Let’s be honest—evaluating roofers for your roof project can be a pain. There are so many options, and while some roofers are great at their craft, there are also roofers who can cause a lot of stress and grief with their sloppy work.
In our line of work, we hear from homeowners who thought they had found a reliable and skilled roofer to fix their roof—only to have their roof redone or fixed by another company shortly after. It is painful to hear, and we want to help you avoid experiencing roofing problems later on!
So, what signs should you be looking for to vet a roofing company? Here are five ways you can avoid lousy roofers in Salem Oregon, and find a better roofer for your project.
If you reach out to three different “roofers near me”, you will likely get three very different quotes. That is to be expected, since each roofer has their own cost structure. But, the pricing should make sense to you! No hidden fees or markups. No add ons that you don’t really need. If you ask a roofer in Salem Oregon (or anywhere in Oregon) to explain their quote to you, that should not be a problem.
Not sure about a detail in a quote you’ve received? You should be able to ask questions, and they should be able to answer without dancing around the details. Feel free to show quotes you’ve received by other estimators too – often they can help you compare apples to apples and explain why their pricing structure might be different from other companies.
Check For Insurance and Proper Licensing
As you evaluate roofers, make sure they have the proper qualifications for your project. If a roofer is not licensed, bonded, and insured they don’t have the basic qualifications to even walk on your roof, let alone perform work on your roof. It is easy to take for granted that anyone with a business card must be qualified, but make sure to check ahead. One easy thing to vet is their Construction Contractors Board (or CCB) number. A contractor should have this number listed on their website or be able to send it to you. You can check for details on their licensing by visiting the State of Oregon’s Contractor License Search database here.
Ask About Certifications
Many roofers have earned certifications with different trusted suppliers. For example, Dakota Roofing is Master Elite Certified with GAF and a Preferred Contractor with Owens Corning to name a couple. While certifications like these do not always guarantee quality work, they can be a great sign that you have found a roofer with the knowledge and expertise to be certified by national companies and trusted to represent the quality of their brand in our community.
Look at Customer Reviews
Again, good reviews are not a guarantee, but a solid indicator of what you can expect when hiring roofers in Salem Oregon. Reviews give insight into things like quality of work, communication practices, pricing, and much more. We recommend that you take a look at the quantity and quality of their customer reviews (such as on their Google Business Listing) and you will get an idea of what to expect from individual roofing companies near you.
Review or Ask for Examples of Their Previous Work
A roofer can tell you they do great work, but hopefully they can also show you! If you ask, they should be able to show you video or photos of previously completed jobs, maybe even in your area. If they have no prior work examples that they can readily show you, that is a concern. Many companies will have a page on their website dedicated to prior work examples for you to review at your convenience. For example, you can check out Dakota Roofing’s residential or commercial portfolios to see roofing work examples from Salem, Eugene, Portland, and along the coast.
If you have a roof project in mind or are considering a full reroof, we wish you well in your search for the best roofers in Salem Oregon! If you are looking for an experienced, certified roofer with clear pricing, we look forward to chatting with you soon about your options.
Contact our team to get a free roof quote from Dakota Roofing, or check out our instant quote feature to get a ballpark estimate.
If you have questions, we’re happy to help, contact us here.
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