Why Hire a Local Roofing Contractor?

FEMA News Photo Roofing Tarps

In Lees Summit, this has been a most unusual winter.  We have warm days approaching 70-F, and yet only a couple of days later we have high only approaching 30-F.  And the see-saw continues.  These wide variances in weather conditions make me wonder what the severity of our spring storms might look like.  Hail, wind driven rain, tornadoes; all widespread will damage a lot of roofs and create needs for both repair and replacement.

My roofing company, as with most established roofing contractors, maintains crews based on work we have available.  Following storm or natural disasters, there is far more roof work than local roofing contractors can support.  This leads to an influx of migrant roofing contractors, swooping in to grab storm-related insurance work, and they will certainly move on once a larger storm happens elsewhere or once the roof replacement work dries up.

I encourage you to hire a local roofing contractor for roof repairs.  Your house is likely your single largest investment.  And the roof is your first line of defense in protecting your house.  With some types of shingles, a roof may last 25-30 years, or even longer.  The reasons to select a local roofer are many:

1)      The roof being installed comes with a manufacturer’s warranty.  That warranty is only as good as the manufacturer that stands behind it, but proper installation is also crucial to ensure the manufacturer honors the warranty.  When you select a local roofing contractor, you can ensure that the installer is available later.  How are you going to get support from a migrant roofing contractor?

2)      It isn’t just the roof shingles; these are only one part of a bigger system including underlayment, ice and water shield, flashing, and venting.  While you only see the shingles, every component is critical.  Migrant roofing contractors are chasing money only, and are likely to cut costs in ways you cannot see.  Local roofing contractors that rely on referrals don’t have that luxury.

3)      We are properly licensed by the state of Missouri, and even the localities we do work in.

4)      We are insured, for your protection.

5)      We have a proven reputation within the community; this is among our most valuable intangible assets.

While I agree that there will be more work following storms than local roofing contractors can handle, and it may take some time to get a new roof, we can install a short-term solution such as a properly secured tarp roof.  This may not be the most attractive, but it is likely at least some of your neighbors have these as well.  A properly installed and secured tarp will provide 90-120 days of protection, which gives local roofing contractor time to schedule a proper roof replacement.

Your house is your largest asset.  Are you willing to trust a transient roof contractor to provide the first line of defense and protection?

 

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