5 Benefits of Hiring a Certified Roofing Contractor

It’s not every day that you’re tasked with hiring a contractor for a roofing project. However, you don’t need to be a home improvement expert to know that choosing an experienced, qualified contractor is an essential part of securing a successful, long-lasting repair or replacement.

The best way to ensure you’re hiring an experienced contractor is to check their manufacturer certifications. Contractors who have these certifications have gone through years of training and upheld a consistent record of quality workmanship and proper material installation.

While some contractors are certified by just a single manufacturer, our team here at On Tops Roofing is certified by two different manufacturers: GAF and CertainTeed. We know how much homeowners value working with our certified contractors, so now we want to pass those benefits onto you.

Whether it’s their prioritization of safety or added warranties, we have no doubt you’ll find value in their work. Below, we highlight the top five benefits of working with a certified roofing contractor. 

1. They Come With Insurance & Warranties

When you decide to hire a contractor, be sure to check their insurance and warranty. Insurance keeps you safe from liability for whatever happens during the project. This includes accidental injury and property damage.

Certified roofers will also provide warranties on both labor and materials because they stand behind their workmanship and history of proper installation. This gives you peace of mind that your new roof will be protected no matter what happens after their work is complete.

Typically, contractor workmanship warranties on repairs are for one year or more. However, longer warranties are not necessarily more valuable than shorter ones. The length of the warranty is less important than the intent and ability of the roofer to stand behind it.  

For roof replacements, leading manufacturers like GAF require extensive experience in business for their certification programs. Certified contractors have access to some of the most powerful warranties available: 

• Manufacturer’s Warranty- With this warranty, a manufacturer will cover the cost of replacing defective materials for the first few years and then offer prorated coverage from that point on. If any shingles are found to be defective during the initial period, the manufacturer will give you replacement shingles at no extra cost. 

While standard manufacturer warranties typically cover labor costs for installation, they usually don’t cover workmanship charges to remove and dispose of failed shingles. For that, you would have to upgrade to an enhanced manufacturer’s warranty. While these vary based on the manufacturer, they often cover the full replacement value as well as workmanship for a period of time.

• Extended Manufacturer’s Warranty- Manufacturers only offer this warranty on new roofs installed by certified contractors who have a proven track record of installing roofs according to the manufacturer’s requirements. To qualify for an extended warranty, you must have a complete manufacturer’s roofing system installed.

Read this article to learn more about these warranties and how they can benefit your roof. 

2. They Prioritize Safety

Accidents related to roof repairs are very common. Roofers have a higher rate of injury than those in other industries, and the risk for injury increases with inexperience.

During your repair or replacement, work safety must be maintained to keep unnecessary risks at bay. A certified roofing contractor will take all the necessary steps to keep their team safe. Even if an accident does happen, a professional contractor is equipped with a valid insurance plan that saves you from unwanted consequences.

By hiring a certified contractor, you can guarantee that your roofers have been trained on OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) roofing requirements. For example, our team has daily safety talks to reinforce these requirements and keep our crew safe. Here’s a list of some of the requirements we follow:

• Recognizing fall hazards like narrow sidewalks, tarped walking areas, and pool decks where people could fall if they’re not paying attention
• Knowing what procedures to follow to minimize these fall hazards
• Make sure the ground crew wears safety glasses and helmets
• Make sure the installation crew is harnessed and tied in with ropes to reduce the risk of falling
• When a ladder is used to access your roof, it must extend three rungs, or at least three feet above the roofline

In addition, certified roofing companies have the proper apparel and gear for the task. That might include soft-soled shoes, safety uniforms, roofing jacks, and a full-body harness to ensure that they get the job done safely.

3. They Have Experience

With over 30 years of roofing under our belts, the team here at On Tops Roofing understands how much experience matters when choosing a certified contractor for your replacement.

Certified roofers have been in the industry for several years and have dedicated time to learning and gaining expertise in their field. They’ve likely gained this expertise by working on a wide variety of projects for clients with different roofing problems, needs, and wants.

You can prevent leaks, poor shingle installation, and other roofing issues just by hiring a seasoned contractor. When it comes to replacements and repairs, they can deliver excellent results using their experience with trusted techniques and products. 

Not all projects go smoothly 100% of the time. Once the old roof is removed, it’s common for contractors to find additional issues. If this happens, a certified roofer will be better prepared to handle the situation. Because of their experience, you can trust them to understand the cause of your problem and the best materials, approaches, and practices to address them.

4. They're Cost-Effective

While you’d think it’d be more expensive to hire a certified contractor, they know how to quickly find the source of your roofing problem and identify hidden damages, which can actually save you money.

Certified contractors also have easy access to raw materials. They know which manufacturers produce durable, high-quality materials and have built long-term relationships with local suppliers, which enables them to access these materials at lower costs.

The quality of the materials used by a roofing contractor can impact the roof’s performance. While high-quality supplies may seem more expensive, cheap roofing materials can lead to decreased performance, lowered resistance to damage, and shorter service life.

5. They Have a General Contractor's License

While most experienced contractors are licensed through their state’s board of licensing contractors, not all states require a license for a roof replacement. If your state requires a license, then you can guarantee that a certified contractor has that license.

For example, North Carolina only requires roofing contractors to be licensed for projects $30,000 or greater. Even if your state doesn’t require it, a license does give your roofer credibility as a professional in their industry.

Ready to Hire Your Contractor?

Now that we’ve gone over the five benefits of hiring a certified roofing contractor, you should feel more confident in your ability to find the best roofer for your repair or replacement. 

But how do you go about finding the right contractor? Is there any way to successfully vet your choices? To help you on your search, we put together a checklist of five questions you can ask your contractor to ensure they’re the right fit for your project.

If you’re wondering why you should trust us to give you roofing advice, let us explain: the On Tops team knows a little something about certified roofing contractors because we are certified roofing contractors.

If you live in Raleigh and need a contractor for your next roofing project, contact us using the form below. On average, we work with over 900 homeowners a year who are looking for a high-quality roofing experience, just like you. We’d be happy to give you a free inspection, project estimate, or answer any questions you may have about our roofing process.