaints
All the roofing contract-related documentation should be submitted along with photographs of the problems as a formal complaint to the contractor. This should also be done with the Contractors State License Board (California) at (800) 321-CSLB (2752). They will help you with mediating into a solution, or will launch an investigation to clear the problems. CSLB also offers you publications to review to choose your contractor before you rev up your roofing project.
Find California Roofing Contractors and California Roofers who specialize in roof repair, roof installation and roof replacement at our Building Industry Directory.
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Roofing contractors are hired to provide service outside as well as inside of your house, regarding the roof installation, roof replacement or roof repair of your housing.
Using a certified roofing contractor means that you can be sure the person you use is a professional who knows exactly what to look for.
If it sounds too good to be true; usually it is. Just ask anyone who's had to deal with a roofer knocking on their door and claiming to be able to save them thousands of dollars.
Just showing their license to you isn't enough, you should verify they are licensed and up-to-date on all his paperwork by calling your states contractor's license board or visiting their website.
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