Roofer Career Guide and Counseling

Question: How does a roofer know where a leak is? If plaster is moist and paint is popping off my ceiling, How does a roofer determine where the water is coming in and which roofing shingles need to be replaced? How expensive should this be?

Answer: you need to get into the attic with the light offand look for pin holes. look around for water damage with the lights on. check the roof for broken shingles or just worn out shingles,flashing etc. Price is based on the problem so it is best to call someone for a free estimate and listen to what they have to say. get estimates from 3 contractor's to start and go from there you may have to call 6 contractors to actually get 3 estimates and if they don't call back don't use them just move on to the next one. Good luck.

Question: When looking for a slate roofer, what are good questions to ask to evaluate their competence? And also, how do I know that they are bonded and insured; they might SAY that they are, but how do I really know? Any and all information greatly appreciated; would love to hear from a roofer. Thanks!

Answer: Ray K - good answer! I had a roofer tell me that I should replace my slate roof with asphalt shingles because the nails would just rust out. I had experience working with ceramic roof tiles before, and we always used copper nails. I wondered if they had stopped making them until I found them at Home Depot. Needless to say, I didn't call him back.

Question: Have you recommendations for experienced roofer in Concord, NH area? Need a roofer that does first-rate work and has satisfied clients willing to asses his/her work as referrals and cleans up afterwards. Plain three-tab composition shingles.

Answer: My girlfriend just got a very reasonable quote for a roof in Salem, NH. I can't speak for the quality of his work, but you can check his references. Please call 603-893-5976 and ask for Joe. He can give you the name of the roofer. They got three quotes and this guy had the best price. They are smart shoppers and this might be a great guy to have the work done. Like I said.........you can always check his references. Good Luck

Question: What type of insurance should a roofer have? The roofer we chose will be the only person up there on the roof. I was wondering what insurance he should be carrying? This is for a small, two-story house.

Answer: A Residential roofer would have to General Liability Coverage. This protects you from Damages do to his negligence from Bodily injury and property damage. If the roofer fails to properly Tarp and protect the roof (during construction) during inclement weather and water comes in and damages you insulation and Drywall then you would have a claim against his Liability coverage. If His ladder falls over and dents your car...then this is a claim under his Liability. If he injuries someone (ie: roofing material falls off the roof and hits you on the head. Then this is a liability claim. As a Sole proprietor. It is not necessary to have Workers comp however, it is advisable to have a contract agreeing that you are held harmless for any injury that would happen during the project. He ould have a written estimate to you and on this would be a payment plan. I would not pay more than 1/2 of the Bid up front and pay the other half only after you have inspected his work and it satisfactory. DON'T pay in full until YOU are satisfied. Get a certificate of insurance from him showing a current policy with at least $300,000 of liability per occurrence. I would also recommend getting referrals from him of other homes he has done and call those people on his workmanship.

Question: Has anyone used a roofer who was experienced with flat roofs? I am looking for a roofer who has specific extensive experience with flat roofs that you can recommend from personal experience.

Answer: It would help to know where you are located. You can call the local BBB for references for roofers. You can find smaller companies on the builder bulletin boards at places like Lowes or Home Depot. A roofing supplier will have one of these boards too. Most will not recommend any one company, hence the use of the board for their business cards. Make sure and check references of other customers they've done work for. Flat roofs can be tricky and will tend to leak if not done correctly. Good luck.

Question: What should I do if my roofer doesn't provide proof of liability insurance prior to start of job? I asked my roofer to provide proof of insurance. He says he can get it to me by monday but most likely the job will be done by then because he wants to start early on saturday morning (today). I'm concerned he won't have the permit either and want to protect myself what should I do?? I have serious time constraints for getting the job done.

Answer: When you buy insurance, the insurance company provides you with proof that you have the insurance. It's called a "policy". If he doesn't want to provide proof until Monday, it's because he doesn't have the insurance. If he's this slipshod in the way he does business, you do NOT want him on your roof.

Question: how do i repair my own roof, cannot find roofer willing to do it for me? I live in the country and i cannot find a roofer willing to come that far. When i have been successful in getting some one to come out they never return.

Answer: If you have a Home depot in your area they usually have Do-it-yourself workshops on a regular basis. Another outside the box solution is contact your local high school. Many have a Vocational tech course and it may be possible to "donate" your home for training. (You purchase supplies). as a final solution there are many do it yourself type sites around the internet, a bit of reading and surfing with google can probably find you the information you need.

Question: Should I call a roofer or a handyman? Last night there was a huge thunderstorm in my area. When the rain was coming down at its hardest, I heard dripping coming from the attic. Turns out water was coming in around the attic fan. Do I need to call a roofer or will a handyman be able to do something? I've lived in this house for two years and have never had a water problem. The roof itself is about 5-7 years old.

Answer: Before you call anyone, ask yourself a few questions. Was it windy while raining, was it a heavy down pour? What has probably occured, was that when it was raining, the rain was being blown sideways/horizontal. When it rains like this, it can cause a leak where you normally would not have a problem, like wall vents, windows and roof flashing's. You can check (if you know what to look for) the area around the fan yourself. While looking at it, ask yourself "could the wind have caused this drip, did it leak in a normal (heavy rain w/ no wind) rain. If it was only a slight drip in a heavy windy storm, I would bet this is what happened. You can also go up in the attic, look around the vent fan itself and see if you can see signs of where the water entered. BE THE WATER.

Question: Is it illegal for a roofer to do work without a license? My friend had her roof redone in 2005 and the roof has since fallen apart with the recent rain storms in CT and it has been discovered that the roofing company did not have a license and the roofing job was not done properly (no flashing used, etc.). Does she have a case against the roofer? Is it illegal for him to be doing roofing jobs with an expired/suspended license?

Answer: Yes, contracting without a license is illegal in every state. Your friend should make a complaint to the state contractor's board. They can investigate and fine the persons involved, and your friend may also qualify for assistance from the contractor board's victim compensation fund. Additionally, your friend has a lawsuit against the persons for negligent work. The fact that the person/company was not properly licensed will impact how (of even if) they are allowed to defend themselves in that case.

Question: I hired a roofer and he splashed paint on my neighbor's car. Am I responsible for damages? I gave my neighbor all the contact information for the roofer, but he (my neighbor) insists that I'm responsible for paying for the detail he had performed on his car. I believe that since the roofer got the paint on his car (and later removed it), that any additional repair should be performed by the roofer, not by me.

Answer: The roofer is responsible. That's why you should always hire someone who is bonded, and insured.