
Roofing projects tend to be challenging for most homeowners considering the struggle of finding the right contractor to handle the job. Given the importance of this household element, the roof is supposed to be trusted solely in the hands of experienced professionals.
Hiring the right roofing company is usually a time-consuming process, involving a multitude of factors that require attention, such as the experience, insurance, license, skills, and warranties provided by candidates. Nowadays, choosing between some of the local roofing companies, such as Jackson Roofing Co., has become surprisingly extensive.
The following tips will help you choose the best one in Jackson, Mississippi.
Check the experience record
The primary thing to check when looking for such a company is the track record of the contractor in this industry. A long experience record speaks volumes about the professionalism, skills, and quality of services. Given the scope of the investment of installing a new roof or replacing the existing one, the roofers you hire are supposed to be experienced and highly skilled to perform this job.
Although not all inexperienced roofing companies aren’t worth hiring, most of them are fly-by-night contractors, fleeing the scene after a few clients file complaints. These professionals tend to reopen after a few months in another town, under a new name in order to manipulate other homeowners to trust their roofs in the wrong hands.
Therefore, you are encouraged to hire a roofing company with a minimum of five-year experience of working in the industry. A contractor with decades of experience under its belt would be an even better choice. Most companies share details about their experience on their sites, but you should also ask candidates to provide you with referrals and portfolios so as to inspect this aspect more thoroughly.

Verify license and insurance
In order for a roofing contractor to abide by building regulations, the company is supposed to be equipped with the required license and permits. Make sure you visit the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website to check out the certified contractors in your local area, as well as check their score. Take no notice of roofers with a low score or the ones that aren’t included in the database of the BBB. Go to this page for some useful tips about checking whether a business has complaints.
Given the accident-prone nature of roofing services, every roofing company is expected to invest in both liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance for their employees. Liability insurance protects homeowners from paying coverage in the event of work-related accidents. It covers the expenses for any kind of damage or accident on your property, caused by the negligence of workers.
Furthermore, the workers’ compensation insurance, as its name implies, covers the expenses for any type of injury, sustained by workers within working hours. Since insurance requirements vary across states, make sure you learn more about the ones in your local area. Unless you receive proof of insurance by roofing companies, you’re strongly advised not to sign any sort of agreement.

Go local
Although some homeowners are tempted to look for roofing companies outside their local area, going local is considered more beneficial in the case of hiring such services. For instance, the reputation of local contractors can be inspected more easily in comparison with the reputation of out-of-town roofing service providers.
In addition, the workmanship warranty provided by professional local roofers is more likely to be valid than the one of out-of-town contractors. Most importantly, local roofers know the exact climate conditions of your region, hence being able to predict their environmental effect on your roof. Consequently, the roofing solution they’ll opt for would be adapted to the weather conditions in your local area. The following link, https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamcraig/2016/09/13/5-benefits-of-hiring-locally/, explains the benefits of hiring locally.
Check past work
After choosing a few local, licensed, and insured candidates, it’s time to learn more about their past work. In case any of the candidates on your shortlist have installed, replaced, or repaired the roof of a trusted friend or a neighbour, you can pay him/her a visit to check the condition of the roof and inquire about important details.
Furthermore, all roofing companies are expected to provide potential clients with a list of homeowners to contact, which have already used their services. Keep in mind that actual references are always more trustworthy than online reviews, as you’ll be getting in touch with former clients over the phone or perhaps in person.
Ask the right questions
The interviews with the most prospective candidates are of essential importance for asking the right questions, regarding the range of services, staff members, payment details, etc. Make sure you ask whether the company will send its own team of workers or outsource their job to another contractor. Bear in mind that the latter option is not beneficial due to the likelihood of having your material warranty voided.
Additionally, it’s important to get familiar with the attitude of the roofing contractor towards emergency repairs, which are highly common among homeowners. You never know when you’ll notice a roof leak or broken shingles that allow water to pass through the roof. A reputable company should be always prepared to dispatch a team of roofers to one’s home, minimize the damage as much as possible, and locate the root of the problem.
When installing a new roof, you are supposed to learn whether the procedure involves tearing up the old structure or installing the new shingles over the existing ones. The latter method is considered unprofessional as it saves time at the cost of adding extra weight to the roof structure and disregarding the existing defects. Make sure the roofers you hire tear off the old roof, address any kind of damage to the structure and install the new shingles after performing a detailed inspection.
Check warranties
Last but not least, reviewing the warranties offered by candidates is indispensable in the process of selecting a roofing company. Professional roofers provide both workmanship and material warranty to homeowners. The former should cover at least a 5-year period, whereas the latter usually covers a period between twenty and forty years, depending on the material.
Should you come across any confusing parts in the warranty agreement, make you ask the candidates to explain that information you find puzzling. Keep in mind that some contractors offer no workmanship warranty, which shouldn’t be considered as a sign of unreliability. The material warranty is the one that matters the most.
Final thoughts
Look for a licensed, insured, experienced, and skilled contractor.
Your roof deserves the best treatment!