FAQs

Any good and reputable contractor will not pay a client’s deductible. Not only is it insurance fraud it creates a less than honesty relationship! If convicted of insurance fraud the contractor and home owner can be fined and/or jailed. Also if a contractor will lie for you he will also lie to you.

A professional and well experience contractor or sale staff can closely examine the roof to determine whether or not the roof has normal wear and deterioration or deterioration caused by hail stone impact.

It protects the client in the event damage occurs as the result of the contractor installing a product. A simple example would be removing the entire roof and having a heavy rain before the new roof is completely installed resulting in water damage to the interior of the client’s home. The contractor’s liability insurance should cover the damage.

Manufacturer’s warranty covers issues that would be related to the product during the manufacturing stage, where workmanship relates to the method in which the product was installed. It is important to use a local contractor when it comes to the workmanship warranty. How likely is an out of town or out of state contractor to return and honor their workmanship warranty?

If your gutters and downspouts are in good condition with no damage the roof can be replace without replacing the gutters and downspouts. However, if the gutters and downspouts are showing signs of age or damage you are best off replacing them. Most insurance companies will require that gutters and downspouts be replaced when dents are observed in the metal. This is done in order to create a clean canvas. Once the roof has been replaced along with anything showing hail impact damage it is easier for the insurance company to determine the extent of any future hail and storm damage. In the industry we call damage to metal gutters, downspouts, and vents collateral damage.

It depends on your budget and what is the building being utilized as (is there abundant foot traffic on the roof, are the HVAC units mounted on the roof). If heavy foot traffic is expected, a multi ply roofing system that provides redundancies is the best system. Single ply roofing systems are better suited where little to no roof traffic will occur.

Generally the roofing contractor is responsible! But often when you get a contractor as stated above who does not carry insurance the home owner will lose and have to pay! You must read your roofing contract carefully and ask for certificates of insurance.

Good question! You can get numerous quotes and they can vary a great amount! First it is important to determine if the quotes all include the same scope of work and quality of materials. Prices can vary a lot based on the type of shingle the contractor is using and if the contractor with the lower bid is going to short cut the job (like not removing all of the shingles). The lowest price is not always the best deal, buyer beware. Make sure you are getting the same value in that low bid. In many cases the contractor will be uninsured. Just the lack of insurance can reduce the cost of the project. You should only do business with a contractor that carries insurance. If something happens such as it rains and your home is flooded out, who is going to pay for the damages; the contractor with the low price and no insurance or the contactor with proper insurance.

The total cost of a new roof is dependent on many factors. The type and quality of the shingles and other roofing materials can significantly impact the total cost. Also, location and design of the home impacts the cost (total area of the roof, one story or multiple stories, steep roof pitches, number of existing layers of shingles to be removed, type and quality of shingles). A professional roofing contractor should meet with the client to determine their needs and wants. The contractor can then provide the owner with valuable information and options along with the cost for those options. The final step is to get a written estimate from the contractor with detailed material and labor specifications.

That depends on several factors. Has there been harsh weather such as hail impact damage, wind damage or damage created by other factors? Common other factors could be home owners not trimming or maintaining their trees and vegetation or excessive foot traffic on the roof system.

We suggest you use caution. You get what you pay for! Home owners are not roofers any more than roofers are doctors or computer programmers. The work environment in Central Texas is hazardous and physically demanding. Let a qualified contractor make the needed repairs and save you the possibility of injuries or a hospital visit!

Not always, it depends on the overall condition of the roof and the method of construction. A qualified roofing contractor can review the roof and determine if the leak is an isolated issue such as missing shingles or water leaking around a pipe flashing or a more extensive problem. Sometimes, more in-depth services such as water testing are needed to determine if the leak or leaks may be wind driven.

Three tabs shingles are constructed in such a way that they have a tab like appearance. Dimensional shingles are designed to have a 3-D appearance giving them a greater curb appeal. Both three tab and dimensional shingles can be rated 30 year, but typically the three tab shingles are rated at twenty to twenty-five years.

Yes, in our area, most local building codes require that the existing shingle layer be removed. From a code stand point it is a weight issue. From a professional stand point, when the existing shingles are left in place they generate heat and thereby cook the new shingles and reduce the overall normal life expectancy of the roof!

Using a local roofer makes it much easier for the client to verify the contractor’s references and to see jobs that they have completed. Reputable local contractors can response much faster should a problem or concern develop then an out of town or out of state contractor. The quality of the roof seems to improve if the contractor is local and wants to protect his reputation. Also from an economic stand point it feeds the local economy.

Yes it does! When temperatures fall into the 30’s two things happen: One the shingles become brittle which increases the chances of breakage during handling and secondly with outside temperatures below 40 the seal strip of each shingle may not fully adhere thereby increasing the chances that the strip will be contaminated by particles blowing under the shingles and onto the asphalt strip. When this happens the shingles are more likely to blowing off the roof in high wind conditions, compromising the roofing system and resulting in additional insurance claims and out of pocket deductibles.