There is not any such thing to be over protective with regards to your home as well as your finances. There are numerous roofing contractors out there which are willing to bend the rules to simplify things for themselves, leading to problems for you as well as your roof. Even honest contractors make mistakes every occasionally. That’s why it’s important to know these 4 simple ways to protect yourself when choosing a roofing contractor.
Workers Compensation
Problem: You hire a roofing contractor to repair a leak on your roof. One of their employees decides never to use proper safety procedures and falls, breaking his leg. The employee holds you responsible to pay his medical expenses, because he was hurt on your own property.
Solution: Roofers Compensation is a type of insurance covering roofing injuries. If a roofing contractor has workers compensation, any injured employees are entitled to recover expenses for hospital bills and being out of work. Be sure that your roofing contractor has workers compensation so that you will are saved the trouble and expenses of paying those bills yourself.
Liability Insurance
Problem: Your roofing contractor leaves your roof uncovered after removing your shingles. That night there is an urgent storm. Water seeps into your home and damages your sheet rock, carpet and some nice furniture. Your roofing contractor has liability insurance, but you can find exclusions preventing coverage of the inside of your building. You wind up paying to fix the damages yourself.
Solution: If damage occurs to your home or building that is the fault of a roofing contractor, you want to be sure they have good liability insurance. This can cover anything from broken windows to damaged interiors as stated in the situation above. Some contractors have liability insurance, but their insurance company offers so many exclusions that it’s almost like there is no coverage at all. Look for coverage that doesn’t exclude water damage and mold caused by leaving a roof open.
Business License
Problem: You hire a new roofing company to focus on your roof. A couple of months later you see a leak. You make an effort to contact the business, but can’t find their information. You try to look them up by their business license and you also find that there is never a small business license issued for that company. You are forced to pay for the repairs yourself.
Solution: Check ahead of time that your roofing contractor includes a business license. If they don’t possess a license, it may be a sign that they have no idea what they are doing. The business could easily disappear or walk out business.
In hawaii of Utah, your roofing company must have a shingle license and a general roofing license to set up a pitched roof. A set roof installation only takes a general roofing license.
An over-all contractor is legally in a position to install a roof with out a roofing license if they have an over-all contractor license. However, there were lots of cases of general contractors branching out and installing roofs themselves when they lack the correct training. This causes problems for building owners in addition to home owners. It is perfect for a general contractor to possess a roofing license besides their general contractors license.
In roof maintenance , the number for a general roofing licence is S280. The overall contractors license is B100.
If your roofing contractor is in the center of working on your roof and you also find that they will have given fraudulent business license information, (in Utah) you have the choice to terminate their service immediately. You are not required to pay anything to the contractor since they were operating illegally. You can then find a qualified contractor to repair your roof and finish the job.
Lien Waiver
Problem: Your roof has been completed and you also pay the contractor. However, a few weeks later, the contractor’s supplier contacts you requesting a fee for the materials installed on your roof. You discover that your contractor did not pay his supplier and that you are now responsible for that payment. This has happened and can happen to you.
Solution: Be sure you request a lien waiver when the job is completed and before you pay. A lien waiver simply states that when the contractor does not make his payments to a supplier or employees, you are not responsible to cover them. It really is ultimately in place to safeguard the home or building owner from paying twice. If you receive the lien waiver before you pay, it is conditional upon your payment. However, once your payment has cleared, the lien waver becomes unconditional without the additional paperwork.
