Roofing

Each home, no matter its age, will require some roof repair or maintenance throughout its lifetime. Seasonal weather conditions or local fauna getting into your home via your roof can also damage it. When this happens, your roof requires the immediate attention of a professional roofing firm. Face it; every roof will require maintenance at some point to prevent potential damage to its structure and to protect the value of your home.

The community of Kew Gardens has many professional roofing businesses that can care for your roofing needs. Select the best option available to you by requesting estimates and getting referrals from neighbors when hiring a roofing firm. This referral process is a critical step to take when you want to hire a roofing contractor.

Professionally licensed roofing contractors should have workman’s’ compensation and liability insurance to protect the homeowner in the event of an accident. Workers’ compensation is vital to protect the homeowner if a roofing company’s employee gets injured on the premises, and liability protects you from damage to your home caused by the roofers during repair or replacement.

If the roofing professional you hire works without workman’s’ compensation insurance, the homeowner may be held responsible for medical bills and other expenses associated with any injury sustained by a worker. The homeowners’ insurance policy may not always cover these types of accidents, making you personally liable for any damages. Some contractors hire subcontractors for roofing jobs. Ensure you get lien waivers to protect yourself if your contractor doesn’t pay the subcontractors that have been hired by the roofer. Confirm whether or not a subcontractor will be performing any part of the job on your home. If they are, be sure to ask these same questions of the roofing subcontractor — make sure you ask whether or not they are insured.

Your roofing contractor should also confirm if your city or state has licensed them. Licensing requirements do vary by state. Many cities and counties will also require that a contractor be licensed. Confirm with your local Better Business bureau whether or not a license is mandatory in your area and if it is, confirm its verification with your local/regional licensing offices to make sure your roofer’s license is up to date and that they don’t have any outstanding violations. Bear in mind that, a business license isn’t the same as a roofing contractor’s license.

Always ask for referrals to local residential job sites that you can visit and check out previous roofing work that has completed. Whenever possible, personally follow up with the homeowners, and ask them whether or not they are happy with the roofing job completed by the contractor that you intend to hire to repair the roof of your home.

• Roof inspection twice-yearly – fall and spring

• Maintain your chimney

• Clean the gutters

• Estimates

• References

• Workman’s compensation

• Liability insurance

• Licensed in your city/state

• Roofing contractor’s license

• Lien waivers

If you are looking for a roofer contact Kew Gardens Realty for a recommendation.