What to Consider When Replacing the Roof Over Your Head
Putting a new roof on your home is a big, expensive job. Educating yourself on roofing materials, warranties, and roofing contractors can save you money and headaches down the road.
Avoid using your workmanship warranty by choosing the right roofing contractor. Get a recommendation for an established, licensed or bonded roofer. Just as you have proof of your Long Island Home insurance you must verify their references, as well as certificates of insurance associated with their business insurance. Insist on a detailed, written estimate. The estimate should include all material and labor charges, as well as start date and estimated completion date. Payment schedules should be specifically enumerated. If you have doubts about the contractor, consult your local Better Business Bureau or check with the chamber of commerce.
Your roof’s materials will defend your home from wind, rain, hail, and possibly fire. Costs of a new roof vary greatly depending on the type of product used, and certain products are more common in different parts of the country. In fact, your homeowner’s association may even dictate the type of material required. To compare prices, it is important to know how roofing materials are measured. A roof is measured in “squares,” and a square is 100 square feet of area, or a 10-foot-by-10-foot section. If your roof has a steep pitch, you can expect increased costs due to the greater safety concern and installation time.
Check the ratings on the roofing material you want to install. Standards exist to measure the products resistance to wind and fire. A test designed by Underwriters’ Laboratories, UL 2218 testing, measures a roofing products resistance to hail. Under that test, Class 4 roofing is anticipated to provide the greatest impact resistance to hail.
Roofing products receive a Class A ratings which indicate the roofing material is effective against severe fire exposure, Class B ratings are effective against moderate fire exposure, and Class C ratings are effective against light fire exposure. Use your common sense to determine the basic fire resistance of a given type of shingle; i.e., a wood shake shingle will afford less protection than a clay shingle.
As with any consumer product, read the warranty’s fine print carefully! Save one wrapper from a bundle of shingles to keep on hand in case you have to consult the warranty. Different types of warranties include:
· Pro-rated – claims paid based on the age of the roof.
· First owner – subsequent owners of the roof are not covered.
· Flat roof warranty fee – a warranty for a flat roof may not be cost-effective. Check with your contractor for other options.
· Wind – applies only to roof damage caused by wind.
· Hail – applies only to damage caused by hail.
· Materials and defects – if your contractor installs the product incorrectly, you can bet the manufacturer will not cover resulting damage.
· Workmanship – the terms of your workmanship warranty should be written into the contract for service and will vary depending what the parties negotiate.
By educating yourself and following a few suggestions, you can choose the right roofing materials for your home avoid any resulting problems and negotiate a contract with a reputable contractor, all the while ensuring your home is protected from the elements for years to come. Always protect your home with Long Island Home insurance.
