Picture yourself sitting down at a new restaurant, excited to see what their menu has to offer.
Your waiter brings you a glass of water and you open up the menu only to discover that the entire thing is in a different language. And there isn’t a single picture to come to your rescue! What will you choose? You may glance around the dining room and point out a tasty looking dish to your waiter, or you may ask for their recommendation. But ultimately, you are at the mercy of that waiter and the chef in the kitchen. If only you had known it was so difficult to know what you would get when you ordered, you would have avoided the restaurant altogether!
Amazingly, when it comes to buying a roof, this scenario is all too familiar. While the unreadable restaurant menu makes us uncomfortable, at the end of the night you will not have wasted more than a few hours and fifty bucks. And then you get to go someplace else for dinner the next night. A roof is a large purchase that we will likely only make once or twice in our lifetime, yet we often traverse the experience in the dark with little to no knowledge of the subject.
We want to help. We are giving homeowners a few tools in their toolbelt so they aren’t left at the mercy of a dishonest or greedy contractor. Our experts have shared their insights so that you can have a better idea of what you need, when you need it, and how to go about selecting the company to trust.
If you are trying to figure out whether or not you need a roof replacement or repair, check out How to Find a Roofing Leak and Roof Leaks - What to Look For. We’ve detailed what to look for and how so that you can make an initial assessment for yourself. We also have two factors to consider when deciding whether to repair or replace your roof.
Once you have determined that your roof does indeed need repaired or replaced, it’s helpful to have an idea of what specifically is needed. We’ve explained the key elements of a roof so that you don’t feel like you’re hearing another language when a roofing contractor is talking.
Last but not least, who do you hire? Not surprisingly, we do not recommend DIY roof installation or repairs. To find a roofer that is trustworthy and affordable, there are 5 things we suggest looking into. Read about them here.