Okay, so you’re wondering how to choose and hire a roofing contractor in the San Gabriel Valley
How do you choose a roofing contractor? Photo by Gift Habeshaw, Unsplash
Who do you trust? Who do you go with?
You can even get three roofing estimates and yet still wonder if you’ve made the right choice.
Here are ways to vet a roofing contractor—or any contractor for a home improvement or commercial building project. Getting started with a contractor is almost always. The questions and concerns surface arise after the work gets underway.
Thomas Garvey, owner of Garvey Roofing, of course hopes you’ll choose his team for your roofing needs.
Read on to learn about Garvey Roofing’s unique traits; meanwhile, here’s what to look for in a contractor:
- What the roofer guarantees or offers
- How well you feel your needs are understood
- Experience and knowledge
- Customer testimonials
What the Roofer Offers and Guarantees
Does the roofing contractor offer:
- Free or paid estimates
- Labor guarantees
- Material guarantees
Garvey Roofing offers free estimates plus guarantees all labor and materials.
Why is this a big deal?
Because roofers will say that manufacturer’s guarantee the materials. The catch is that installation has to be done correctly. And you have to go through hoops and channels to recover material guarantees.
Garvey Roofing guarantee that the work, labor, is done correctly and they’ll also back up the materials so you don’t have to approach the manufacturer if something goes wrong.
A Quality Roofer will Listen to Your Needs and Questions
Customers want a quality job for a fair price, right?
It’s true for home improvement projects and commercial building upgrades that cheap bids usually mean low quality work. But for a lot of projects, the highest bids don’t always mean the highest quality work. So, yes, it gets confusing.
How well does a roofer listen to you—or, listen to your questions?
After you share your concerns, then a roofing company should clearly explain your options and whether you need a new roof installed or a roof repair.
Roofing is a commodity for many companies. They take the same exact approach on each job.
Thomas Garvey puts himself in the customer’s place and tries to see what he can achieve with the budget that’s given. He’ll customize roofs when possible, using colors and styles to achieve a pleasing end result.
One customer in the San Gabriel Valley wanted her new roof to look like the area where she grew up back east. Thomas used a color and material arrangement that gave a “back east” appearance.
Roofing Materials and Craftsmanship
Garvey Roofing will show if you need a repair or new roof; photo by Michael Walter, Unsplash
Contractors need to use the right materials for the right job. They pull material from roofing supply distributors around Monrovia, Whittier and northeast Los Angeles. They may use the same roofing materials, but their installation quality varies. Craftsmanship includes using proper nailing techniques and allowing for the right ventilation in the attic.
Key materials are:
- Plywood for the decking
- Underlayment
- Shingles, tile
- Drip edge and metal flashings around vents and chimneys
A contractor should be able to describe roofing as a system and the importance of air flow and insulation along with newer terms like cool roofs.
You can ask what types of homes and commercial buildings has the company roofed. Locally, we have historic buildings with delicate structures in cities like Alhambra, Pasadena, Monrovia and Arcadia.
Garvey Roofing has worked on historic bungalows and homes in Heritage Square, the collection of Victorian Homes off the 110 freeway.
Regarding craftsmanship, Thomas Garvey has four licenses:
- Roofing
- Installation—including fire proofing and preventing leaks
- Solar
- General contracting—this allows his team to handle any woodworking or structural framing issues
Garvey Roofing is also properly insured for your peace of mind as either a homeowner or commercial building owner.
Pricing Roofing Jobs
Roofing costs are based on labor and materials.
Roofers will estimate on a per square basis–a square equals 100 sq. ft.
Length x width, and then the pitch of the roof is factored in.
Also included in each job is the cost of tearing off the roof, plus dumping fees, decking (plywood), underlayment, ventilation, metal flashing, possible insulation, plus either the cost of shingles or tile.
Here’s What to Expect with us.
Use this guide to evaluate possible roofing contractors as you consider using Garvey Roofing for a new roof or roof repair.
Call (626) 358-9208 or visit our Contact page.
