HOW DO YOU CHOOSE A COMMERCIAL CONTRACTOR? THESE FOUR QUESTIONS HELP.
There are many different factors to consider when undertaking a new roofing project, one is who your commercial roofing contractor will be. There are so many roofing contractors out there, and they all have different strengths and weaknesses. How do you eliminate the contractors who aren’t a good fit and choose the one who is the best fit? The National Roofing Contractors Association recommends pre-qualifying commercial contractors on either an annual or a project to project basis. We have four questions to ask that will help you pre-qualify the best commercial roofing contractor to get the best results for your roof.
Question 1: Ask for the contractor’s business address, phone number, business license and tax ID number.
If a company provides the information you ask for here, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are a good contractor. But, if they can’t provide this information to you, it almost certainly means they are a bad contractor. This question is a negative confirmation, positive response simply means they meet the test, a negative response means they fail.
Question 2: Ask if the contractor is a member of any industry associations, be it local, state, regional or national.
A contractor who is a member of these organizations is constantly receiving updates on best practices and any changes within the industry. By confirming they belong to at least one of the associations you’re interested in, you are bettering your chances of finding a well-educated contractor. If you’re doing a spray foam project, you should ask if they are members of SPFA, NRCA, and similar organizations.
Question 3: Ask what types of safety training the contractor provides to their employees.
A contractor that isn’t concerned with safety isn’t concerned with quality. Workers do their best work when they feel safe. If a company doesn’t provide their workers with quality safety training, they aren’t concerned with quality, and that is not a good sign. If safety training, a very crucial aspect of any business, is being ignored, it makes you wonder what other aspects of the business are being ignored?
Question 4: Ask for client references.
This is the most telling question. The first three questions are really just qualifiers, making sure the candidate is even acceptable. This question takes the great commercial roofing contractors and separates them from the good ones. Don’t forget two key things surrounding references: call a few of the references and verify their legitimacy, and gauge the contractor’s response when you first ask for references. If they appear uneasy when you mention references, it may be a sign that they have some bad references out their somewhere. Someone who is eager to show you a portfolio with complete contact information is someone you want on your roof.
We have a network of certified contractors that we use across the United States to install our products. If you have a project and don’t want to do the qualifying yourself, give us a call and we’ll be more than happy to refer you to one of our Certified Licensed Applicators. These are contractors that display a history of quality work and integrity, and they have more than likely worked with us and our materials before. If you use one of our CLA’s, you can be confident that you are getting a great contractor.