Even though Florida has some of the strictest laws to protect the consumer, roofing is still the easiest port of entry for many ‘sketchy’ business owners looking to make a quick buck.
I know because I have been around these guys for over a decade, and I have seen a lot of things that aren’t right. As you probably know or have seen yourself, the personalities of roofers over the years are known to be alcoholics with bad credit ratings and poor hygiene. Too many roofers use pushy and dishonest sales tactics. They will tell you that you need a new roof, even if your roof has 10+ years left on it. Too many of these guys are hooked up with some bad lawyers who want to make ‘frivolous’ or even fraudulent claims against the insurance companies. Too many roofers want to make a quick buck, and sad to say, get to the bar and enjoy themselves.
Couple that with poor workmanship and lower quality materials and you could end up with a low-quality roof and you won’t know it until a big storm comes and leaks start happening. By then, a lot of these guys are gone, and you’re stuck.
Storm Chasers: Because insurance claims can be so lucrative, you will get these out of state storm-chasing roofing companies who will just go knocking door-to-door right after a storm comes through. They will intimidate and scare the homeowner into buying a new roof. Oftentimes these companies come in and ignore the local or state codes and do a quick job and move on. It’s a mess. They will also undercut the local roofer who is tied to the community and wants to make sure that his work is good and guaranteed. Once these storm-chasers move on, they are tough to find.
There is a huge financial incentive after a hurricane, and this causes greed in smaller operations and the mismanagement. These guys think they won the lottery versus running a business, and so they don’t manage it well. Issues arise like too much growth, which means high bills with suppliers like Beacon and ABC. You should always call the roofing suppliers to make sure the roofing company you are dealing with is in good standing.
Here are their phone numbers for you to call and ask:
ABC – 800-226-1280
Beacon – 888-685-6111
Tell then you are a homeowner and want to check on this roofer.
Too often these smaller companies don’t have enough supervision and they grow too fast. Another thing you want to check on is to make sure there is a project manager on site all the time – not floating between jobs. When the Storm-Chasing small companies grow too fast, they hire asphalt Roofers. If you have an asphalt roof that is ok, but if you have a Tile roof then there is a problem because they don’t know how to do a concrete tile roof which requires more skill than an asphalt roof.
Also, too many small roofers have too few workers which means it will take up to 3 weeks to do your roof verses a larger company where the job can be done in days and done right with specialized workers for specific areas (like tile roofs).
As a rule, roofers get tired because it is hot on these Florida roofs. The smaller companies means these roofers are on the hot roof for a long time. When there are a lot of roofers they don’t get as tired because they share in the load and so the workmanship turns out better – less tired, more eyes, less boredom.
However, the tides have changed, and now newer business-savvy owners are coming in and running it like a proper business. Even public investment companies are buying up roofing companies and turning them into major, scalable businesses.
There are key things to look out for when you hire a roofer; especially a tile roofer:
Are they local?
Are they licensed, bonded and insured? (ask for a copy)
Do they have a website?
How long have they been in business?
Do they have references? (Have they done any work in this neighborhood?
Who do I talk to if there is a problem?
Have they done tile roofs before? (If so, get the address and go see)
What suppliers do they use? Call the supply companies like ABC or Beacon to verify them.
Do they have a warranty in writing?
What is your process of applying a tile roof? (or an asphalt roof?)
How long will the job take?
How many crew members are on your job?
Do they have a dedicated supervisor who is there all the time?
How do you protect my landscaping?
What do you do to clean up?
At Grant Construction & Roofing, we value your roof. In fact, this is our values statement;
Our Values:
“At Grant Construction & Roofing, we understand the importance of a great roof. In fact, we are highly passionate in providing you with a peaceful comfort and ease in your mind in knowing that you have the best roof protecting you, your family, and your cherished possessions. We are driven to make sure you feel good about your investment, and that you would do it again, and tell others.”
If you would like a quote or a free Roof Diagnostic Kit, please feel free to fill out our form at https://grantroofs.com/contact/ or simply call us at 833-FL-Grant (833-354-7268).
