Your new roof is a huge investment. Just like you, we understand the importance of selecting a local company recognized by product manufacturers and other homeowners for their commitment to excellence. We also know how complicated that process can be.
Follow these tips for choosing a local contractor who is trustworthy, experienced, and knowledgeable about the unique challenges of maintaining a strong roof in Indianapolis.
1. Ask for referrals.
Before looking for roofing contractors on your own, ask your family, friends, or neighbors if they’ve recently worked with any local companies they would recommend.
Ask these two questions:
- Were you happy with the quality of work?
- Would you work with this contractor again?
If the answer to these questions is “yes,” it’s worth reaching out to this company to see if they might be a good fit for your project.
2. Look for a contractor with a local address and phone number.
It’s important to avoid storm chasers when planning for your roof replacement.
Storm chasers are large out-of-state companies that travel from city to city, following big storms that cause roof damage. These shady companies don’t know local building codes and won’t complete your replacement in compliance with your state’s requirements. Plus, since they’ll only be in town until the next storm wreaks havoc on another city, if anything goes wrong with your roof down the road, they won’t be around to fix it.
One of the best ways to avoid storm chasers is to ensure your contractor has a physical office location in your city and a local phone number. If you ever have a problem with your roof or need additional services down the road—you’ll know exactly where to find them!
3. Verify the contractor is licensed, bonded, and insured.
Every roofing company should be insured. Depending on the state and city you live in, your contractor may also need to be licensed and bonded. You should never hire a company that isn’t willing to show you proof of their paperwork.
Here’s what these certifications look like in Indianapolis:
Licensed
Unlike most states, Indiana does not require contractors to hold a state license.
However, contractors in Indianapolis must be licensed and listed in the city. To receive this license, they must carry at least $500,000 in death or bodily injury insurance and $100,000 in property damage insurance.
If you live in a suburban city outside of Indianapolis, check if your municipality requires your contractor to hold a general contractor’s license or a roofer’s license.
Bonded
Bonds ensure that if your roofing company goes out of business during your project or if there’s a problem they’re not willing to fix, you (the homeowner) can rely on the bond company to assume responsibility for the debt.
Bond companies only work with roofing contractors they can rely on to be ethical and complete excellent work, so if a company is bonded, you can trust they’re reliable.
Although there aren’t bonding requirements for Indiana on the state level, contractors in Indianapolis must be bonded with a surety bond.
Insured
Your contractor should carry at least general liability and workman’s compensation insurance, and they should be willing to provide you proof of insurance during your estimate.
4. Request references and review past projects.
If your roofing contractor has been in business for several years, they should have a strong portfolio of previous projects and a list of satisfied clients, and they shouldn’t have any trouble sharing these local addresses with you.
If a company isn’t willing to give you references, that’s a bad sign. It usually means they are storm chasers without local clients, or a newer company without reputability or experience. It can even imply they don’t have a good reputation in the community.
You can also look at a company’s reviews online to read recent homeowner experiences. If a roofing contractor is praised for being meticulous, timely, and offering excellent customer service, you can usually assume you’ve found a reliable local company!
5. Select a contractor that stands behind their work.
Reliable roofing contractors should be willing to offer you both product warranties and workmanship warranties, and if they don’t, you shouldn’t hire them.
Product warranties are given to homeowners by manufacturers when their roofing shingles are installed by a certified installer. Usually, top-rated roofing manufacturers choose the best contractors in each local area to go through their certification process. When you work with one of these certified companies (and you should!), you’ll receive long-lasting product warranties to cover repairs in the unlikely event something goes wrong with your roofing system.
Workmanship warranties are given to homeowners directly by contractors to cover any errors or damage due to improper installation. These warranties show that your contractor takes pride in their workmanship and is confident in their installation skills—but in the unlikely case something goes wrong, they’re willing to stand behind their work and fix the problem.
Trust a Reliable Local Company to Complete Your Roof Installation
Finding a trustworthy local company to complete your roofing project can be like finding a needle in a haystack.
JD Hostetter hopes to simplify your search for a reliable roofing contractor in Indianapolis with our excellent reviews, industry-leading warranties, portfolio of previous projects from satisfied clients, and certification as a Malarkey Emerald Premium Contractor.
Learn more about how we can help you install a beautiful, long-lasting roof on your Indianapolis home!
