It may not be as sexy as a shiny new kitchen reno, but shopping for a roofer is one of the most important, and costly, decisions that a homeowner can make. So how can you be sure you're hiring one that's up to the job? Here are some of the best questions you can ask:
1. What training and experience do you have?
Unlike other types of contractors, roofers in every province except Quebec don't need any certification or training before starting work on your roof. So until the rules change, the burden is on homeowners to ensure that their roofer knows the trade. And if you're hiring someone to do a more complicated roofing project - such as a flat roof, metal roof or complex shapes such as turrets - you want to be sure that your roofer has ample experience in that specialty. Any seasoned contractor should be able to answer questions about their training, so that you feel comfortable that you've hired a pro.
2. How long has this company been in business?
Another thing to watch out for - and ask any contractor about specifically - is how long the company has been around. Your roofer may have been in the industry for a decade, but if the business is brand new, it's something to watch for. You want to make sure that the business is established: A good reputation builds over time, and a company that values its reputation is more likely to work to keep it.
3. Will you be subcontracting out the job or doing it yourself?
Checking out your roofer is one thing, but what if a different roofer shows up to do the work? It's not uncommon - especially during busy seasons - for one roofing company to hire another crew or subcontract the work out. So make sure to find out if you're hiring the roofer you think you are - or somebody else.
4. Can I see a copy of liability insurance and workplace safety insurance coverage?
In addition to making sure that a roofer knows their way around your roof, you also want to make sure that they're prepared in case someone falls off it. If a worker is injured while working on house, or damages your neighbour's property, you might be on the hook legally. Don't just ask if the roofer has insurance, ask to see a copy of it, and call the insurance company to make sure your roofer is in good standing.
5. Can you give me contact information for past customers as a reference?
The best homework you can do is to get a list of references of your contractor's past roofing clients. Make sure to get names and phone numbers - not just addresses to drive past. Former clients can tell you more than just whether or not their new roof has sprung any leaks; they can also fill you in about how the company handles customer service after the cheque has been cashed.
1. What training and experience do you have?
Unlike other types of contractors, roofers in every province except Quebec don't need any certification or training before starting work on your roof. So until the rules change, the burden is on homeowners to ensure that their roofer knows the trade. And if you're hiring someone to do a more complicated roofing project - such as a flat roof, metal roof or complex shapes such as turrets - you want to be sure that your roofer has ample experience in that specialty. Any seasoned contractor should be able to answer questions about their training, so that you feel comfortable that you've hired a pro.
2. How long has this company been in business?
Another thing to watch out for - and ask any contractor about specifically - is how long the company has been around. Your roofer may have been in the industry for a decade, but if the business is brand new, it's something to watch for. You want to make sure that the business is established: A good reputation builds over time, and a company that values its reputation is more likely to work to keep it.
3. Will you be subcontracting out the job or doing it yourself?
Checking out your roofer is one thing, but what if a different roofer shows up to do the work? It's not uncommon - especially during busy seasons - for one roofing company to hire another crew or subcontract the work out. So make sure to find out if you're hiring the roofer you think you are - or somebody else.
4. Can I see a copy of liability insurance and workplace safety insurance coverage?
In addition to making sure that a roofer knows their way around your roof, you also want to make sure that they're prepared in case someone falls off it. If a worker is injured while working on house, or damages your neighbour's property, you might be on the hook legally. Don't just ask if the roofer has insurance, ask to see a copy of it, and call the insurance company to make sure your roofer is in good standing.
5. Can you give me contact information for past customers as a reference?
The best homework you can do is to get a list of references of your contractor's past roofing clients. Make sure to get names and phone numbers - not just addresses to drive past. Former clients can tell you more than just whether or not their new roof has sprung any leaks; they can also fill you in about how the company handles customer service after the cheque has been cashed.
I have to agree with Ron McAfee, Shingles are about $25 - $30 a bundle, 60 - 75 bundles for the average small house, 5 workers @ $200 per day to finish the job in 1 day, disposal bin @ $70 a Ton plus the Bin, Water & Ice, nails, Tools, add it up, you are looking at close to $4000.00 before the roofer makes any money. You will see that Mike Holmes never reviels how much his jobs cost that he does for people. I will bet dollars to donuts that a $70K job from a contarctor that is redone by Mike Holmes costs about $150K. But, the show pays for it, and cost is never an issue. The Homeowner then thanks Mike Holmes, and thats that. Try to run a business with those kind of losses. Lets do an episode on the real costs of construction, not a subsidised basis.
Mike Homes has never offered to show or state his certifacation in specific trade. A GC is not a certification. The fact that we forget is that TVis anentertainment business and that Holes's view have never been open to debate on his show or that we only hear the poor ccomsumers piont of view is blatantly unfair to the industry. Having been involved in the contarcting busines for sevearl years I find the onesided repertring and the endorsement of Mike Holmes on your show quite diapionting.
If you are designing a new house, there?s so much to consider! One area that often gets left is making sure your outside walls are protected against the wet weather. Rot and Other problems can easily get worse if excess water gets stuck in the brick cavities. Make sure rot prevention is represented on your to do list. It can be simple to ignore the little details and much of the time they?re the items that can make or break the build! Waterproofing kits can be purchased for fairly good prices from most Do It Youself warehouses.
Thats funny my first comment went un-posted, didn't like my questions CBC? Mike holmes sure is a good marketing tool isn't he? And to Fred B., sure roofing is a red seal trade as Roofing covers both flat and steep. Try finding shinglers that are red seal, i guarantee you'll be hard pressed.
I thought your show was very good, with one exception. You were comparing apples and oranges when it came to the pricing. Was not Mr. Holmes including the repair or replacement of the chimney as part of his estimate. Roofers are not stone masons. Did the roofers have a duty of care to inform the owner. Absolutely. Were they responsible for sourcing and pricing a chimney repair. No Way! At least compare apples to apples.
I would like to say that Better Contracting does look like a good roofing company, and mike holmes work looks nice in the fantasy world of t.v renos but one thing struck me as odd. Has anyone asked either of these guys for there certification? On the Better Contracting website, he states that they are FACTORY CERTIFIED INSTALLERS OF CERTAINTEED ROOFING SHINGLES and that is NOT a trade certification!!!! The fact is that in Canada except for quebec, while there may be programs available, trade tickets for steep roofing is almost non-existant. It's hard to get a ticket when there are no apprenticeships available! For flat roofing it's a little different, in B.C you have to be a cert. flat roofer to do government jobs or be a part of RCABC (roofing contracters association of BC). Does Better Contracting hold these Cert.'s for their torch on or liquid membrane? Are they certified masons or gas fitters for fiddling with chimneys and their inner workings? By the way, does Mike Holmes hold any trade cert? A licensed General Contractor is not a qualified carpenter. Who uses screws for structure? He does, on his show!!
Nails Mike, screws have no shear strength. Contractor rip offs are a bad bad problem (especially now since recession) and everyone hurts from bad work, low bids and everything, but for the CBC to go on about trade cert. and their "experts" dissing an entire industry when they don't even go into detail about their own qualification is pretty suspicious. What are we suppose to just take for granted that these two (Better Contracting and holmes) and are up to their own standards?
I did a lot of research on shingle roofs when my 20 year shingles failed in 6 years. Do not waste your money on shingles. Bite the bullet and get a heavy-gauge metal roof installed by a reputable company. Go for a style of metal roof called "raised seam,' which has no exposed screws.
I watched your show with interest hoping that some of the many problems of the industry I have been a part of for 34 years would be addressed.
I believe your bait house was a semi detached very familiar to the GTA. It would likely come in at 1800 sq ft of roofing material or perhaps even one of the smaller 1500 Sq ft models. All of the roofers did come in below the true value of the roof which I would estimate at $5000.00. Just as importantly though is the fact that Mr. Holmes roofer estimated it at 6 - 7,000.00! I see why Mr. Homes doesn’t call his show “Real Renos”. I only wish that would be a realistic expectation on my part. How could it be when 5 other quoting companies are under $4000! So here is the problem. An honest roofing company goes to quote the job and they have to compete against an industry filled with companies that cheat on taxes, don’t pay W.S.I.B, are uninsured, work for cash ect. They under quote the job and 80% of the customers cant see past a dollar sign. I found it quite funny that your other customer felt he had been ripped off because he had to pay $1500 more than the $3000 he was quoted. Whose ripping off who? Did he honestly think a roofing company could do a roof that looked to be well over two thousand sq ft, supply close to two thousand dollars worth of material, 500 dollars worth of disposal, pay his men, keep the lights on, ect for 3 grand! I am shocked that he got it finished for $1500 more. They must have used the material supplied when the other company abandoned ship. That was a $7000 dollar roof! They worked on it 4 days! We could have “done it right” in one day but according to your other sample customer that would make us crooks. Honestly I want out of the business because as was mentioned its not going to get fixed any time soon. My company will carry on no doubt struggling against an industry filled with people who should be behind bars and customers who in spite of all the warnings are only interested in how cheap you can do the job. Its your roof people! I may have a biased opinion but I think its one of the most important parts of your home. Mr. Holmes is fond of saying “make it right”. I would like to add “its cheaper to do it right in the in the first place”. I did write the Govt suggesting a fine of $25,000.00 to companies caught working for cash and another $25,000.00 for the homeowners found using them. Then set up a bait house! The Govt seems more interested in chasing after legitimate companies they know they can get money out of then doing anything to fix the problem. In the mean time we have to focus on finding the twenty percent of customers who can see the benefits of doing their homework and hiring a good company and are willing to pay a fair price.
P.S I had a customer call me Friday telling me her 1 year old roof that had been replaced four years previously was leaking. When I asked why she wasn’t calling them to fix it she said “people like that don’t answer their phone”. I told her She no doubt had Ice backup and had to get it off the roof. It is a bad winter for that. She asked if she should just call some schmo and get it cleared off. I suggested she could do that and quite possibly get the job done for $100.00 possibly even $50 but if he falls off the roof without W.S.I.B it could cost her a lot more then $100.00. I then suggested she could hire professional roofers who know what they are doing, have fall protection, are covered by W.S.I.B and have the added benefit of not causing more damage too the roof in the process of removing the ice but it would likely cost her twice that. She told me she was going to call someone else first but if all else failed she would call me back. So after doing her roof twice in four years apparently she still doesn’t get it. Oh yes she mentioned of 25 roofing companies she called we were the only ones that answered the phone. Keep in mind her roof was leaking! Thankfully she didn’t phone back and I can only hope some poor schmo isn’t in the hospital. Will it ever end!
cant we all get along
You do NOT need a red seal to roof in Canada bub.
Roofers are like a lot of differant trades. There is a great deal of training and skill involved, but you have to do your due diligence to find a roofer who is a certified professional and not a conman
no its not. Carpentry may be but roofing isn't you sound like one of these know it alls who actually knows very little
If you don't want to be certified, come to PEI. There are enough people who think that certified people are just an "Old Boys Club" and unecessarily elitist, that there will be enough people who will never ask what your qualifications are before they hire you. Roofers, funeral directors, whatever.
We replaced our roof 4 years ago. We had a small leak due to our complex roof line. I asked several companies for quotes. One said they just needed to drive by and look at our roof from the outside and did not need us to be there. The next day rained heavily and lo and behold the leak was now a deluge! We went up on to the roof and the area where the small leak was coming from was now a huge hole! We suspected that the roofer who had done the "drive by" quote had actually gone up on to the roof and made things worse but of course, that would be hard to prove. Needless to say, we did not use that company.
Roofing is a certified trade all across Canada with a Red Seal ticket to move to a different provinc to work. This year is my 38th. year in the roofing industry so get your story straight before you start bad-mouthing us tradesmen. I will be recording your show tonight. Maybe the NBRCA, would like a copy?
Boy I wish I had seen this fact sheet a few years ago..I replaced a roof and had nothing but problems the following winter...I`m going to have to have my roof done again soon , the shingles did not last at all and I will do my homework this time!
It's one thing for the company to claim "no subcontractors" another thing when you find out they did subcontract your job.
Great article! May I use a reference to your article in my mailing / website...? We sell and install metal roofs in Toronto and I would love to send this info to my prospective customers so they could avoid costly mistakes. Highly appreciate your info.