Memberships and Products

How to Choose a Contractor
Items to look for:

• Are they insured with a General Liability Carrier for residential and commercial projects? A reputable contractor will not be "self-insured", but will carry a substantial liability policy.
• Do you get an immediate response when you call them? 
• Can they provide customer referrals & testimonials?
• Do they have any business references?
• Do they offer a warranty?
• How is their quality and craftsmanship?
• Do they have knowledge of the specific products for your job?
• How long will the project take?
• How do they advertise or how did you find out about them? i.e. Do they have a marked company vehicle,  Do they have a website,  Or did you just get a paper flyer stuck in your front door or delivered in the mail with a bunch of other advertisements?
• Request a Bank Financial Stability and Character Letter. This document can be requested from the Contractor's bank. It will tell you of the financial stability of the company and give you the bank's judgment of character of the company you are researching.
• Are they members of any Trade Associations or the Better Business Bureau? Membership in Trade Associations implies that the Contractor has a sense of responsibility to the industry- that they use quality products and workmanship as well as having ethical integrity.

Red Flags:

• Companies that say "Don't worry about your deductible" or "We can cover your deductible" are committing insurance FRAUD. By doing business with them, you are guilty of the same offence. In order for a company to provide a roofing or construction service at a discounted rate, they have to lie to the insurance company about the cost of the job. Materials and quality workmanship will suffer. If a contractor would lie to the insurance company, why wouldn't he/she lie to you? Click here for more information.
• Companies requiring any money BEFORE starting work. Reputable and financially stable contractors will usually only ask for money in advance of services if: (1) They have concerns about your ability or dependability to pay when the work contracted for is completed.  (2) If the job is large and requires multiple trades, they may ask for "draws". Even in a "draw" scenario it is rare for a reputable contractor to ask for money in advance of purchasing materials and providing some labor. (3) If specialty materials need to be ordered that cannot be returned or restocked.
• Companies that have only a few or no references
• Companies with no professional memberships. 
• Companies that are not members of the Better Business Bureau
• Young companies who are unwilling to provide previous company name(s) and/or work history
• If contractor won't provide you with their insurance information or a way to contact their agent to confirm coverage

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